[JulioR750]

I need some help whenever I try to start up my bike it makes a weird clanking sound and it won’t start but sometimes it does starts and runs fine but I’m not sure what it could be but when I try and change the gears when it’s off it won’t change it stays in neutral.
If anyone knows what it could be please help me and thanks.

 

[flitecontrol]

Can you identify where the clanking sound is coming from? Could it be the starter? Does the bike want to move forward while it's being cranked?

To change gears, things in the transmission have to be properly aligned. Most bikes, the VN750 included, won't shift unless the bike is moving. Rolling it a little is usually sufficient to line things up and getting it to shift. More than likely, the noise and shifting aren't related.

 

[JulioR750]

it makes the clanking where the starter and engine connect and it only wants to move when cranking when i have it in first and the clutch pulled.
But right at this moment I put a new starter solenoid in that I had laying around and I have the battery charging up and also the battery is new

 

[OminousDarkness]

it makes the clanking where the starter and engine connect and it only wants to move when cranking when i have it in first and the clutch pulled.
But right at this moment I put a new starter solenoid in that I had laying around and I have the battery charging up and also the battery is new

It shouldn't be trying to move while you're cranking it with the clutch pulled in, that much is certain. Generally speaking, you shouldn't try to crank your bike while it's in gear if you can avoid doing so. Sounds almost as if the clutch isn't fully engaging. But, don't take my word for it, wait for some of the other guys on here to chime in.

Also, is the bike on the center stand or on the kickstand?

 

[JulioR750]

I have it on the center stand but could the bike not want to start if the gear that connects the starter to the rest of the bike is bad?

 

[Jason Pittenger]

These bikes have a "positive neutral finder". When everything is working correctly, you can't shift to 2nd gear until you're moving a bit.

 

[OminousDarkness]

I have it on the center stand but could the bike not want to start if the gear that connects the starter to the rest of the bike is bad?

Sure, but if that starter gear is bad, I'd expect to hear some kind of grinding sounds, or some other odd sound.

Above, you said that "...sometimes it does starts and runs fine..." When you say "runs fine", do you mean that you're able to ride it and shift gears?

 

[JulioR750]

Yeah that I’m able to ride it and shift gears but now it doesn’t want to start at all and I’m not sure what it could be now cuz the starter is good it must be something else that makes it start up

 

[Spockster]

Yeah that I’m able to ride it and shift gears but now it doesn’t want to start at all and I’m not sure what it could be now cuz the starter is good it must be something else that makes it start up

Is the starter running while it's making the noise and not cranking? A bad starter clutch could do that.

 

[OminousDarkness]

Yeah that I’m able to ride it and shift gears but now it doesn’t want to start at all and I’m not sure what it could be now cuz the starter is good it must be something else that makes it start up

Yeah, sounds like it's more electrical than mechanical. There's other guys here much more knowledgeable about this kind of stuff than I, so you might want to keep an eye on your post for more replies from others. I will say that since If you can actually ride the bike, and shift gears, then (in my opinion) that's a good thing.

You should see more replies before the day is out, so be patient. These guys have helped me figure out all kinds of stuff, and 99% of the time, they're absolutely right.

 

[OminousDarkness]

Is the starter running while it's making the noise and not cranking? A bad starter clutch could do that.

The man did just say he put a new starter in it, so shouldn't be a bad starter clutch, right? Or is that a separate assembly? That would be good information to provide for those of us also learning.

 

[JulioR750]

Is the starter running while it's making the noise and not cranking? A bad starter clutch could do that.

the starter works and the bike wants to turn over but it just makes the noise but I feel like it could be the starter clutch or whatever it is that connects to the starter to make the engine start I want to try and take the cover off and see what it does when I try and crank it but ik not sure if that’s okay to do or not

 

[OminousDarkness]

the starter works and the bike wants to turn over but it just makes the noise but I feel like it could be the starter clutch or whatever it is that connects to the starter to make the engine start I want to try and take the cover off and see what it does when I try and crank it but ik not sure if that’s okay to do or not

If the bike is wanting to turn over, as in, making sounds of ignition but not starting, then the starter is probably not the problem. Can you clarify what you meant by "wants to turn over"?

 

[JulioR750]

If the bike is wanting to turn over, as in, making sounds of ignition but not starting, then the starter is probably not the problem. Can you clarify what you meant by "wants to turn over"?

I mean like it makes compression the motor as if it wants to start but it won’t because something in the motor with the starter or what connects it to turn the engine won’t turn right that it makes the sound of grinding or ik not sure how to describe it but it sounds like grinding but almost as close to scraping too

 

[OminousDarkness]

I mean like it makes compression the motor as if it wants to start but it won’t because something in the motor with the starter or what connects it to turn the engine won’t turn right that it makes the sound of grinding or ik not sure how to describe it but it sounds like grinding but almost as close to scraping too

Ah, okay. Definitely not good. I'm not sure about the starter clutch, so I'm eager to see what Spockster has to say about it. He's like a human Vulvan 750 encyclopedia.

 

[Spockster]

The man did just say he put a new starter in it, so shouldn't be a bad starter clutch, right? Or is that a separate assembly? That would be good information to provide for those of us also learning.

New starter solenoid, not a starter.

The starter clutch is separate on this one.

 

[Spockster]

Can you do a video?

Still guessing, but the starter clutch can be slipping and still turn the engine, and would make a slapping sound each time it grabs.

I'll have to refresh my memory on that side of the engine, but there's also a chain drive on the oil pump. I'm thinking the starter clutch is direct or gear drive.

 

[OminousDarkness]

New starter solenoid, not a starter.

The starter clutch is separate on this one.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. So, I'm assuming solenoid is the electrical motor part, and the clutch is exactly like what it sounds. Is this a centrifugal clutch? I know about these from radio control helicopters and cars.

 

[Spockster]

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. So, I'm assuming solenoid is the electrical motor part, and the clutch is exactly like what it sounds. Is this a centrifugal clutch? I know about these from radio control helicopters and cars.

No, the starter solenoid is under the right side cover with the positive battery cable running through it.

The starter clutch is an overriding, or one-way clutch, it spins constantly when the engine is running, but only grabs if the starter motor is pushing it. On some bike engines they are chain driven.

Need more description on the noise, a video is even better.

 

[JulioR750]

Can you do a video?

Still guessing, but the starter clutch can be slipping and still turn the engine, and would make a slapping sound each time it grabs.

I'll have to refresh my memory on that side of the engine, but there's also a chain drive on the oil pump. I'm thinking the starter clutch is direct or gear drive.

iCloud
I hope this works but this is the sound it makes