[HerrGeist]

I'm assuming you just drain the oil, remove the left crank case cover, put the chain around the starter's sprocket, slip a new gasket in there, put the crank case cover back on and put 1.6 quarts of oil back in the bike.

Is this correct?

Are there any little surprises I should expect? Is there a chain tensioner I should be focusing on for this operation?

If anyone has a play by play already written up on this forum somewhere, I'd love to have the link.

Thanks again, guys!

 

[mojorisn]

You don't have to drain the oil to change the starter.

 

[firehawk]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but, there is no oil in the leftside cover. It isn't part of the crankcase, it's just a cover. No need to drain the oil to replace the starter.

 

[Duckster]

Yep.. It's pretty easy.. no need to drain any oil. just slide the chain and sprocket back on the the new starter and put the left cover back on.
Why are you replacing the starter?

 

[HerrGeist]

That seems odd to me because I've seen oil come out of the left side crank cover before when there was a bolt missing.

 

[HerrGeist]

I'm replacing the starter because I have to hit the old one with a wrench in order for it to kick over. You can hear it dying even after that. It's done. haha.

 

[Buickguy]

Whacking the starter doesn't do it much good.

It may be possible to replace the brushes and clean up the commutator, effectively overhauling your existing starter.
I did mine some time ago and it has been fine.

 

[flitecontrol]

Have you tried jumping the battery from a car battery with the car engine not running? Sometimes, a weak battery will have problems spinning the starter. If it still hangs up with the car battery, it's time to rebuild the starter, not whack it to death. If the starter consistently operates fine when jumped with the car battery, the bike battery is probably on its way out and should be replaced.

 

[mojorisn]

If you have oil leaking from the left cover then you probably have a seal leaking otherwise it would be dry.

 

[HerrGeist]

Well, I already bought the new starter so I might as well put it on. I do understand about the seal now, though.

What exactly do I have to do in order to remove the crank case cover? I assume I remove the rear cover and the foot peg / shifter assembly and then the main cover? Is this done just by removing the bolts around the edges of the forward and rear covers?

 

[Duckster]

Pretty much as you say.. There are locating dowels on the cover thoug, so it will stick in place. You need to use a wooden drift to tap the cover straight out from the crankcase to clear the dowels. Don't try to pry it off and mark the cover.

 

[HerrGeist]

Alright, so remove the bolts then work around the edges with a wedge tool and a hammer to loosen it and remove it. Right?

 

[HerrGeist]

I found this video about replacing the front sprocket some time back and I'm sure this should guide me through getting the rear cover off.

Front Sprocket Change

 

[Duckster]

The sprocket cover comes right off... there should be a couple of lips you can get a drift on to loosen the cover once all the bolts are out.

 

[HerrGeist]

Alright, awesome! Thanks for the information.

 

[dwnnlls]

Yep.. It's pretty easy.. no need to drain any oil. just slide the chain and sprocket back on the the new starter and put the left cover back on.
Why are you replacing the starter?

Just spins does not engage I think the bendix is stuck it sat a long time I WD 40 on it