0il soaked starter

[KIT CUSTOM]

Bike wouldn't start. Starter wouldn't turn over. Took apart the starter button,checked all the wiring,tested the relays.No choice now but to pull the starter and soliniod. Found them both saturated with oil. Cleaned everything up, bike starts like new. Now to the question. How did they get oil soaked ? As far as I can tell the only opening is through the jack shaft but how could enough oil get through there to shut things down. By the way its an EVO engine.
I assume my winter project is removing the inner primary and replacing the jack shaft seal. Might as well do the trany seal also since I'm in that deep.Any input will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[TQuentin1]

Found them both saturated with oil. Cleaned everything up, bike starts like new. Now to the question. How did they get oil soaked ?

From your description, the OUTSIDE of the starter and solenoid were covered with oil. Can you tell what kind of oil? Engine, tranny or primary? It is hard to believe you would get "flow" out of the jack shaft seal enough to soak the starter unless the seal is completely gone. With the starter off, and the primary cover off can you get your eye ball in there to see?

I had the breather hose come off the elbow down on the engine on the right side between the engine and tranny. Blew engine oil all over the back on the starter, top of the tranny, etc. Also, check the hose on the top of the tranny cover at that elbow. Make sure there is no split before the elbow.

TQ

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

From your description, the OUTSIDE of he starter and solenoid were covered with oil. Can you tell what kind of oil? Engine, tranny or primary? It is hard to believe you would get "flow" out of the jack shaft seal enough to soak the starter unless the seal is completely gone. With the starter off, and the primary cover off can you get your eye ball in there to see?

I had the breather hose come off the elbow down on the engine on the right side between the engine and tranny. Blew engine oil all over the back on the starter, top of the tranny, etc. Also, check the hose on the top of the tranny cover at that elbow. Make sure there is no split before the elbow.

TQ

Another place is from the engine or tranny, if there is anyway for oil to backup and fill the crackcase/engine sump with gas & oil, the starter drive/gear only has a single sided seal at best or simply an oil slinger so fuel/oil can work it's way past the bearing (flushing out the grease) and fill up the starter motor. This is especially true of gravity fed fuel tank/carburetor allowing fuel past needle valve and fill motor full of gas & oil. Newer bikes have vacumn shutoff in the fuel petcock so the tank won't dump totally, but older bikes beware. :coffee

 

[KIT CUSTOM]

Sorry about that.It was oil soaked on the inside

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

Sorry about that.It was oil soaked on the inside

Yeah, had to use Brakleen and flushed all internals in the starter and rebuilt it...new double-seal front bearing, rebuilt the carb (replacing the grooved needle), replaced the vacumn/petcock assy and of course replace & refill engine & tranny fluids.

No problem it's all good (just another learning experience) :small3d019: