Tuesday 30 June 2009

If It's Not One Thing...


So, it was MoT time for my faithful old Slabside GSX-R.
No problem there, the insurance was all sorted and paid for, and a test booked.
Trundling over to the MoT station but a mere five miles away soon showed that the freshly-installed headstock bearings had begun to settle in their seats, with a slight knocking under breaking. In itself no great shakes, and with a spare ten minutes I had time to turn round and go home to nip them up. Which was also no huge trauma, but for the fact that, as the bottom bearing settled, the freshly-made steering stop that bolted to the bottom yoke began to rub against the underside of the headlight bracketry.
So, with the top yoke yanked off to tighten the bearings, the steering stop was also unbolted and, after a swift massage with the grinder, quickly sprayed over with Smoothrite and bolted back into place. So, back to the MoT station.
A pass, with not even a single 'advisory'!
But, all was not well. When leaving, the starter was a touch lazy, but it started, so no worries.
However, once home, lid and leathers were chucked inside the doorway, and the bike restarted to ride around to the garage. Except it didn't restart, just have out a nasty whirring noise while just turning over. Hmmm, shagged starter motor?
Starter motor out, after a bit of cursing and fiddling with the carbs and oil lines at the back of the block. Starter motor stripped and checked - everything honky-dory there, and brushes barely worn. Hmm, starter clutch maybe? Crank end cover popped off, and the starter ring gear spins freely on both directions... it shouldn't do that! Okay, so let's whip it off - I can make a tool to hold the starter clutch, except that it's spinning on the end of the crank. Ahah! I can use my 'windy gun' (pneumatic ratchet) to spin the bolt out. Oh. I've only got 20psi in the compressor, and although it's pumping away furiously the pressure isn't going up... yes, my compressor is also knackered.
But no problem, I have found the answer to my woes, and there's a picture of it here...

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