4 WHEELER (Quad) Question

Starter has gone bad on my Yamaha Kodiak 700. Its just 5 years old. I've had other starters last 15-20 years.

What causes that starter to "gunk up" and the magnets to bust off and foul up the mechanism to the point that it doesn't work?

Or is that just the life of a starter these days?

Thank,

Pete

I would say that is the life of a starter, if it has been used hard for 5 years. Water and dirt would be the obvious enemies of a starter.The name of the game is anything to save a buck these days.

I lost mine last winter, Pete. 2016 Yamaha Kodiak 700. I don't know if I was running the wrong weight oil in it during the winter and stressed the starter that way or not. It wasn't a cheap fix.

Pete maybe it is the "these days" deal.
I have two cat 500's 15 years old each heavily used for the bear hunts here etc and other than Me tearing axle boots and messing up a couple axle shafts they have been bullet proof.
Been thinking of updating but this thread causes me pause.

Osky

I asked the mechanic why these machines came without a backup recoil starter. He said the average guy would never be able to kick or pull it over. I guess I can see why the starters get stressed.

Should a got a honda.

I almost did. My boy didn't like the color. I told him to get in the truck.

It is one of " these days " deals. People want to buy cheap, so these days everything comes down to that. They also want light weight and performance. In this day and age, the accountants have their seats in the design department right next to the engineers. They calculate how much a component will be stressed by your average user and then lay out the spect for that scenario. Sure you can make a 4 wheeler that can't be broken. But it would cost a lot of money and people would not buy it. So as long as the majority of people want cheap, thats what we are going to get.
And Honda does not make starter motors. First thing to break on my Honda generator was the starter. Honda also does not make shocks and brake assemblies and a bunch of other parts you find on a Honda machine.

Have a 1996 Honda fourtrac. Starter just began to give me problems. Thought it was the selinoid ( sp? ) under the seat. Turned out, it was like the old starters in cars, gave it a wrap with a hammer and it worked. But it is like spinning the lottery wheel, may have to wrap it a few times to get it to work. Lol.

Pete:

The fact that Posco had same problem on the same machine...basically.......my guess would be it is designed to last only 5 yeas or less

Lol.....reminds me of the time when I was a 15yo kid and starting my older brothers 33 horsepower Evinrude ski twin 2cyl outboard on his boat. You basically grabbed the handle with both hands , pushed off the transom with your feet and pulled with everything you had as you slammed your body into the back-to-back seats. If it didn't start in the first couple pulls , you were screwed.......lol

You are dead on.

Most have a way to release the compression making it easier to turn the motor over. Least all my Honda’s have anyway.

You would think Yamaha would have thought that through. They didn't.

You can buy a rebuild starter kit so you can change the brushes. They are pretty cheap. Somtimes just a cleaning and file the brushes flat again will get you a a couple more years. That's a Honda I am talking about, must be similar on a Yamaha. Its a pain to pull the starter on a Honda.

My hondas never fail to start(besides the choke they have a decompresser and a primer).My 94 has had extensive trapline use for 25 years-guess what-same starter.Parts?-Ha -what parts,one wheel bearing,spring and shock in the back from too many heavy loads over the years and that is it besides several batterys,and a new set of tires.
My new Honda-08 is even better.Same hard use and only one new battery so far.Just put a snow plow on it this week.
I do keep up the maintenance religiously on everything I own.
I know a few other trappers who had polaris,suzuki and yamaha that did not last like those with Hondas.
Some guys I know that started out with the honda 3 wheelers still have them and they all run good.
One mechanic told me that the reason the honda engines last forever is because they are meticulously balanced,All I know from using bikes for 30 odd years is that the hondas are bulletproof.

My 29 year old Honda 300 original starter is just fine. I go though batteries about every four years.

Thanks... I was afraid that was the news I might uncover!

Pete

Jeff,

That is why I opened it up. Figured it might just be a "brush" problem. (That would have been way too easy....! And less expensive....!)

The brushes were salvageable. But several of the magnets had come loose and ended up busted. There was no practical way to rebuild this puppy!

Dealer price on new starter is $200. Found a decent one online at Moose Utilities for $159. It should be in the mail soon. Live and learn!

Pete

Thanks to all for the comments....

Pete

They did think it through and the accountant said it was too expensive with not enough return in sales to machine an extra valve seat and leaver mount into the head and run a cable and leaver or switch etc. The engineer went home that day and complained to his wife about those (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) accountants. Its how that works

Love my Rubicon!

Looking to add another basic 4x4 ATV to our stable and was shocked to find out the a manual starter was now an "option".

Thats an easy fix Pete. Don’t let Jason ride it.

More likely it's the granddaughters these days. One of them is lusting after my Elan !! I wonder if I'll ever see it again when she takes off !

Granddaughters are special, Ken. There will come a day when you wish they would come and ride your elan!

I hear ya !! Even the elder abuse is fun !!

Cannot argue with Steve or Ken.....!

pb