Starter Clutch Question

[gncc571]

I just put a kick starter on a 06 for a buddy and I was trying to figure out why it wouldn't idle and when I was starting it with the electric starter it made a noise and now when I try and use the kick starter it feels/sounds like the starter is staying engaged. My question is has the starter clutch gone bad and if so what do I need to replace? Thanks

[gncc571]

Anyone?

[blacknblue#2]

Ive never seen a starter clutch fail in that direction that it would stay engaged at all times but that definitely dont mean it cant happen. What kind of noise is the E-start making. It could be a stripped reduction gear. If it was me i would tip the quad on its side, Pull the side cover, pull the plug wire off and just simply BUMP the starter button. See where your noise is coming from. You could also pull the plug and roller the kicker over to see if it is in fact dragging back thru the starter. I have a good Starter clutch on the shelf that was replaced for no reason due to now knowing the reduction gear was stripped. I would sell it cheap enough to try instead of buying a new one unless you can pinpoint that for sure being your issue. I would pop the cover off and do those test first. Youll see whats going on with the cover off.

[Scro]

I've had a starter clutch lock up, and seen one other that wasn't mine. It was doing the exact same thing you are describing. If you take the starter clutch off, you should be able to spin it one way. It shouldn't be locked up or spinning both ways.

[blacknblue#2]

This now has me wondering. If the starter clutch is locked up....and it wasnt cought until a kicker was installed then the starter may be fried. If it took installing a kicker to find out that your starter has been driven off the motor than it may have been doing this for a while. Was just never noticable without having a kicker

[dyno]

Starter clutch was bad when kicker was installed! Will require outer gear ,one way bearing, inner hub!

[gncc571]

Got it apart yesterday and the starter clutch is locked up(won't spin either way) all other gears look to be in good shape. Everything was working fine after I installed the kicker. I had started it several times with kicker and electric but was having trouble getting it to idle so I was trying to figure that out and went to start it with the es and it made a noise and when I tried the kicker I could tell the starter motor was turning with it. Is there a way to take the clutch apart now after it's locked up or do I have to buy everything?
Thanks for the help guys

[blacknblue#2]

Got it apart yesterday and the starter clutch is locked up(won't spin either way) all other gears look to be in good shape. Everything was working fine after I installed the kicker. I had started it several times with kicker and electric but was having trouble getting it to idle so I was trying to figure that out and went to start it with the es and it made a noise and when I tried the kicker I could tell the starter motor was turning with it. Is there a way to take the clutch apart now after it's locked up or do I have to buy everything?
Thanks for the help guys

To do it right you need to buy everything. In my experience if you dont replace the entire assembly youll be doing it again in to time.

[Scro]

To do it right you need to buy everything. In my experience if you dont replace the entire assembly youll be doing it again in to time.

Agreed. Although, when mine was locked up, I took it apart using a press. After taking it apart, I oiled everything up and it slide right back together. Worked fine for the race I had that weekend, but I rebuilt it after the race. It probably wouldn't have lasted. I'm sure once it starts wearing, you have excessive play between the inner hubs and bearings. It will lock up soon after that.

[gncc571]

Another question. If I wanted to do away with the electric starter can I just take out the idler and reduction gears and use the locked up starter clutch?

[blacknblue#2]

Another question. If I wanted to do away with the electric starter can I just take out the idler and reduction gears and use the locked up starter clutch?

I would just pull the reduction gear out and ride on. You can buy a plug and remove the starter also. Leave the idler gears, or at least put some shorter bolts back in the holes where the mounting plate is. One of those holes allows pressure migration between the trans and the motor and will cause your breather hose to spew oil.

[mikey726]

My original starter clutch would lock up like you described, and my new one does it too. It always seems to happen if the motor kicks back just short of starting. Once it starts, the clutch unlocks. With 24 volts it starts pretty easy, but before the only way I could get it to start was to hold the throttle wide open. I know everybody says not to do that because it will cause the motor to kick back, but it already kicked back on its own. I've never had it kick back at WOT when the starter clutch is locked. What I don't understand is what makes it harder for the starter to turn the motor over?