[KrooklynCB]

So, after adjusting my valve clearances I take the bike out for a spin. Everything seems ok than all of a sudden I hear screaching sound coming from the flywheel cover followed shortly by stoppage. So, I get the bike to a secluded enough area, come back with tools and proceed to check the rotor bolt (there was evidence it came in contact with the cover. However, the bolt is tight! So, my question is what's causing my flywheel to all of a sudden rub on the cover, when the rotor bolt isn't loose? I just got a flywheel remover off eBay and will take that off and see what is going on in there...Only thing I can think of is that "thefang.co.uk" makes referrences to the starter clutch bolts and how they work themselves loose. Would it be possible for the starter clutch bolts to work themselves loose thus allowing the flywheel (rotor) to loosen on the shaft? Any input would be nice...I've almost had enough of this bike.

 

[jbranson]

What kind of bike?

If it's a Honda....and the rotor bolt is still tight...and all of a sudden the rotor is hitting the side cover....that's not good.

The rotor bolt of course screws into the crankshaft snout...if it's truely still tight (and by that I mean screwed in all the way)...the only way for it to move out and hit the cover would be if the crank snout was broken off. Which isn't likely....unless something metal got attracted to the rotor while you had the cover off and then wedged itself between the rotor and the stator...possibly breaking the crank snout or doing some other kind of hidious damage in there.

Remember...just because the bolt is tight doesn't necessarily mean it's screwed in all the way....if it loosened up and the flywheel spun on the keyway it would probably wedge itself out against the bolt and make it appear tight while in fact the rotor had moved out some distance.
JohnnyB

 

[KrooklynCB]

it's a cb500t...yeah, i have a feeling the rotor just slipped on the shaft hence even though it's tight, it's probably not on the shaft all the way. i'll have to wait until monday evening to go pick it up (earliest i could get a uhaul to haul it back) and i'll have to pull the rotor and take a look at it. hopefully i wont' have to get another rotor, but the more i think about it, the more likely it is that i'll have to. thanks for all the info.

 

[jbranson]

Those rotors are pretty tough. But it might have bunged up the taper on the rotor....and crank maybe too. Honda uses a very small key on those rotors...it just barely sticks up from the crank snout. If the rotor bolt gets loose at all the crank can turn inside the rotor....which drags the key around the inside of the rotor taper and screws everything up.
Technically the rotor key is only to position the rotor for installation...it's not meant to keep it in place. The taper fit and bolt are supposed to do that. Many race ignition rotors have no key at all and just depend on a bolt to hold the taper tight.
JohnnyB

 

[KrooklynCB]

thanks for all the info johnny. i'll find out exactly what's going on tomorrow evening after i pick it up. can u believe that no one will tow a motorcycle in NYC? fucking ridiculous if you ask me. anyway, are the rotors from a 450 swappable? i know they have different part numbers, but i know a lot of stuff from the 450 works on a 500T...just curious b/c 450 rotors are a lot easier to get than 500T rotors.

 

[jbranson]

Don't know the answer to that one.
Someone here will though.
JohnnyB

 

[KrooklynCB]

so, i took off the left crank case cover and i think i've figured out what happened. firstly the rotor moved on the crankshaft and the starter sprocket retainer plate spun (enough for part of it to get chewed up) which then wedged itself in between the starter clutch and the sprocket causing it to bind up. resulting in rotor not turning freely. so, after i get the puller tomorrow i'll take about the starter clutch rotor and see what's going on. hopefully, i can just clean it out and everything will work again...

 

[joe c]

put up a pic.

lets see the carnage.

jc

 

[KrooklynCB]

not much to see really, just part of my retainer plate has been disintegrated. other than that it all looks normal. i'll see more when i get the rotor off after i get the puller.

 

[KrooklynCB]

So, after I finally got the M16x1.5 bolt to get my rotor off, I saw the problem. Like I thought, the starter clutch bolts loosened and one of them was pressing against the crankshaft sprocket behind it. I'm thinking that the vibration from the loosening rotor caused the starter clutch screws to loosen and press the rotor against the cover. So, after letting the loctite cure over night, I put it all back together and voila! She lives! The only issue now is the starter doesn't seem to want to turn over. Could just be my battery not having enough juice, or the starter could be toast. Either way Ive got a kickstarter and she runs. So, next time you have your rotor off, make sure the starter clutch screws are tight.

 

[jbranson]

If the starter clutch locked up it might have spun the stater motor really fast while the engine was running and messed up something there. Then again...like you say..could be just a weak battery.
JohnnyB