I have searched for my problem on here and found a few comments within a different (unrelated) thread and thought for future reference and people it would be useful to have a separate dedicated thread.
When starting my bike recently I have had a few loud bangs, once running the bike is fine.
I have inspected idle gear 1 and it looks fine. I noticed a shim was on the inner side, I think this could be wrong based on a schematic drawing but has survived 15k miles like this. Can anyone confirm this?
The starter pinion is showing wear but nowhere near as much as other peoples on here.
Gear 2 looks okay initially, yet to pull off the casing off to look further.
I have replaced the sprag clutch a few thousand miles ago. When I did the large boss gear 3 looked okay, occasionally on turning off there is a bit too much noise for comfort.
It's difficult checking this in the rain under a motorbike cover, but needs sorting, but I'm expecting that gear 3 has warn a depression and the sprag is struggling to reach. Although the starter isn't great gear 1 is okay so I will not change that yet.
Hopefully once I've sorted it this thread will be of some use to someone
If the boss on Gear 3 is worn or damaged then it may still allow backlash even with a new sprag clutch.
What can happen is that, on shut down, the engine kicks back and the teeth on the sprag go over centre and jam on the boss. When you engage the starter, the bang could be the sprag releasing from its jammed position?
I know from changing sprags in the past that they can be jammed hard on the boss and can take a lot of effort to free them. Not much help I guess but I took a photo of a jammed one a few years back but not sure you can see how the teeth have rocked over and jammed.
I am pretty sure there shouldn't be a shim on Gear 1 - see the fiche diagram below.
I saw that diagram before, but thought I'd ask to see if anyone else had found one, if you haven't I doubt anyone else will have! Hopefully i remove it now the wear lines tie in with the gear okay...
I really can't remember there being any wear when I put the gear back together which is frustrating... I'll have to double check. The noise makes sense so chances are that it the issue.... I seriously hope it's not ruined the sprag as I keep throwing money at the bike. I do love it though!
So I investigated further today and the gearing shows no lipping or anything unusual, the sprag looks like a sprag and certainly wasnt warn on the teeth like the old one it replaced. I did find that the "woodruff" key was warn and immediately dropped out when I pulled the magneto off.
I'll buy a new one and hopefully that tightens everything up so the noise disappears.
The boss on Gear 3 that the sprag rollers run on looks a bit marked up Dan - maybe from the old worn sprag slipping on it.
Is it OK or just the photo?
Check the taper on the flywheel and the end of the crank to make sure no damage as the Woodruff key shouldn't have got damaged like that if they are clean and a good fit - assuming the flywheel bolt was torqued up correctly.
I'll go double check but gear 3 is smooth with no lip, I think it's just the photo.
The tapered end looked fine, maybe I didn't torque it up correctly... I usely torque it up in increments, eg 30nm then higher.... I sent know why it's a weird habit.... maybe I missed that.