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electra starter clutch

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hi i'm building an electra engine and having trouble sourcing starter ratchet pawls ,

does any one have a good result with using modern starter clutches sprag  or similar

john

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I have had the original pawls with their 'busy' end well worn away. So I had them built up with stick weld. A little trimming on the grinder and they work well. The other issue in this area is the pins in these pawls, they bend-I used the shaft of a 4mm drill.

The large dished spring washer is the next week point on mine it doesn't engage when hot.

Another issue for a rebuild is the handle starter button. The original switched ignition live to the starter solenoid. Modern handlebar Tricon switches switch to earth. The easy way out is to fit a starter relay. Get in touch if you want to do this. 

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Really sound advice from Al Oz. Let's hope you have the worn pawls to get rebuilt.

The starter engagement relies on the dished washer staying stationary while the three pins on the end of the pawls drive down the 3 slots in the dished washer. The pawls are pulled inwards and into engagement.

Then the dished washer is driven by the pins on the ends of the 3 pawls, and the engine is driven through the 3 pawl fixing dowels of 4mm diameter mentioned by Al.

When hot, Al's engine has lots of lube between the wave washer and static steel plate. The wave washer is rotating too easily, before the pawl pins have descended the cam slots and pulled the pawls into engagement with crankshaft ratchet gear. This is when the pawls take a pounding and painful noises are emitted. 

Best results are with wave washer and slots in good condition. Rough up the contact between wave washer and stationary steel plate. Sprags in good condition and all same profile. All pins hardened steel and straight. Drill shanks are ideal as Al suggests. Pushing the cold engine round with 3 X 4mm pins is a big ask and it's important that all 3 pawls share the load. Pins must slide nice and smooth in the wave washer slots.

This type of starter engagement works fine on outboards and mowers. But......

Wishing you success.

Peter 

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And I had even more painful noises one day whilst riding. Stopped at some traffic lights, loads of painful noises from drive side, even louder than exhaust! ARGH I thought clutch is falling off (had this before) But when on the go, in the gears and riding all ok So???? Got home ok. Occasionally this load excruciating noise from primary, but not all the time. In fact only when stationary with clutch disengaged..........URGH...........Then found starter button handle bar is being operated by clutch lever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS The original Tricon switch is NOT available. The re-manufactured Tricon switch goes to earth so to use the original starter solenoid you will need to fit a relay. 

 


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