Dayng starters

[Eric Wettschreck]

2000 Yamaha Big Bear 400. The first few years of it's life the starter was problem free. But now, things have really changed. The starter went dead, I replaced. It lasted a year, I replaced. That one lasted aboot 6 months, I replaced. And so on and so on and so on. Recently, I replaced with a brand spankin new one, no rebuilds, no aftermarket stuff, brand spankin new from Yami.

It died.

They're not difficult to replace, 10 minutes tops. They are, however, pretty darn spendy. Am I the only one out there that has resorted to using the pull start from here on out?

[Dave S]

Don't know much about Yammies but is there a chance you're getting water/condensation in there?

I seem to remember someone mentioning starters weren't a strong suit for Yamaha. Don't recall when that was.

[harvey lee]

What part of the starter breaks Eric? Is it the drive?

[Macgyver55]

The odds of getting that many bad ones are pretty slim. Sounds like there might be some other underlying problem unless each failure was different.

[Eric Wettschreck]

It's the starter motor itself, it just flat out dies.

Yes, it's possible moisture could be getting in the motor. Anythings possible. However, when I take them apart I don't see any moisture or corrosion. These starters are always engaged. Quite a simple little thing really. They're just a motor with a gear on the end of them. I've been told this is an issue. I've also been told there is a lot of junk re-builts out there, this I can believe.

If there is a different underlying issue, any ideas on what to start looking into? It's a pretty simple set up and I'm not understanding on why they are dying.

[harvey lee]

I would take the starter back and tell them it does not work and you want a new one that does work.

Then I would call some dealers or 4 wheeler repair business's and ask if they have seen this and what the cure might be.

Someone must know something.

Are there shims for it to get set in the position exactly correct or does it just slide in and bolt up?

Do they have to have a certain amount of power to operate correctly? Thinking maybe there is not the correct amount and that may be the issue. Maybe too much voltage or more than the starter can deal with.

[Macgyver55]

It's the starter motor itself, it just flat out dies.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Yup, I was pretty surprised too, but they're always engaged. Picture a Dremel tool with a long skinny gear on the end. That's what it is. The gear is always engaged. Seems weird to me, but that's what it is.

Once started, everything sounds fine. No whining or dragging.

To start it, it's pretty simple set up. A relay closes allowing voltage to the starter. Take your thumb off the starter button, the relay opens and no more volts to the motor.

[Macgyver55]

I know exactly what you mean, most are that way with a stationary gear on the end of the starter, but thats what I mean with the one way gear. Its located inside the engine and it is what the starter gear engages. It is only supposed to catch when the starter spins it. I've seen the one way sprag go bad and the starter keeps spinning at whatever RPM the motor is running and they get trashed pretty quickly. The starter should not ever spin except when pushing the start button.

So, if that part is ok, we are back to the magnets (or windings) the armature or the brushes. Have you disassembled them ever to visually see what part has failed, or done a continuity test to see where the current stops? There has to be a reason they fail, but we need to narrow down what part is failing to determine it.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I took the first one apart out of curiosity. The brushes were completely gone. Heck, why not. It was a few years old and used a lot. All the following starters I didn't take apart. I took them out, put em on a 12 battery, they didn't spin, I got mad, threw em against the garage wall, took em out back and shot em, smashed em with the splitting maul, and bought another. I know, not wise, but a guys gotta take frustrations out on something.

I did not know about the one way gear in the motor. I don't suppose there's any way of finding out if the sprag is bad without taking a lot of stuff apart, is there? I spose I could start it, pull the starter, and take a peek. This makes a lot of sense to me as I couldn't for the life of me understand how this starter motor could keep spinning and not fry immediatly. However, I don't hear it really winding up, whining, or dragging. I'll pay closer attention next time. I'd think (just me thinking out loud) if it were spinning as fast as the motor, it would be whining big time.

No, I"ve never checked continuity. When this one dies, I'll do that. And take it apart and take pictures.......Then take it out back and shoot it.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I couldn't stand the suspense so I went out and started the wheeler. I can't hear the starter whine when the wheeler is running. With my hand on it it doesn't feel like it's spinning so for now so I'll guess it's not spinning.

[Macgyver55]

. All the following starters I didn't take apart. I took them out, put em on a 12 battery, they didn't spin, I got mad, threw em against the garage wall, took em out back and shot em, smashed em with the splitting maul, and bought another. I know, not wise, but a guys gotta take frustrations out on something.

[Eric Wettschreck]

We cant figure out the cause if there is nothing left to look at!

Yeah I know. Believe it or not, I fix things for a living and I know destroying the part is a dumb thing to do. But DANGGIT!!!! Ya know?

Agreed, hopefully there is not next time.

[Dozer]

I dont know how it works on a Big Bear but on a Grizzly there is an idler gear between the starter and the crankshaft. The gear on the crankshaft has a one way bearing inside of it to disengage the starter. I would take the starter out and see if you can turn that idler gear with a screw driver, it should spin freely in one direction. If it doesnt that one way bearing is locked up.