Jeff Miller

Finally got it back together, took a while to get all the parts. Thanks for the help and advice, running/starting great now, hopefully will stay that way.

They look slightly different, not as much as I expected, but the tops seem to be slightly larger and have a little different shape. 

On 6/11/2020 at 8:08 PM, MarkinAR said:

I just fixed one that the one way clutch bearing was fine by hand but slipped with the kick start. If you have to replace it go OEM even though they're high. I've seen cheap ones shred the primary clutch nose. 

How would I know that the original is no good? I don't want to miss anything while it's apart, but I also don't want to waste money.

On 6/13/2020 at 11:47 AM, spock58 said:

I've never seen a Suzuki model like that around here but it sure looks like the Kawasaki Brute Force 750 I'm dealing with. Has the exact same failure - broken starter gear.

According to the info I found in a Kawie forum, these gears were known to break and were eventually beefed up by the factory. Replacement parts from 2012 and up were what was recommended.

Still waiting for the new parts to arrive, sounds like that's a common issue everywhere eh?!

You're right on it being a mirror of the Kawi. I just got the gear, new, via ebay. I'd feel better knowing that it was a common failure vs something else going on that I can't figure out. Is there a way to know if I got the updated version, or is it safe to assume since it's new? Thanks

quasi update-

pulled it apart-the only thing visibly damaged is the starter gear teeth in the previous pictures. The one way clutch seems to work spinning by hand-goes one way, is locked the other. I've been having a heck of a time getting parts, everything backordered. I was waiting on two different places that fell through. Just found one on ebay-new today. More waiting....

Still don't have the tool to pull it all yet. I am aware of not hitting the starter until things have stopped moving-It's certainly possible I did once or twice, especially if the clutch was failing. This thing has led a pretty easy life for a quad in general-not that I couldn't have accidentally hurt it  I'll take a look at the clutch and of course replace anything that looks suspect there as well as check the decompression rig. 

I think you're right, I was talking to a local friend earlier about it. I'm going to see if I can get that off and then assess where I'm at.

Here's a side profile

I've cleaned up, but maybe this will illustrate better-I can take pics tomorrow otherwise.

rotor .pdf

I'm up in Orange Country, right by Stewart Airport.

I will check the timing. It didn't have any running issues if that matters.

Would that possibly point to the decompression rig then too? Seems like whatever is going on must be pretty violent to do that. It did have that starter lock periodically over the last year or so.

Any idea if a flywheel puller is something I could get via Autozone or would it be very specific? 

Okay-got inside.

Obviously you can see the broken teeth on the starter clutch gear. It seems that double gear linking the starter gear to the clutch gear is called the torque limiter in the manual. I can rotate everything by hand from that gear only in one direction-makes me think the clutch is doing it's job. 

The torque limiter gears float, I don't know if they should? I can move them in and out, I tried to capture that amount in the 2 photos that look the same and video.

My next problem is removing that assembly as I don't have a flywheel holder tool.

I don't know if the broken teeth/floating gears are the problem or damage from it?

thanks-where are you located btw-I'm in NY

Will do, it may be a few days, the weather here is bad and I don't have an indoor space to work.

I did just get a service manual. It looks a little intimidating to get to the starter clutch. I'm hoping I see something obvious when I pull the cover. I will take a look at the other stuff as well. Thanks

OK, I'll have to try to get in there-thanks again!

Pulled plugs and just got the click, no cranking/spinning-replaced them and then it started normally-then something must have let go and it just makes the noise I shared. I can't start it with the pull start-it was always extremely hard to pull, even new. I don't think it's any different now.

maybe I'm not a good communicator, I thought I did everything you suggested.

1 Pulled starter, it worked fine out of quad

2 tapped installed starter with mallet-still just click

3 jumped soleniod-click

4 Take a tester put the positive lead on the starter wire at the starter and the other on the negative terminal on the battery.  Press the start button and see if you hear the relay click and get a voltage reading on the tester.-got a 2v reading/relay clicked as it had been doing

5 When you pull start the engine is it hard to pull start as if the decompression device is not working ?  very hard to pull-never used it so I don't know what's normal

6 Pull the spark plug and try to crank the starter. Let me know what happens. Same-click and no spin

7 Figured I'd clean things a little while I had some plastic off. Hosed down a little, hit the starter for kicks and it fired right up. Turned it off and on a few times and all normal

8 Went to start it again and something must have let go-now it's spinning like there's no resistance at all. (attached media file with sound)

What did I not do, did I miss something?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IJWW-8XLppqZ93oOZE-DGsoCWHiDO9Ep

ha, well that was short lived. Went to start it again and something must have let go-now it's spinning like there's no resistance at all. Maybe the audio from this will help?  

ok- now I'm even more confused. Pulled the rear plug-made no difference. Put it back in and tried the pull start. Almost sounded like it might turn over, but really hard to pull. Figured I'd clean things a little while I had some plastic off. Hosed down a little, hit the starter for kicks and it fired right up. Turned it off and on a few times and all normal. What the heck?

OK, found it in the manual. So the spring holds everything closed for decompression and when the engine is running they open up? So the theory would be if the spring is broken or the arms are somehow stuck there will be too much compression for the starter to overcome?

A little research suggests that there is some automatic thing like what you mentioned vs a lever.

first-thanks for taking the time with me, much appreciated. This did happen every once in a while over the last year, but usually worked again if I rolled it in gear or pulled the cord. I thought it was something where I just needed to move the pistons a bit.

I can pull the cord, but it's hard as heck and I definitely can't start it that way. I've never had to use it to start, is there a decompression lever somewhere. I had a DR350 that had one, but I don't know on here. Weather is crappy today so I'm not sure I can do the other test, but will as soon as possible.

I get a low voltage reading, of around 2v jumping +starter to -battery. I feel a strong click in the starter when I hit the button. It really feels like it's trying to spin.

Like I had mentioned in the original post when I try to move the gear that the starter gear meshes with it wiggles either every so slightly, but I can't really move it.

There is spark and it acts the same as when I press the start button. I'll try to get a voltage reading now-it's def powering-it will spin when everything is hooked up, but the starter is outside of the engine.

Just gave it a try-no luck on either.

Thanks Frank-when the starter was out I did put power to it. It spun fast and freely, no hesitation or odd noises. I don't know if it could spin like that, but be faulty in a way where there's not enough torque to spin the gears when it's installed?