kick starter

[lifesource1]

yeow
Finally figured out a 2 week ignition problem, let my 19 yr old start the (78 xs 400), bike while I'm at work, come home and surprise,..... kick starter doesn't engage anymore. (no electric starter). I'm a little upset right now.
To top it off my son says, " what do you expect, it's a 30 year old bike"
How big a job am I looking at? Any other thoughts?
lifesource 1

 

[drewpy]

depends on what you find when you take the side cover off. (drop oil first)

the lad might have stomped on the thing so snapping off the internal casing.

basically your f*cked if that's the case

 

[lifesource1]

Follow up:
Took off the right case to see what happened. Slid out the kick starter assembly,...nothing amiss here,... look in case, internal aluminum boss casting which supports inner end of starter shaft is busted off on top half.
Guess I'm , how you say...f...ed. OK, any options at all other than classified ad for otherwise nice parts bike?
Any miraculous adhesives for gluing together aluminum casting parts?
#2: can an electric starter be retrofitted to a 78 xs400 which did not have one before?
It's been a bad day. (Son left in a huff.) But I've got to say, either it was just terribly bad timing on his part or he was seriously jumping on that starter to break that casting.

 

[drewpy]

TBH its a common problem as peeps stomp on the kicker instead of engaging the kick gear and then kicking it down.

you might be able to retrofit a starter, depends on what's there.

otherwise prob cheaper to get a new engine and use yours as parts.

 

[volcomskater77]

like this? lol. same thing happened to my bike before i got it. i replaced the whole bottom end and did a full rebuild. shoulda bored and ported it too. if thats what your gonna do, open up the ports a bit. cant hurt it. and if thats tho only thing thats wrong with the engine, just buy a new case - matching set, and put your stuff in there. thats what i did. and i addressed everything that i wouldnt have before.

 

[Blu]

Will the kicker work intermittently when this happens? Mine has zero resistance at times but if I put it in gear and rock the bike around I get the kicker "back". Thinking about putting my starter, gear, chain and solenoid back on....