[Father]

Aloha!
I recently replaced my clutch pack, measured the plate stack, adjusted the clutch and everything has been running great! A few days ago, the starter stopped turning the engine over. When I press the start button, sometimes it screams and doesn't turn the engine. Kind of sounds like it's bound up somehow.
I took the starter idle gear out and made sure it was in the proper order, washer, gear, washer, wave washer...according to the manual. Put it back together and had same symptoms.
Please take a look at the video and let me know if you have had this issue before, or any ideas about what may be going on.

For background, this bike was stolen, stunted, lightly wrecked, ignition replaced with a race switch (back to OEM ignition switch), and recovered by the police.

I can't find any other threads with a similar issue so any help is greatly appreciated.
K1 GSXR 1000 Starter not catching

 

[BillV]

If it suddenly started "screaming" without any changes by you, the starter clutch has probably failed. I assume that there weren't any indications of stripped gears when you disassembled things.

 

[Father]

If it suddenly started "screaming" without any changes by you, the starter clutch has probably failed. I assume that there weren't any indications of stripped gears when you disassembled things.

Nothing was stripped, but the tiny gear coming off the starter looked like it had recent wear from hard engagements. Nothing rounded or stripped. Is this the part that you are suspicious of going bad? I'll pull the cover later and check it out. Should I be looking for anything in particular? I'll pull up T/S for the starter clutch this evening, too. Thanks for the tipper!

 

[Beairsto Racing]

Yes, that's the sprag clutch...they rattle, slip and eventually fail.

 

[Father]

Anyone have experience purchasing the $33 version of the new one way starter clutch off eBay vs the $290 part from Partzilla? Shipping to Hawaii adds ~$20 to the Partzilla order

edit I went ahead and ordered the eBay part, will let you know how it goes. The manual says to use a special tool, but from the pictures it seems I can put a bolt in one of the holes and use a closed-end wrench as leverage.

 

[BillV]

There's other tricks that can be played like simultaneously wrenching on the bolt that mounts the generator rotor or putting a rope in through a spark plug hole to block the engine from turning (be careful there that you don't mess up the valves).

 

[Father]

Got it off, now I need to research how to separate the sprag from the gear. Looking good so far, I really appreciate the assistance!

 

[BillV]

There's more on 3-43. But you're better off looking at a later manual like K5/K6 as the pics and description are better. That particularly applies to the starter clutch inspection.

 

[Father]

There's more on 3-43. But you're better off looking at a later manual like K5/K6 as the pics and description are better. That particularly applies to the starter clutch inspection.

I was looking at this image last night edit from 3-43 (couldn't find squat on a procedure for disassembly) and it appears the bearing may be the piece that holds it all together, so I'll look at pressing that out (middle piece in pic)

 

[Father]

Triumph starter clutch and sprag removal/replacement
I finally found another description of this process with pictures, albeit from a Triumph, and I think shows what I suspected...the bearing is holding the two bits together. Interesting comment about purchasing all three parts when replacing as they are "married." I had not considered this and only purchased a new sprag gear. Since this bike has less than 14K on it, I'll take a gamble for now that (if all else is well with the bearing) the new sprag will be able to settle in well with the gear.
Pics to follow once I get the new sprag in from eBay (w/tax and $4 shipping= $41USD to Hawaii).
ebay sprag

 

[BillV]

The K5/K6 service manual shows the clutch & bearing & driven gear as just fitting together by hand. Inspect the surface on your driven gear that contacts the sprags, looking for damage. You should be OK if it is. Suzuki only sells the clutch with the bearing and driven gear, which is partly responsible for the price.

 

[Father]

...While awaiting the new sprag gear, I inspected the starter clutch assembly. It did not turn in either direction and I could not separate the sprag from the bearing and gear. I rapped lightly with a soft mallet. No go. I reinstalled the starter clutch assembly, torqued it down lightly, and re-inserted the starter idle gear to see if I could turn the starter assembly that way. Low and behold, after a few turns of the starter idle gear, the sprag "broke free" and turned freely. I took out the bolt and the starter assembly came apart freely. Inspection of the mating surfaces did not reveal any damage.

Being me, I reinstalled everything and tried to start the bike. No go. Screamed right away so I stopped, opened her up, and found the sprag had seized again. Repeated the idle gear turn procedure, got the assembly apart, and will wait patiently for the new sprag to arrive.

 

[BillV]

Could the screaming be from the sprag seizing so that the gear train from the crankshaft back to the starter is engaged and buzzing away when the engine revs? I'm half guessing but seem to recall that the starter turns the engine at around 300 RPM. If that's right, things would be buzzing at the 1200 RPM standard idle.

 

[Father]

Could the screaming be from the sprag seizing so that the gear train from the crankshaft back to the starter is engaged and buzzing away when the engine revs? I'm half guessing but seem to recall that the starter turns the engine at around 300 RPM. If that's right, things would be buzzing at the 1200 RPM standard idle.

That's what I'm thinking, the torque pushing through the bad sprag is causing some sort of binding and scream. Once I get the new sprag on, I'll try to take this old one apart and look for signs of internal stress