I have an 04 that has developed a nasty grinding noise when I hit the starter button, as if it had worn teeth on the starter gear. I know it's not the battery because I put a 100 amp charger on the battery and it still made the grinding noise. Has anyone else had this problem? Was it the starter?
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pretty well documented problem, ur gonna want to pull your flywheel and tighten the bolts on the clutch for the starter, or worse case you might need a new starter clutch.
RaWarrior
Well-Known Member
That would be your starter clutch getting loose. Fairly common issue, I had the same problem with mine a while ago.
Read this...
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=11123
Here's the sparknotes version:
1. Go to autozone and rent a "crow foot" puller. They call it a harmonic balancer puller. Also buy a tube of RED loc-tite. Get new gaskets for your middle gear and stator covers also.
2. Remove your middle gear and stator covers (find a way to lean the bike to the right, or drain the oil)
3. Remove the big nut on the flywheel.
4. Yank the flywheel with the puller. It will usually come off with the starter's ring gear. Put it on your bench, gear side up, then pull the gear up and out. This will avoid having the springs, pins, and hockey pucks falling out all over the place when you're not ready.
5. $10 says your starter clutch is loose. Ring thing with three bolts holding it to the flywheel.
6. Remove all three bolts. If the ring isn't cracked and all the "pucks" move smoothly, you're golden. Clean the oil off the threads/bolts, apply red loctite, and reassemble. Get them nice and tight.
7. Clean the mating surfaces good. Scotch brite pads work well to take off stubborn gasket residue. You can use a razor blade but be careful not to scratch.
8. Put it all back together.
Read this...
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=11123
Here's the sparknotes version:
1. Go to autozone and rent a "crow foot" puller. They call it a harmonic balancer puller. Also buy a tube of RED loc-tite. Get new gaskets for your middle gear and stator covers also.
2. Remove your middle gear and stator covers (find a way to lean the bike to the right, or drain the oil)
3. Remove the big nut on the flywheel.
4. Yank the flywheel with the puller. It will usually come off with the starter's ring gear. Put it on your bench, gear side up, then pull the gear up and out. This will avoid having the springs, pins, and hockey pucks falling out all over the place when you're not ready.
5. $10 says your starter clutch is loose. Ring thing with three bolts holding it to the flywheel.
6. Remove all three bolts. If the ring isn't cracked and all the "pucks" move smoothly, you're golden. Clean the oil off the threads/bolts, apply red loctite, and reassemble. Get them nice and tight.
7. Clean the mating surfaces good. Scotch brite pads work well to take off stubborn gasket residue. You can use a razor blade but be careful not to scratch.
8. Put it all back together.
