Hi All! Figured it was high time to join here. I have learned a lot just poking around in here so far. I just procured an '86 Savage for free. (I also have a CB350 which I got running after sitting since '86. It is my daily ride and I have gone as far as FL to MI and back on it.) The Savage needs lots of work and I have been struggling along at it, follwing the manual as best I can. I have now run into a problem and thought I might ask ya'll abut it.

My Savage's starter would spin when I first got the bike, but it did not turn over the flywheel. I pulled the left cover and rotor, and the starter clutch was obviously toast. It would not spin either direction and the "tooth holder" for lack of a better term was cracked and bent. I just installed a new Suzuki starter clutch and buttoned the bike back up for its first try at starting. (I have already changed oil, filter, added an air filter, cleaned the carb, cleaned the tank, rebuilt the petcock, installed a new battery, etc.)

I hit the starter button and the starter spun up, but, just like before, the bike did not turn over, just like before. I started thinking about it and was wondering if the clutch can go on backwards onto the driven gear; if so that would explain the whir and the no-go.

If the clutch is on properly, then I am stumped, at least temporarily. All the gears between the driven gear and the starter look like new.

I plan to pull the cover once again and spin the driven gear with my finger and see which way it spins free. I assume the motor spins counter-clockwise based on the theading of the rotor bolt (turning on against the direction of spin). Is this correct?

Thanks for your help in advance!

Cheers,

Mike

I pulled the starter and turned the gear with my finger. It turned freely counter-clockwise and would not turn clock-wise (when looking at the left side of the engine). So, it looks like I have that starter clutch on backwards.

You mentioned a washer; what's the deal with that? I recall reading something about that a while back, but don't remeber the details. There was no washer behind or in front of any of the gears on my bike in the "starter chain." There was the big driven gear/starter clutch assembly, a double gear with a small gear in back that engages the driven gear and a larger on in front that engages the gear to the right that the starter turns. Both the smaller gears (double gear and starter gear) ride on shafts that sit in holes on the engine side and in the cover side.

TIA

Mike

Here's wiring mess:


Here's the bike as I got it: