butterbeats
XS400 Addict
I have finally bit the bullet and removed the starter and the carbs. The new battery always died, and the bike was getting steadily harder to start. The rectifier tested ok so I thought what a good way to kill a few hours before work and check out the starter.
The starter was filthy inside and I should have taken a photo of the "before" but I was too busy cleaning the filth. I removed 40 years plus of oil and grime using a range of old socks and WD40 to get first load of oily grime off. Then down towards the end of the cleaning process cotton buds to get to harder spots inside. Part of the oil debris I assume was made up of the two Orings that had partially disintergrated over time and use. As soon as I opened the starter up, the last half of the bigger Oring self destructed. The O-ring was flat just like the smaller O-ring. The brushes were real dirty but cleaned up ok. One had a material cover on the wire on the brush, one did not??
You can see part of the larger Oring sitting broken and solid / fragile/ brittle in front of the recently cleaned Starter.
Couple of questions ??
1. Were these Oring originally rubber and round standard Orings??
2. Were to get replacements and do I need them??
I ask question 2 because of advice I received today. After 3 hours this morning driving first to Autobarn Enogerra, Team Moto Yamaha (great looking and bright helpful girls manning service desk), Repco, Supercheap all on Pickering street, then Bursons then a BMW small but cool repair shop at Stafford then finally auto electrician who was also helpful.
The auto electrician and the BMW mechanic said the orings were only neccessary to keep out dust and water. The XS 400 covers the starter up so maybe not so important?? I bought some gasket paper to make my own gasket to keep dust out of. My home mage gasket were 7 out of 10 at best so I left them out of final assembly.
The starter was filthy inside and I should have taken a photo of the "before" but I was too busy cleaning the filth. I removed 40 years plus of oil and grime using a range of old socks and WD40 to get first load of oily grime off. Then down towards the end of the cleaning process cotton buds to get to harder spots inside. Part of the oil debris I assume was made up of the two Orings that had partially disintergrated over time and use. As soon as I opened the starter up, the last half of the bigger Oring self destructed. The O-ring was flat just like the smaller O-ring. The brushes were real dirty but cleaned up ok. One had a material cover on the wire on the brush, one did not??
You can see part of the larger Oring sitting broken and solid / fragile/ brittle in front of the recently cleaned Starter.
Couple of questions ??
1. Were these Oring originally rubber and round standard Orings??
2. Were to get replacements and do I need them??
I ask question 2 because of advice I received today. After 3 hours this morning driving first to Autobarn Enogerra, Team Moto Yamaha (great looking and bright helpful girls manning service desk), Repco, Supercheap all on Pickering street, then Bursons then a BMW small but cool repair shop at Stafford then finally auto electrician who was also helpful.
The auto electrician and the BMW mechanic said the orings were only neccessary to keep out dust and water. The XS 400 covers the starter up so maybe not so important?? I bought some gasket paper to make my own gasket to keep dust out of. My home mage gasket were 7 out of 10 at best so I left them out of final assembly.
