Question About Removing Electric Start Motor

[Reaper]

I just removed the electric start motor, chain, and gear from my bike today since I want it to be kick only. Now that my starter motor is out there's no way to bolt the cover back on top of the crank case since the cover bolts into the top of the starter. Any spiffy ideas to get the cover back on? Or does anybody have a fried starter that they want to trade for a good clean one that works? BTW my bike is a 1980 XS400G. Thanks, and Happy New Year!

 

[vfost]

There has been a thread about this before where some people just used 2 spray pain caps to fill the space not sure what they did about the bolts though. If you do a quick search on here im sure you will find what your looking for.

 

[Reaper]

Volcom actually had a brilliant idea, a freeze plug. I'm going to pick up one of the emergency style and screw it in and Loctite the bolt. Then I'm gonna see if I can fit a couple of my small electrical boxes in the space the starter was in and make a new cover.

 

[FUBAR]

your not gonna get very far with that kick only.. the 400's got a alternator, not a magneto so u need a battery to keep er goin.

unless you did the swap with the 650, but you dont see that too often

:2cents:

 

[Airhart]

Fubar, he didnt remove the battery, just the starter motor and parts....
No reason the bike wont run fine with it removed.

Reaper, if the freeze plug you're refering to is the expandable rubber kind, it will work fine, that's what im using.

 

[HoughMade]

Most years of XS400s had a budget version without an electric starter. The battery is necessary, but without electric start, a smaller one can be used.

 

[Reaper]

Yup, I still have the battery Fubar. And yes, I'm referring to the rubber kind. I got a small amount of oil in the starter pocket the other day so I know I need to plug that up.

 

[Reaper]

And I'm going to be posting some parts pretty soon. I have the battery box and air filters, starter, chain and gear, side covers, headlight, turn signal housings (lenses are cracked a little). I'll post all this stuff when I get pictures.