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

[john r b]

Great news, glad it works.

[nato]

Any chance there are pics of this?

[nato]

I have just pulled mine off as i get the awful crunching as it engages. I put a washer as you said behind the starter where it mounts on the top two bolting points is this what you meant? Im guessing it is but will wait for confirmation before i hit the button.

[pigpen966]

Originally Posted by nato

I have just pulled mine off as i get the awful crunching as it engages. I put a washer as you said behind the starter where it mounts on the top two bolting points is this what you meant? Im guessing it is but will wait for confirmation before i hit the button.

Yes, between the starter motor and powervalve cover.

[pigpen966]

Originally Posted by nato

Any chance there are pics of this?

No, sorry

[nato]

Didn't help mine so shimming the bottom cover out is next. Just gotta source the gaskets.

[n_green]

Originally Posted by nato

Didn't help mine so shimming the bottom cover out is next. Just gotta source the gaskets.

Go to repco/supercheap whatever and make your own. Stock gaskets are .5mm thick.
I bought a roll of gasket paper .6mm thick and made a few.

The starter on my '14 is impressive. From factory there is an earth lead to the mounting bolts, heaps of grease in the bendix and good engagement of the gears (probably too tight as I'd get an occasional squeal from the bendix when the bike started.

I've done the wet mod now and used a .6mm gasket which hopefully has given the bendix a bit more space to disengage. With it taped out in the extended position it's still a tight fit, hardly any play between the gears.

Holding the starter button on whilst holding the kill switch will turn the engine over for as long as I want even when cold. Yet to test it starting the engine to see if it disengages easier.

[nato]

Mine works 90 percent of the time but the clashing noise when first pressed is terrible. I stretched the spring a bit and did the washer mod on the top mount and no better so next up i will add some gasket. There is plenty of grease in there but it just spins to the surrounding by the looks of it.

[n_green]

Originally Posted by nato

Mine works 90 percent of the time but the clashing noise when first pressed is terrible. I stretched the spring a bit and did the washer mod on the top mount and no better so next up i will add some gasket. There is plenty of grease in there but it just spins to the surrounding by the looks of it.

Yep after only 5 hrs all the grease had been flung off mine which helped me to make up my mind to do the wet mod.

The clashing isn't a nice sound is it. The '11 did it occasionally.