Keeping the Starter Drum Clean

[snatchpiece]

The starter pawls were slipping on the drum, the previous owner explained that cleaning the inner diameter of the drum would cure it, I did and it worked. It all seemed fairly dry in the surrounding areas. I read on the 3 1/2 board where some guy reckons he uses coarse emery paper to roughen up the inner diameter, another was proposing to drill holes in it!! I need to see how long it lasts before I need to clean it again. I've got the kick-starter but I like everything to be as it should (fussy old git), also if I stall it front of onlookers I can recover a bit of pride by pressing the button and roaring off into the distance.

[3potjohn]

I also like everything to work. My starter motor has been sorted out,however I think the oil seal is weeping.I put a new chain on it as the old one seemed to be threshing about inside the cover.I wipe the inside of the starter "ring" with some thinners or carb cleaning spray on a cloth if I have any to remove any muck. I have also epoxied some aluminium mesh across the front air vents in the outer case, which I am waiting to find wrapped around my generator one day.I think I have the "earlier" design starter shoes. In spite of a decent battery and much effort with the motor, when I press the button, it can work but usually I get a mental image of an attempt at man powered flight ( in particular the skateboarding cow design, falling off Bognor pier some years ago)

[EVguru]

There are two types of starter shoe. The early 'L' shaped and a later (heavier) triangular shape. The latter is better, but having the shoes re-lined with modern material usually does the job.

Check the wiring for hot spots, you need the best connection from the battery to the motor possible. Installing an Odyssey battery won't hurt either. The capacity doesn't matter much, what's important is cranking amps.

[alan j]

Good advice-Don't use the starter when cold-it struggles to spin fast enough-especially on the 500 model. check the oil level in the "gear box"if that runs dry you are in serious trouble! Alan j.