TOPIC:

Hello folks, sorry it has been a while since my last posting but I have been busy, let's tell the truth ... despondent is a more accurate word.

I am still having trouble with the Nordwest starter but I have narrowed the fault down to the pinion drive.



There are two parts to the drive pinion on this model and it appears the 'cam' shaped surfaces on both parts are worn causing them to slip and simulate the worn sprag clutch. I have emailed and phoned Bob Wright and am awaiting a reply however, I was wondering if anyone had experienced this problem and is there a cure? Can you tell me what the make and model are of the starter as all the markings are worn off of mine, and is there a schematic drawing of the drive or starter as I have found that the needle-roller bearing behind the drive was assembled incorrectly in my opinion and the bearing thrust surface is damaged. I tried tensioning the cushion spring with a spacer (as seen in the image above) and that helped the drive but loaded up the starter when the drive slipped putting tension on the cushion spring and forcing the circlip behind the thrust out of its groove and semi-siezed the armature. This has been happening since the beginning I believe, which is why the starter sounds to be turning slowly. I was thinking of either welding the two parts together as a temporary solution to see if this is the problem or I thought of replacing the cushion spring with a spacer which would be a more gentle solution. Any thoughts?

Update;

I was in the shed killing time and found a plastic dummy spigot bush left over from a clutch job on a Toyota Corolla which looked like it might work and I figured plastic fragments were marginally better that metal fragments distributed through the engine so I took out the cushion spring washers and installed the spacer in their place. Starter works perfectly. Motor started right up with no problems. Subsequently a ride down the road unearthed a carburettor problem but after all this time that is acceptable. Next I will fix the carb and get it legal for the road.

We folks, I have since my last posting managed to ride the Nordwest and get it road legal however the starter motor is very unreliable because the mating surfaces of the drive gear (as see in the photo above) are too badly worn and it continues to slip and often dislodges the circlip behind the thrust bearing and has all but destroyed the thrust bear.

Can anyone tell me who manufactures the starter motors and where I might possibly get a replacement drive gear set. I have thought of welding or pinning the two halves together but unfortunately they are hardened steel and the weld will most likely fail.

Any information would be gratefully received.

Thanks,
Peter

I'm not shure.
But if i remeber right it's japanese and from Nippon Denso
I think i have seen their blue sticker on it, but...
Hope the part you are searching for is not something designed from Luigi itself.

Maybe you can find something to make fit on a HoKaYaSuki or so.

If you want, i can also ask around here for the part. I know a guy selling used Gilera parts.

Good luck, Joachim

Thanks for that, yes if there is someone selling used parts I am interested. I am reluctant to modify the drive gear because I don't have any chance of repair once it is welded or drilled should it breaks. Therefore I am desperately looking for an unworn replacement first. If you can check with your friend I would be most grateful. Have a look at the photo of the starter drive in my previous posting and you can see the deformation on the drive face. I can't risk getting another set made because I don't have a profile to follow as the faces are too badly worn.
Thanks again,
Peter

Hi Kiwi,
Sorry for not replying earlier I just got back last night from enjoying the windy cold and wet English spring hillclimbs with "Team Geriatric Racer"
I looked at my spare starter motor this morning, it is Italian with CEM cast into the the brush end cover, it still has a label but the writing not clear, ir looks like "Lacind" written followed by the number 2206.
Hope that can be of some help
John