This starter can be made to work!!!!!

[pigpen966]

Bought a 13 XC300 E last spring because it had the magic button. Never really had a issue with it all last season. The occasional kick out once and a great while but pretty much worked 95% of the time. Well this winter down at Hatfield McCoy it quit working. Pulled it apart, cleaned the grease out of it, lubed it up with WD-40 and wallah, working again.
Fast forward to last weekend, me and my buddy were riding sweep for the dual sporters AFTER the enduro. Starter went tits up on me right off the bat. Worked fine the day before checking arrows, never missed a beat. Let me tell ya, after pulling those damn pumpkin 4 strokes out of mudholes all day long you REALLY appreciate your button. I was a little aggravated.
This week pulled it all down to see what was up. After poking 14 holes in my fingers with a pick getting that damn clip off of the bendix shaft, I stretched the weight spring, and cut a smidge off of the return spring. Checked the backlash, teeth engagement and everything looked good. Course when I pulled the ignition cover off, half the gasket stayed on the cover and the other half on the case. Had to go get some sheet material and make a new one. Put it all back together with high hopes. Well those hopes were dashed soon as I hit the button. Same, same. God awful nashing of teeth and the pinion not engaging. I remember one member saying he put washers between the starter motor and powervalve cover to help alignment. Mine looked like it was lined up good, no space between em when I tightened the bottom bolts down. What the hell, put a standard washer in between em and tightened everything back up.
HOLY CRAP, my starter has never sounded this smooth. Sounds like a Beta!! Even with a cold motor is sounds smooth as butter.

Now if I can just get this damn tail light working

By the way, I love this bike