GB electric starter just clicking (need brushes)

[SpankMe]

Using the electric starter to start the bike just gives out a click the first 3-5 times before working. Kick start works fine.

The only change I have made is adding the Magnum horn (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=34099).

[MSTRS]

Using the electric starter to start the bike just gives out a click the first 3-5 times before working. Kick start works fine.

The only change I have made is adding the Magnum horn (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=34099).

Sounds like you might have created a battery earth problem...

[SpankMe]

Could the horn connectors be around the wrong way?

[MSTRS]

If they went 'BEEP" instead of 'PEEB' - unlikely.
Still sounds like the battery is not earthing (fully)

[SpankMe]

Have you checked your tire pressure SpankMe?

keh?  

[Devil]

Using the electric starter to start the bike just gives out a click the first 3-5 times before working. Kick start works fine.

The only change I have made is adding the Magnum horn (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=34099).

We had the same issue with the starter from our Hyundai Excel, right before it kicked the bucket.

Maybe it's just on its way out?

I'd think if something wasn't plugged in properly it wouldn't work at all, not intermittantly.

[Mr. Peanut]

Worn brushes/dirty commutator? Does it sometimes work first pop? It's a fairly cheap fix if that's the case.

[skelstar]

Found with google:


2.) Starter Moters. The electronic starter motor also tends to die fairly commonly on GB's. Either the solenoid will pack up, the clutch will or it will just wear out. GB's with working starter motors are not all that common.


Also, starter motor failure, while aggravated by infrequent oil changes, shows early with the development of slight highs & hollows on the two faces which the sprags lock against, probably due to poor surface hardening. Eventually a sprag will hit a highpoint once too often & break. By the time 3 or more have quit things are getting really graunchy in there, & there isn't enough grip produced to lock. Failure can be kept at bay by dismantling for inspection every 10 thousand or so, & having a machinist dress the faces lightly, even re-harden or chrome. This isn't as silly as it might seem if you price replacement parts at broken sprag time, as the hub & gear face items have to be renewed as well as the new sprag, otherwise the new sprag will quit in no time. However, there is enough range of rotation in the sprag rollers so that a new one will accommodate resurfaced hub & gear faces, if the budget is tight. While in this area, if you can live without the electric start an available bonus is to biff the electric starter gear altogether, including the sprag assy & hub, & use the space to add some flywheel.

My workmate has a GB500 and reckon that this fault is fairly common in the GBs, but admits to being not very helpful.

edit - woops, its seems that I reposted some of the above stuff as I found it repeated/duplicated in an archived KB post from eons ago.

[classic zed]

I will have it sussed in no time:yes:

[Silage]

My GB400 has over 85000 on it and the elect. start has never hiccupped. I do kick start it at times - usually after being not used for a week or so. Never heard anyone complain about the start giving out.

Sounds like a dodgy connection somewhere in the system but then I thought a meteor passing by was a transformer blowing.

[FROSTY]

soes sound like the starter solenoid to me spank--If the battery was flat it wouldnt start on the button at all not just go click-then later fire up.
lets put it this way==the solenoid is the easiest/cheapest item to fix/replace.

[Pixie]

Loose battery connections

[SpankMe]

Anyone know if starter motor brushes from any other model will work on the GB500? Apparently one part of the brush set is no longer available.

[Motu]

Staters are common to many models - but if it's not available for your's it's probably the same for others as well.But you never know,it could be used on a Yamaha and readily available.Who is doing the work? Get an auto sparky to look at it rather than a bike mechanic,they will have a much more experiance in starters and more parts they can modify to fit.

[Ixion]

Brushes are simple things. They can be cut, filed etc. You just need to find one that's a bit bigger than the one you want and attack it. Only problem nowdays is finding an auto sparky that served his apprenticeship at the well known firm of Bodger & Bashit, and doesn't freakout at the idea .

[davereid]

Hi, Ixion is spot on, a clever old dude with grey hair will soon sort you out a set of brushes. The basic procedure for diagnosing a starter motor fault is :

Check the battery first, and clean and tighten the terminals on the battery, and its earth.

Then, if this does not help, test the solenoid.

A grey old bastard would bridge the terminals of the solenoid with someone elses screwdriver.

This should crank the engine, as well as make you jump out of your skin with the noise and sparks ! If you this trick try not to set the lawn mower petrol on fire. Plus all the standard stuff - bike out of gear etc !

If the engine cranks reliably on the screwdriver, but is unreliable on the solenoid, the prob is the solenoid, its earth, or the starter switch.

If the engine still cranks poorly at this stage, the starter motor is likely the culprit.

[SpankMe]

Cool, Spectrum have told me that they have found a place in the US that has them so I have ordered two sets so I've got a spare set for next time. But it's gonna be three more weeks of kick starting.

[The_Dover]

harden up spank, just think of the work out your glutes and quads will be getting. well, your right leg anyway.

[SpankMe]

May explain why I keep veering to the left when walking. :blink:

Most of the time it starts first kick, but occasionally it gets a bit temperamental and constantly jumping up and down on a bike for several minutes in the hot sun with full gear is not pleasant. :sweatdrop

[What?]

Buy a late 70's Harley for training purposes - the GB will be a doddle...

[marty]

i would go for the solenoid first. worn brushes would tend more to just overheat - meaning the starter would turn ok first up, but soon slow. try tapping the solenoid as you're pressing the starter button