2011 ec300 electric start not working

[ridin]

Hi, bought my first Gas Gas back in November. A new 2011 ec300. Ever since I have owned it, the electric start hasn't worked. The shop I bought it from has been pretty helpful in trying to find info. to get this thing working. The bendix isn't meshing into the ring gear properly "at least that's what I think". The bendix just seems to bounce off the ring gear and it just doesn't work. Gofasters sent a gasket "shim" kit to space out the side case which was supposed to help but didn't. Just curious if anyone else is having similar issues? Great bike, just a little bug that needs worked out. My dealers mechanic said their is a whole span of vin #'s that are having this problem. I've talked to Clay Stuckey and he said that we will get it fixed. I sure hope he's right. Love the bike, don't mind kicking. But the button definately would be better.

[andykr87]

Lots of people are having your same issue. I took my starter apart and found out the bendix is not kicking out (used a car battery w jumpers to test it) to even to grab the flywheel. Other guys have bought these and it fixed the starter problem. Only thing is a bendix is supposibly 220 bucks. Kinda blows. Search on here, theres alot to read up on.

[rgranger]

$230 plus shipping

Take your starter off, pull off the bendix, twist the ends in opposite directions the bendix should extend and lock, and lock solid, if it spins or fails to pop out, you have a bad bendix.

[ridin]

Bendix seems to be working. It's just like the teeth are wore out on the ring gear/bendix. I've been out riding and tried it and it will occasionally engage and start the bike if it only has to engage for a second. If it has to turn the engine over for more than just a second the bendix will come out. I don't think this should be happening on a brand new bike. Problem still not resolved yet!

[Neil E.]

Jump your battery with a fully charged car battery. If the bike cranks OK, then you have a battery problem. If it doesn't improve, then clean ALL the cable connection points and try again. The stock battery is just barely adequate and many replace it with a lithium ion battery.

You can verify the meshing clearance is OK by removing the starter motor, flywheel cover and bendix parts. Twist the bendix to see that it is driving open OK. Clean the outside of the bendix and wrap it in masking tape in the open position. Put the cover back on with the bendix installed. Reach in the hole and rotate the bendix and you can feel if there is freeplay between the gears.

As long as there is gear freeplay and the bendix cams open OK, you are back to battery (or connection) issues. If the battery is not strong enough to really spin up the starter motor and "fling" the bendix out, it won't crank properly. A weak battery fails to push the engine over fast enough and the bendix disengages.

Here is just one of the many topics on the starter:
http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10775

[a c t i v e X]

I'm using small battery charger with quick connector.
place on battery +- and hide the connector under the seat in the rear holes.
between rides it charged so there is no starting attempts with less than 100% battery.
problem with led batteries is that when their not in high charge they lose power quickly so the bendix is not pulled and just screaches.

try with car battery and if it works there its surely battery thing

[rosco]

Talk to your local dealer. There is a bulletin from GoFasters that will take care of any clearance problems. Once that is addressed and if you still have an engaging problem I may have a trick that will help. I have done this on 2 different bendix's and it has helped imensely both times. There is what I would call a gathering spring that wraps around the flyweights towards the top of the bendix. This spring is covered by a tin shield and is only exposed when the bendix is in the engaged position. If you can get in there with a little o'ring pick and hook the spring you will be able to carefully pull it out enough to stretch it a little bit with your fingers. Be careful to not over stretch the spring and don't let the bendix close on the spring while you have it pulled out or it could mangle the spring. Hope this helps! Ross

P.S. Both the starters that I done went from engaging
about 25% of the time to engaging about 95% of the time.

[rosco]

I forgot to mention that it seems to help also if you remove all of the end play from the bendix. With the bendix in the case and the starter removed you can reach down in the starter hole with an o'ring pick and hook the bendix gear. You should be able to move the gear up and down. This is the play that I try to eliminate. Suspension shims seem to work the best. You want to put in enough to get rid of the end play but still allow the bendix to spin freely in the case. The bike should come stock with one shim at the top and one at the bottom of the bendix. Any additional shims added should be added to the top of the bendix. Good luck! Ross