Starter Problem

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Riverside
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Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:59 pm

Starter Problem

Post by Riverside »

I am writing this after the problem has been resolved so if someone else has a similar problem they avoid having it get worse as they diagnose the issue. I got a lot of guidance from previous posts as I worked my way through the problem. Had I not gone through the process step by step I may have saved myself some aggravation and unnecessary damage.
My nephew came to Costa Rica to visit and was going to ride with his wife. He stopped at the gas station in town. The bike refused to start and the dreaded solenoid clicking sound started. We tried a jumpstart at the station, but, Maxine would not start. Home on the back of a truck I tried a power pack starter that my neighbor had and she started. Rode it down the hill to the garage, took of the tank and in a few days bought a new battery. Battery installed, charged and a day later off I go on a successful test ride. Next day same clcking noise. Put the charger on and let it on the rest of the day, thinking the new battery didn't get fully charged. Or maybe as happens in Costa Rica with batteries that don't have a large market, it was bad out of box. Took charger off, still clicking. Battery still tests at 14.3V.
I removed the starter and bench tested it with my car battery. Solenoid pulled in and the armature spun slowly at first then faster. Same test later with the old and new MC batteries and same results. I suspected cleaning was needed. I disassembled the Valeo aftermarket starter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6mo_8nzni0 . Based on the 2007 manufacturing date, the original starter lasted only 3 years and less than 5500 miles. I was expecting to have to clean the starter, maybe new brushes and back on the road. Unfortunately I found a badly damaged starter. The planetary gears are covered with a thin metal plate that is pressed into the houseing to retain grease. The armature shaft comes through a hole in the plate. One of two things happened, either the plate came loose and wedged in the housing or one of the magnets in the body of the starter came loose and allowed the armature to wobble, loosening/damaging the plate. Either way, if I had believed the multi-meter readings on the battery and taken the starter apart for inspection I would see the loose plate, reattached it and avoided the cost, and in Costa Rica the inconvenience, of replacing the starter. With a broken magnet and gouged armature, the unit is toast. Maxine is down for about 5 weeks till I can get a new starter.
The point here is if you have the dreaded clicking noise and the battery reads good, the half hour you spend taking off the starter, opening and inspecting it will save you a lot of time and maybe money. My own fault for being too tedious about the diagnosis. Don't make my mistake. Appy Occam's Razor at all times.
Bob
2004 R1150R - Mad Maxine
Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica
AZBMWRIDER
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Location: Tempe, Aridzona

Re: Starter Problem

Post by AZBMWRIDER »

I don't know if this is still the case or not, but I've seen a lot of negative comments about Valeo starters .
Most were the magnets coming loose, adhesive was used, not threaded fasteners in securing them to the starter case .
'02 R1150R, Atlanta Blue
Been riding since 1979, BMW's since 1981 .
4 R65's, '87 Guzzi V65 Lario .
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