GB electric starter just clicking (need brushes)

[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.

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.

[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