Starter Clutch

DarkKnight

Hey gang. Went to start the bike up today, and all I got was a high whirring noise. Motor wasn't trying to crank over at all. Called dealer, and they said it sounded like the Bendix clutch for the starter is shot. They also said it's "not a pricey or big fix". Quoted me about $120 for the part, with about an hour for labor.

I was just curious if this is something I should give a shot on my own. I'm still real new to wrenching anything on this thing... so I'm not going to lie and say I can do it. So I'm looking for feedback primarily. I've got some basic tools, but nothing extensive.

Thoughts? Should I give this a try myself and save a few bucks, or better to let the dealer take care of this?

glider

Not a big deal as long as you hear the starter spinning over.

DISCONNECT THE BATTERY , FINGERS GET EXPENSIVE.

*Drain the primary and you probably have to remove the rear floorboard to get the cover off.
*Remove the primary cover, make a template for the bolts from cardboard , draw a primary picture on it and stick the bolts in holes you make showing their position in the cover, there different lengths and can screw you up.
*You'll see the ring gear with the starter drive in the upper right of the primary area. (the small gear in the pic)
*Remove the bolt in the center after bending the lock tab down
*Remove the starter drive and replace it with the new one.Check the manual to see if blue locktite is recommended.
*Reverse the foregoing procedure and fill the primary with the proper amount of oil up to the bottom of the silver ring around the clutch basket with the bike straight up after putting on a new gasket and you're done. Use the HD gasket if you do it. The aftermarket gaskets tend to leak without the silicone bead on them.

If you have a problem holding the gasket in place during reassembly, take two spare bolts the same thread as the cover bolts and cut off the heads. Insert them into two holes, one on each end and hang the gasket in place on them. Slide the cover back on next and install the other bolts, remove the two that held the gasket in place and torque the bolts according to specs.

This is what it looks like. This pic is a softail but it looks about the same.

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DarkKnight

Thanks Glider, it at least sounds easy enough.

Dumb question number 1 though is... draining the primary, do you have a link to that as well? I've yet to drain anything on the bike, so I'm not really sure where to start up (or refill).

Thanks much. If I can save a few bucks on this, it would be a HUGE help.

glider

No link but you'll find the drain plug at the lowest point of the primary cover on the bottom . It may be a hex head nut or an allen head. You refill the primary through the big clutch cover with the three screws in it right above the drain plug. You can't miss the drain plug, it is probably the only different bolt down there that doesn't look like the others.

Your clutch cover will probably have a large "O" ring seal on it. Don't disturb it and you can reuse it again usually. If the "O" ring has been replaced with the black disc type seal with the red impregnated silicone bead, that can probably be reused again as long as it isn't torn or damaged. Your call here.

You'll also have to remove the drivers floorboard too, I forgot that part above. Your drain plug may be in a different position but in the same location as in the pic and have a hex head possibly too while all the others are allen heads that hold the cover in place.The pic below is for the tapered pipe drain plug, so it was just meant as a reference point for location of the drain.

When you remove the three screws from the derby cover (clutch cover) to add the new oil, they are probably a #27 torx bit, not to be confused with a #25 that will round them out. They may even be an allen head too on that year bike.

Here's a pic of where the drain plug is on the later bikes.



Here's a better pic of where it's located, again, not your cover but just for location.

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glider

When you get it all done and put back together again, remove the clutch cover like mentioned above and this is where you fill the oil in the primary to with the bike standing straight up and level. Just fill until the oil just barely comes over the edge of the clutch basket where I marked it. You can use the Formula+ oil available at the dealer.

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DarkKnight

Much appreciated Glider. Truly. As naive as I am about this, it's a HUGE help. I tell everyone, I'm not afraid to wrench myself, I just don't know what the heck I'm doing. So this step by step and pics you're supplying... is really appreciated. I'll let you know how the progress goes!!

glider

You may want to get the factory manual from the dealer if you don't already have it. They come in very handy.

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DarkKnight

Was contacted by the dealer, clutch is fixed. They originally said that the job would be about an hour or hour and a half, then said it took 2 1/2 hours.

I just hope they're not padding labor time(cost)!

Oh well, at least she's ready to pick up and ride again!

glider

Be interesting to hear why the additional hour time. Maybe the parts washing kid needed a lunch break?

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DarkKnight

I get the feeling I wouldn't get a straight answer on why the additional hour. From what you wrote above, especially for an experienced mechanic, just seems strange that those steps would take two and a half hours to perform.

I'm going to ask them if they're including the time it took to replace some of the parts from the crash as well (they had some of the newer replacement parts, said they'd do it at the same time). If so, that's not right, those figures were already figured into that estimate, and it would be like paying double.