Starter clutch.. exploded?

[BeardedMax]

Soo this is my first max. And bike at that. I’m a very mechanical person. Bought this bike a while back for pretty cheap. Took the carbs off to begin with bs bike has sat for about 9 months. Decided not to pull them apart because it seemed to be running pretty good I I did the shotgun to them off the bike and reinstalled them. Put it all back together just to realize I had a dead cylinder. Had to take the carbs off again and rebuild them. One bowl was completely dry that’s why it wasn’t firing. Okay so put back together again to find another problem. A leak in the fuel line going to the pump. Back together again. Finally I get to ride it. YAY. Drove it to work. Went to leave starter wouldn’t catch just spun. Finally after a good while it caught enough to run. Good deal atleast I’ll make it home. Get about half way home. Bike died. Totally my fault wasn’t look at gauges and ran outta gas. Whoops. Had to push it half a mile up hill. Won’t do that again. Anyways read all the stuff on here and figured out the problem. Pulled the flywheel today and I found the starter clutch looking like this. Anyone have any idea what might have happened here or seen anything like this?? One spring is missing also looks like it shot through it. All the other parts are here along with some metal debris. Most of that might be from trying to pull the flywheel off and the screws stripping but some chunks were in the starter clutch.
Sorry for the long story just needed to vent a bit since I’ve had such a headache with this max. It’s an 01 with 20k miles. The owner bought if from a widow of a fella he know and said that the bike has been bored out 30 over. I don’t know if it’s stroked or anything too because he lost the paper work in a shed fire(sketchy). But the engine number doesn’t match the vin so I’m assuming it has had a different motor put in.

 

[Parminio]

OK, here's a thought:



That middle bolt has me curious. See how the part right at the head looks so much smaller than the other two? Also notice how the threaded part at the end sticks way out past what should be the end of the bolt?

That looks really weird to me, man. It almost looks like someone put a heli-coil in there and it came out along with that bolt.

See how the other two bolts appear to be the same size all the way down even with the stripped material in them?

Man that is just weird. It's hard to tell from the picture, but closely compare that middle bolt to the other two. It looks like it's a great deal smaller.

How do the holes they came out of look? Is one hole a lot bigger than the other two?

I'm wondering if someone did a repair job on it and it simply failed epically.

 

[BeardedMax]

I just went out and compared them. They are all the same. The picture just makes them look a little off I assume. What you see on the bolt in question was where it was peened. The tops are all stripped like normal form being loose and all the threads in the flywheel where it mounts still look good, no helicoil. I think the threads pieces are from when trying to pull with the harmonic balancer puller I stripped one, but there are also some unidentified chunks.. its very odd. I'm not sure what shot through the side. I'm assuming the spring but all other parts are there. makes me wonder if it happened before and someone just put it back in like that.

 

[Parminio]

makes me wonder if it happened before and someone just put it back in like that.

That would make sense. It is bizarre looking. I would message @one2dmax and see if he's got some spare parts laying around he'll sell you. I wouldn't want to put any of that back on my bike.

 

[one2dmax]

Yes. You need a new one. I may be out of new on hand but have good used units (or can get you a new one). I also have heavy duty options available too which are NOT the cheap ebay 6 roller junk.

 

[BeardedMax]

Yes. You need a new one. I may be out of new on hand but have good used units (or can get you a new one). I also have heavy duty options available too which are NOT the cheap ebay 6 roller junk.

I already ordered a new one prior to opening it up. But have you ever seen anything like that? Thoughts on what went through the side?

 

[one2dmax]

Sure. The location is simply where they machined the bronze body for the springs/pins. They install a plug to hold that and then put the retainer plate on it and crimp it in place and dimple in the locations. You'll see three locations in total around the perimeter for the three pins.

 

[redbaron13]

Put in a HD starter clutch three years ago, no problems since. If it starts sounding like a box of rocks again, I will replace it again. Despite the work and constant tinkering with a 34 year old bike, it is well worth it when I bust the throttle and feel the v boost kick in. So I will keep the tinkering up, until I can no longer do it.