2018 Starter Fix Thread - Continued.

[gg3]

Hi All,
Have been following all the advice on the forum for my 2018 starter.And eventually I have had a win!
Background-Brought it with the stock battery from a dealer with 50hrs on.Sometimes work when hot but never cold or in gear.
Upgraded leads & put in a 160cca battery (up from 135cca)-marginal improvement.
Removed bendix & lightened the spring,polished the inside,cleaned & lubed the gears,made sure they were not binding- a little better but inconsistent.
Got a AS3 bendix cover (really nice gear)- when hot worked better.
Put in a Shorei 210cca battery one night & hit the starter.To my surprise it started,nearly shit myself & woke up the household.Rode this weekend & it started every time with a stab of the button.Even started in gear!
Don't give up hope on your starter!

 

[Gez]

Update on my starter system:
Had the dealer do ALL the pre delivery updates (2018 ec300). Was informed on pickup that it was even firing cold on their battery, the reality is it wasn't. Took it out on saturday, it was slightly easier to start via kicker, but only had joy starting on the electric leg once. I had the dealer throw in the biggest AGM they could get. Maybe I should try a big lithium now? Not sure if I want to keep the bike long term now, shame as it rides fantastic.

 

[farmerj]

Update on my starter system:
Had the dealer do ALL the pre delivery updates (2018 ec300). Was informed on pickup that it was even firing cold on their battery, the reality is it wasn't. Took it out on saturday, it was slightly easier to start via kicker, but only had joy starting on the electric leg once. I had the dealer throw in the biggest AGM they could get. Maybe I should try a big lithium now? Not sure if I want to keep the bike long term now, shame as it rides fantastic.

GG recommends a 240 CCA battery - note the tech bulletin attached.

I'm guessing you can't get that in an AGM that will fit (though I'm not totally sure). What CCA is yours?

I would look at Earth-X, or the new Anti-Gravity "Restart" with discharge protection. FWIW I can't believe that the LI industry puts out a product that can be damaged by dropping below a certain voltage. I'd spend a little more to protect against having that happen.

If I can't get satisfaction with my current battery, I will be sorely tempted to purchase a 340CCA Earth-X and modify the battery compartment to make it fit.

I understand your last comment. It's frustrating to have a bike that has "something broken" on it. It would be better for me if it was kick-start only vs. having a system that doesn't work. But the rest of the bike is so good that I'm going to keep at it!

 

[Gez]

New batt is 190cca and it's all the battery compartment. I've got a few more hours to clock up this year, perhaps the starter is just breaking in?

 

[eralha]

New batt is 190cca and it's all the battery compartment. I've got a few more hours to clock up this year, perhaps the starter is just breaking in?

what is the problem with your starter?

 

[TGM_OFFROAD]

New batt is 190cca and it's all the battery compartment. I've got a few more hours to clock up this year, perhaps the starter is just breaking in?

I think it may take a little bit of breaking in, I replaced my starter and it would take pressing the button twice to start the bike about 75% of the time. After about 2 hours and making sure my battery is fully charged it is now first press 98% of the time.

I have a 210 cca Shorai battery, Anti Gravity makes a 240cca that will fit the battery box.

 

[Gez]

what is the problem with your starter?

Will not start the bike, went to the dealer. Cranks better and faster, bigger battery. Still no go, got one start on it in an 80km ride.
May try another battery if I keep the bike long enough

 

[eralha]

Will not start the bike, went to the dealer. Cranks better and faster, bigger battery. Still no go, got one start on it in an 80km ride.
May try another battery if I keep the bike long enough

If it cracks well but bike does not start, the dealer need to update the cables from battery to starter and the ECU need to be remapped.

Gasgas will do this free of charge.

 

[Gez]

All been done. They even adjusted the pick up coil. I rode it for the first time after the work was done last weekend

 

[Gasser Nate]

When people say no start there needs to be more clarity I think. For example does it not spin the motor over when the start button is pressed? Does it spin it all day long and not start? Is the spinning erratic/slow? I have found mine likes the throttle to be cracked ever so slightly after pressing the button as I have my idle down very low.

I genuinely think people are blaming other issues on the starter as mine and the 4 other guys I ride with have no issues at all starting out bikes from cold or in gear multiple times a ride in shitty rocky terrain.
It really is not a difficult system to diagnose but I think poor description of the problem and perhaps in adequate dealers techs are making it to be a way bigger issue then needed.

Some people are pressing the button once only and calling it a no start. Like if it was a kick starter and it didn’t start first kick people would just kick it again and move on...

Like if we can get those awful Ktm starting systems to work these are easy!

 

[eralha]

Hi, guys, just to let you guys know that the ktm starter i got didn?t work and fried, it was working like this video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qf9r4i7cnir5wkf/VID_20191017_194816.mp4?dl=0

I give up on my starter since i dont want to spend any more money, it seems to me that the only way was to change every bit of the mechanism, gears, bendix, cover... and in the end i'm not sure that it will work...

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Gez]

So had a massive weekend on the bike. Starter now works about 70% of the time. Seems there may be a charging issue to look at now, but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

 

[TGM_OFFROAD]

When I replaced my starter motor, bendix cover, amd battery the first ride out my battery died about halfway through the ride. I thought I had a charging issue but was still showing 14v when running. Recharged my battery overnight and havent had a problem since. I feel like there maybe be a slight wear in period.

 

[eralha]

Hi guys, this weekend i tested my starter with a lithium battery from a friends bike, and to my surprise it worked great... I tested it with the battery from my CRF1000 and it did not work. I guess that the baterry need to have the exact amp number in order to work properly.

 

[andykr87]

How do I get the gear out that?s below the starter motor? The one the starter spins. I took the C clip out. I trying to attempt motocenters starter fix by tack welding the small shaft that runs to the bendix. They say it can spin on its axis and not engage right. Which is what I think I?m having problems with.

 

[eralha]

How do I get the gear out that?s below the starter motor? The one the starter spins. I took the C clip out. I trying to attempt motocenters starter fix by tack welding the small shaft that runs to the bendix. They say it can spin on its axis and not engage right. Which is what I think I?m having problems with.

after you take the bearing that connects to the starter motor out, you can put that shaft on vice and with a rubber hammer, hammer on the case to get it out.

 

[ssaulnier]

After previously installing the thicker battery, starter and ground cables I think I fixed my 2018 starter by installing a more powerful 240 CCA battery yesterday. I bought the Antigravity ATZ7-8 Lithium battery that Gasgas recommends to fix the starting problems for the 2018 and 2019 250 and 300s.

The stock replacement lithium battery only had 110 or 140 CCA which did not seem to be sufficient.

 

[Gez]

I found the battery to be the final hurdle on mine too. Fingers crossed for years of starts now.

 

[Gasser Nate]

At the risk of jinxing it I still have the stock 120cca battery in mine and it starts from cold for the last two years with no issues...?

 

[ssaulnier]

Nate I am not sure what the difference is but some bikes seem to have more friction in the starter assembly, gearing, shafts, etc and/or the CDI needs more voltage to fire the spark plug.

If everything is properly toleranced as designed and the CDI is a nice sparky one then the stock battery should be fine, like on your bike. Thanks for the reminder that some work just fine.

But the factory has recommended the 240 CCA antigravity as part of the solution for those of us that are having trouble. Fingers crossed mine keeps starting with the new antigravity .......

Cheers Steve