Hello from the west coast of Bonnie Scotland!

I bought a 93' A9 (just under 15000miles on the clock - if that's correct) about three months ago in running condition (drove it 280 miles home without very much hassle) but badly needing a cosmetic overhaul, so I have spent the time in between getting it resprayed and all corroded connectors replaced with stainless steel and chrome, then checking all the obvious things on the forum here, spline lube, cleaning all electrics, checking charging system, etc, etc.

The bike hadn't moved, the battery (MF high CCA) was kept fully charged, engine was always full of oil, etc.

Anyway a couple of days ago I finally get it all back together and hit the start button.... the starter turns once and then the solenoid clicks?

Tried again a couple of times and again the same.

Tried bump starting in gear and it fires up straight away and runs great.

Tried hooking up the car battery in parallel, again single turn over and clicking.

Spent all day yesterday checking the circuit from the battery to starter motor, the solenoid and all ground points again and found nothing wrong although it's difficult to do accurate volt drop testing when I can only get a single crank out of the starter.

Today I drained the oil and removed the starter and connected it to the battery directly and it spins no problem without load.

Can somebody give me a detailed explaination of how the starter clutch works from the point of hitting the start button so that I can plan out my next diagnostic action and decide whether to look into the starter clutch further or to concentrate elsewhere.

I am used to spannering, just haven't done it on a bike for a while.

Even if I'm barking up the wrong tree with the starter clutch, I'd still like to know exactly how it works for my own curiosity.

All help is well appreciated.

Cheers, Trace.

given the symptoms you describe, i would go back to the solenoid, check votage into and out of solenoid and at the starter terminal. akso when you had the syarter off was there a distinct odor from the amature, if so it would indicaate a burned, weak starter. good luck, bythe way wheree are you located, spaning vs wrenching?

sorry , when i reread your post i saw you were in bonny scotland

Yup, from Scotland, I'll be wrenching from now on (sounds like a term used here for a 2nd chew at a liquid lunch!!, very popular here!), if that's the correct terminology!

I've done all you suggest already and nothing seems out of place.

No distinct odour!

If I can eliminate the starter clutch from the equation (which is why I'm looking for an explanation of how it works), then I'll take the starter apart.

The long bolts holding it together are well seized into place and I'm not going to start surgery unless I have to.

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers, Trace.

since i have not actually had or seen the inside of a 750 starter, but assuming a starter is a starter, the armature will spin and by centrifugal force the gear on your starter will spin out, engage the flywheel and crank the engine. having said this, you can test this by spinning as you have already done and see if your gear splines may be not free ( oiled). you have said you have checked the votage, i would ask if it was while you were trying to crank the bike, and did you notice if the starter, solenoid or battery was hot during or immediately after trying to crank?

I would check the ground wire that goes to the fraim under the seat.
We have had some of them break or corode, that would only leave 1 small ground wire and that is not big enough to turn the starter.

Hi Ara,

That's kind of what I was thinking but the gear (and starter clutch) is inside the engine casing with the starter removed.

Turning the back wheel in neutral the cog that connects with the starter motor visible through the engine casing doesn't move (so not engaged)

Turning the back wheel in gear the cog visible through the engine casing DOES move (so engaged when in gear???). Which would mean that when the bike is in gear the starter motor is constantly turning??? although not energised.

Which is why I was looking for a rundown of how the starter clutch works or some means of testing it without starting to dismantle too far at the moment.

Hi CC,

Man I spent hours the other day going over grounds and every other connection on the bike, continuity and volt drop and I could find nothing out of the ordinary.

Again thanks for the suggestions, I'm hoping in the end it's going to be something simple before I have to commit to a pile of work.

Cheers guys, Trace.

trace, that boggles my mind, i cant shed any light on your situation from what i understand about starters, if we were playing stud poker i would "fold" but since we are not hopefully someone else will jump in and enlighten us. love the game. i will be watching to see the outcome of this. keep us posted. over the years on some machines there has been some instances of starters also being used for generators, dual purpose, which is what this setup sounds like but that is not the 750s way. so as i said, i fold for now.. good luck