Mk.3 starter motor

Last time I looked RGM were advertising the same one...

Dynodave Comeau makes the starters sold by Norvil and RGM, he does sell them direct as well, check out atlanticgreen.com for details. Even with shipping from USA you might save some money. I was lucky enogh to win one at the Vermont rally and it works flawlessly on my Mk3

Teaticketony

There is a thread on accessnorton.com about upgrading the Mk3 starter to 4 brushes using Harley Davidson starter motor parts and also fitting a ball bearing to reduce friction. Jim Comstock is of the opinion that the 4 brush conversion is not required but a good battery and charging system is essential. Upgrading the wiring to the starter and relay would be a good place to start and a cheap option. Motobat do a good battery with high cranking power figures and they have a second set of terminals which is a bonus. You can modify the battery tray to take a bigger one. I would try these lines before committing to a new started motor. The sprague is a further issue.

Hello Sam

I must admit this requires the use of a lathe or knowing someone who has one.

Buy a new starter for a charley davidson ('66A' in the part number) It is possible to salvage the starter gear from the end of your old commutator. This involves cutting the gear off the old com,turning a spigot on it and boring the new harley com to accept the old gear, press fitting or using high strength loctite. You will have to use the norton end cap (bored out to accept a ball race) and use a thin ring of shim to take up the clearance tween the cap and the harley frame.

I managed to buy a new harley starter from Eurocarparts for £55 last year! I keep looking but they havn't had any more in yet. I wish I had bought the lot!

I did this mod but as my com was still good I used it in its entirety. When the original com gives up the ghost (which i expect it will) i will be installing the harley com. To that end I have been machining up some starter gears to replace the starter gear on the harley com. I have also drawn up a new end cap (in autocad) to replace the harley end cap to allow the motor to mount on the p/drive case and support the first reduction gear spindle.

I may be mistaken but i think this is what an american supplier does to supply new norton starters (by modifying new harley starters) which explains the high price compared to a new harley motor which are as cheap as chips (they are the same motor apart from the gear and the end cap)

An added bonus with this is that the harley starter is ball raced so it has inherently go more 'go'

On a slightly different note the sprag drive gear sleeving mod I did worked perfectly. Closing up the clearance by 7 thou rules out any chance of the sprag 'flipping'

Regards

Peter

(thanks once again for the old sprocket and drive gear)

Hi Sam

About 6 months ago, I ordered a chrome covered starter from MAP see:

http://www.mapcycle.com/map/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=starter&cat=0

- all in, it worked out at £330 - VAT is payable at this end.

Holland Norton Works also stock them - I haven't dealt with them but they don't seem to accept credit cards or paypal see:

http://www.hollandnortonworks.eu/?lang=EN&page=10

Previously alan_sessions wrote:

Hi Sam

About 6 months ago, I ordered a chrome covered starter from MAP see:

http://www.mapcycle.com/map/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=starter&cat=0

- all in, it worked out at £330 - VAT is payable at this end.

Holland Norton Works also stock them - I haven't dealt with them but they don't seem to accept credit cards or paypal see:

http://www.hollandnortonworks.eu/?lang=EN&page=10

I have also bought some items from hollandnortonworks and they suggested payment by 'transferwise' which went very smoothly.

Previously sam_milner wrote:

Is there a source in the UK for an uprated Mk.3 starter motor apart from Emery/Norvil ?

sam

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Guy supplied me with this starter using the armature and gear from my old starter. It is a presolite item and looks almost like the original. I previously tried the four brush conversion but it made little difference and was quite tricky to install. With four brushes and fields this is a much better option. As Guy says, it works perfectly.

Tim

Previously guy_boffe wrote:

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Hi Guy,

Can you please confirm. If I take my rather lazy standard starter off, buy the5780bn, I can then simply take the armature out of the5780bn and put it somewhere safe. Then I take the armature out of the standard starter and put it into the5780bn.

I do not need to press any bearings out or gears off ?

Something that could be done by someone with a modicum of mechanical aptitude?

Regards

Tony

Previously Tony Ripley wrote:

Previously guy_boffe wrote:

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Hi Guy,

Can you please confirm. If I take my rather lazy standard starter off, buy the5780bn, I can then simply take the armature out of the5780bn and put it somewhere safe. Then I take the armature out of the standard starter and put it into the5780bn.

I do not need to press any bearings out or gears off ?

Something that could be done by someone with a modicum of mechanical aptitude?

