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Post by Tufelhundin on Dec 13, 2004 13:32:15 GMT -5
Has anyone had any problem with they're pull starter ? After I bought my Foreman my nephew told me that a couple of people had problems with water getting in the engine via the pull start. Is this a problem? Is there a quick fix? I am far from being mechanically inclined so any help would be appreciated.
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Post by Jake on Dec 14, 2004 19:04:21 GMT -5
There have been some problems related to that. There's also a lot of problems not related to that that get blamed on that.
If you splash around a lot, but don't submerge the engine, you'll be fine. If you submerge the engine, but once in a blue moon, you'll be fine too, but USE THE PULL STARTER. At least once or twice every time you ride. That prevents the starter spring from rusting up and failing to retract, as well as dislodging deposited dirt from building up inside the rope start assembly. If you are in muck, mud, dirt, and water up well over the engine for hours on end, then the muddy water can carry dirt into the rope starter faster than it can work it's way back out the drain. When it builds up around the rear crank seal, it makes a leak path for more dirty water to ender the crankcase, where the clean engine oil is.
You can eliminate the rope starter with a "leak shield" that is simply a flat plate attached to the rear of your engine in the original rope starter bolt locations, and sealed with silicone, or you can actually seal the rope starter it's self. Not as long term, but still leaves you a rope starter.
To seal the rope starter, remove it from the engine (just a couple of bolts, and nothing "springs" out at this point). Use a good quality RTV silicone gasket maker, and seal the mounting flange where it mounts to the engine, then re-install it. Put another small bead around where the starter handle sits against the starter housing, and let the rope pull the handle into the silicone, making a seal. Last, seal the visible end of the handle where the rope is, because it'll act like a wick and draw water in.
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Post by Tufelhundin on Dec 15, 2004 5:14:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the help Jake, is your's sealed, plated, or you actually using it? Just curious.
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Post by Jake on Dec 15, 2004 19:33:11 GMT -5
Mine is sealed. I probably qualify for the "block off plate" category, but I am hesitant to give up the rope starter, since I ride in the winter a lot, when the battery is tested the most, the electrical loads are the highest, and the walk home is the longest. The seal works perfectly until you use the rope starter, or bump the starter handle out of it's perch. After that, you have to peel away the silicone and reseal it again, but only under the handle. The rest is fine, unless you think something got in and feel the need to check it. I know it's inadequate, but I pull the rope out now and then to verify it's operation, and kind of use it like a "dipstick" to see what's in there. Ideally, since I'm "playing with fire" so to speak, I'd remove the whole thing a lot more often, or else I'd seal it with a block off plate. (which incidentally is clear, so while it should never fail for any reason, you can easily tell if it does).
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Ezrider
Sergeant
TBF Member
Posts: 89
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Post by Ezrider on Dec 15, 2004 21:42:08 GMT -5
I have mine sealed like Jake does, I like the fact that I can still have a pull rope on it for back up, but the way I have been checking it is buy using a small screw driver and pulling the silicone away from the weep hole at the bottom of the plate, if any water gets in there it will be at the bottom, and I seal it back up again with a dab of silicone, I had not really thought about pulling the rope out and resealing the handle up again, I guess I may start doing that also from time to time to make sure it will retract.
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Post by Jake on Dec 16, 2004 20:38:15 GMT -5
Ezrider, while the "rope check" is good for the purpose of checking the rope and maintaining the spring, please double check that I did say it's what I do, but I did say that it's inadequate. Do as you choose, but do it knowingly. I don't want you or anyone feeling like I gave you bad advice, especially with consequences such as this could have.
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Ezrider
Sergeant
TBF Member
Posts: 89
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Post by Ezrider on Dec 17, 2004 22:22:51 GMT -5
Jake I have had mine that way for some time now. Inadequate it may be, But I like it that way, it has worked well for me, I do spend a few min. checking it before a ride and have yet to ever find that it has leaked. lost my regulator/rectifier on a ride one time and was kinda glad I had a rope there to pull. You wont here me blame you in any way .
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