Starter refurb kit, GL1200

835 Views 13 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Kendas, Mar 17, 2013

bigdude007

Discussion Starter · Feb 28, 2013

Hi guys
After a lovely tour of Europe with the wife on the wing I noticed a little problem that became very serious in the hustle and bustle of midday traffic in the centre of Paris.
After a good long ride and the bike has heated up nicely the starter motor decides it's not going to spin and get the engine going.
It sounds just like the battery is out of juice and is having problems spinning it, but the battery has definately got the power and it's just a matter of pure luck if it catches or not.
I put it on the list of things to do when I got back but due to other priorities it has slopwly been pushed further and further down the list.
The problem I've settled on is that the starter needs a refurb as it's a 1984 Aspencade and I'm guessing that it has still got the parts in it that it had when it rolled off the production line.
After much searching I found a product from DB Electrical that will cure the problem it is this.
http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-8613-...200a-gl1200i-gl1200l-gl1200-sei-goldwing.aspx
Looking down the list of applications I see there isn't any 1984 models mentioned.
Did the starter motor change that much nbetween 1984 and 1985?
If it did then is there anywhere that anyone knows of that does do a refurb kit for the 1984?
So to summarise;
Starter motor doesn't spin when engine gets hot, sounds like the battery is out of juice.
Is the kit in the link going to be the one I need?
If not does anyone know of a refurb kit for a 1984 Aspencade?

Dave

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mclock

· #2 · Feb 28, 2013

I'll bet what your're needing is in the link below. You may not even need any parts. Good luck.

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/starterrefresh.htm

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Bellboy40

· #3 · Feb 28, 2013

They have a different part number but don't know what the difference is.
Here is a link to repair procedures for a 1100 starter by Mr Magic Fingers but the 1200 starter will be pretty much just like it.

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums...9376-82-gl1100-aspencade-starter-refresh.html

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jdvorchak

· #4 · Feb 28, 2013

Difference between 84 and other GL1200's 85 and up is the ouput housing.

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bigdude007

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 28, 2013

Cheers guys, something to do tomorrow.
Hopefully won't need any extra parts

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unionjk

· #6 · Feb 28, 2013

Get the4 rebuild kit off of Ebay, just make sure it is the 84 kit (NOT THE 85=87 KIT).

It is simple enough to do, you should pull the left header pipes and the one header stud to get enough room to pull the starter. Also add a grounding wire between the brush plate and a small nut and bolt added through the end cone for much better starter motor response.

http://bobsold.goldwingfacts.com/

Here are some step by step instructions on the rebuild for you to follow.

http://bobsold.goldwingfacts.com/GL1200str.pdf

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bigdude007

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 5, 2013

Cheers guys for piling in with the responses.
Quick question as I've seen differing advice. Do I need the bike on the side stand when removing the starter to avoid "droppage" of the gears back into the engine or had they sorted that problem by the time they had made the '84 Gl1200?

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bigdude007

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 5, 2013

Removed the side fairing, the n/s engine guard and shifter. Now ont removing the exhaust and I've come unstuck...didn't take long.
It seems I can only get one of the nuts securing the headers off, trying to get the socket onto the rest of the bolts and it won't fit the gap between the header and the nut. Am I missing something really obvious or is this a send to the garage kind of deal?

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90Blazer

· #9 · Mar 5, 2013

bigdude007 said:
Removed the side fairing, the n/s engine guard and shifter. Now ont removing the exhaust and I've come unstuck...didn't take long.
It seems I can only get one of the nuts securing the headers off, trying to get the socket onto the rest of the bolts and it won't fit the gap between the header and the nut. Am I missing something really obvious or is this a send to the garage kind of deal?

I use an open end wrench to get mine loose, slow but it works.

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unionjk

· #10 · Mar 5, 2013

The wrench was the only way to get to mine. Then when the headers were off I double nutted the one stud to remove it from the aluminum head.

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mclock

· #11 · Mar 5, 2013

bigdude007 said:
Cheers guys for piling in with the responses.
Quick question as I've seen differing advice. Do I need the bike on the side stand when removing the starter to avoid "droppage" of the gears back into the engine or had they sorted that problem by the time they had made the '84 Gl1200?

Some say side stand and some say center stand, I did mine on the side stand and had no problem, I even dropped the gear in there and was easily able to retrieve it with my fingers. I think the side stand is easier because it tilts the chain and gear into place a little more.

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unionjk

· #12 · Mar 6, 2013

1000 and 1100's had an issue with the possibility of dropping the gear and chain inside the rear case. The 1200 (all years) has a nylon guide inside the rear case that prevents the gear from falling away into the deep recesses of the case, therefore you cannot loose the gear in any position. I tested the gear when I pulled my starter on my 84 aspy and also on a spare 85 engine I had in the garage and it will not go anywhere.

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smokepole

· #13 · Mar 17, 2013

Somewhere on this site
? said the 85 to 87 starter just needs to have gearbox swapped
he's done it a few times

I could have sworn I bookmarked the thread, and the site he mentioned
But!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DBelectrical has 85-87 starters for 109
listed as new
sounds just as safe as buying used off ebay

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Kendas

· #14 · Mar 17, 2013 (Edited)

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/Honda.html

smokepole said:
Somewhere on this site
? said the 85 to 87 starter just needs to have gearbox swapped
he's done it a few times[/QUOTE/]]

Was mine... Here you go:
Quote:
Originally Posted by neoracer
pretty much if you have an 84 you dont have much choice but to really open up your wallet and dig deeply for a replacement,and even then they are hard to find

Nope, not quite... Buy a 85-87 starter and toss the planetary gearset on the front then replace with the original starters gearset. The planetary gears are almost "bullet proof". I've changed out 2 starters using this method and still have the OEM 25 year old planetary gears. Zero problems and the '84 starts as good as if it came off the factory floor.

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/Honda.html

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