Regards

Tony

I understand a suitable starter motor is going to be sold by British Classic Motorbikes ( www.classicbritishmotorbikes.co.uk ) call mobile no on website and ask for Gordon and that it will be launched on their stand at the Bristol Show this coming weekend. I'm led to believe it will be an affordable alternative to the other offerings presently out there.

I hope this is of some help

Rgds, Alan.

Previously alan_elstob wrote:

Previously Tony Ripley wrote:

Previously guy_boffe wrote:

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Hi Guy,

Can you please confirm. If I take my rather lazy standard starter off, buy the5780bn, I can then simply take the armature out of the5780bn and put it somewhere safe. Then I take the armature out of the standard starter and put it into the5780bn.

I do not need to press any bearings out or gears off ?

Something that could be done by someone with a modicum of mechanical aptitude?

Regards

Tony

I understand a suitable starter motor is going to be sold by British Classic Motorbikes ( www.classicbritishmotorbikes.co.uk ) call mobile no on website and ask for Gordon and that it will be launched on their stand at the Bristol Show this coming weekend. I'm led to believe it will be an affordable alternative to the other offerings presently out there.

I hope this is of some help

Rgds, Alan.

Hi tony,

Normaal you can take your old armature out en put it in then new one, when it is in good order, sometimes the ends off the armature are worn out and then you need to take it on a milling machine and make new bushes. Use the old bolts and drive end.You need also to replace the brushes 90 degrees for the correct running direction. I did it by some 30 starters now and always work perfect, even when the bike was outside at a cold night. I buy them in belgium by my norton parts ditributer ( www.sparesservice.be) price 145â?

Rgds Guy

The starter motors I referred to above were for sale at the bristol show at £200 a time. Seems quite a bit cheaper than the proices mentioned above.

Alan.

Hi .I bought a uprated starter for my Mk3 from Gordon (Classicbritishmotorcycles) tel 01934835745 and it has improved the starting 100%,the engine turns over like a jap bike.Paul Wolf

I have sent them an e-mail request for information/specs etc. I junked all my 'assisted' starting gear as the bike isn't a problem to kick over, BUT.... on the few times I've had to 'paddle' it across two lanes of traffic (usually after claiming pole position at the junction/roundabout!) then the prospect of a reasonably priced back up system looks good......

(NB Bike stalled due to problems now cured...... hopefully!)

Previously alan_elstob wrote:

Previously Tony Ripley wrote:

Previously guy_boffe wrote:

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Hi Guy,

Can you please confirm. If I take my rather lazy standard starter off, buy the5780bn, I can then simply take the armature out of the5780bn and put it somewhere safe. Then I take the armature out of the standard starter and put it into the5780bn.

I do not need to press any bearings out or gears off ?

Something that could be done by someone with a modicum of mechanical aptitude?

Regards

Tony

I understand a suitable starter motor is going to be sold by British Classic Motorbikes ( www.classicbritishmotorbikes.co.uk ) call mobile no on website and ask for Gordon and that it will be launched on their stand at the Bristol Show this coming weekend. I'm led to believe it will be an affordable alternative to the other offerings presently out there.

I hope this is of some help

Rgds, Alan.

thank alan, starter motors .i will have a limited number for sale at the bath & west auto jumble at £200eh. or you call me gordon on 07971213632

Previously gordon_nichols wrote:

Previously alan_elstob wrote:

Previously Tony Ripley wrote:

Previously guy_boffe wrote:

You can buy a new H-D starter motor from world power systems model 5780bn. these have four brushes and four fields, use your old armature because the gear is different and the drive end, works perfect.

Guy

Hi Guy,

Can you please confirm. If I take my rather lazy standard starter off, buy the5780bn, I can then simply take the armature out of the5780bn and put it somewhere safe. Then I take the armature out of the standard starter and put it into the5780bn.

I do not need to press any bearings out or gears off ?

Something that could be done by someone with a modicum of mechanical aptitude?

Regards

Tony

I understand a suitable starter motor is going to be sold by British Classic Motorbikes ( www.classicbritishmotorbikes.co.uk ) call mobile no on website and ask for Gordon and that it will be launched on their stand at the Bristol Show this coming weekend. I'm led to believe it will be an affordable alternative to the other offerings presently out there.

I hope this is of some help

Rgds, Alan.

thank alan, starter motors .i will have a limited number for sale at the bath & west auto jumble at £200eh. or you call me gordon on 07971213632

Just to add that I have fitted one of Gordon's starter motors, and it is excellent. It works well with boyer ignition,and starts from cold, an unusual experience.

Cheers

Chris Davis