1986 350 K2 starter motor query?

[themoudie]

Aye, new to Moto Morini 350's so I may have more to contribute as ownership progresses!

Removed the right-hand outer case to have a wee look see at the timing belt and decided that some brake/clutch cleaner wouldn't go amiss where the starter shoes grip. A previous owner has already pock-marked it, with a centre puch. Having cleaned things up, it became very apparent that the starter motor feed cable had been worn away by the drive chain! It would appear if care isn't taken when replacing the casing and then zip tying the cable, with tension from the starter motor terminal, it will tangle with the drive chain. So, clean up with brake/clutch cleaner and then seal off with heat shrink tube, then some braided cable cover tidied up at each end with more shrink tube.

Also the filler plug on the starter motor gearbox is missing! The threaded cross-head oil level screw is in place. Please would someone tell me what the filler plug is made from and is it threaded? It appears that it could be a rubber plug with no threading, but some info from more experienced owners would be welcome.

Thank you, Bill

[MickeyMoto]

Hello Bill,

Welcome to Tre e mezzo ownership...

I have never heard of a starter lead being eaten by a chain, I'll have a careful look...

The starter filler plug is unthreaded rubber. They were available from NLM, Mdina may have a stock...

Mike

[themoudie]

Aye Mike,

Thank you for the information. That'll need to be added to the 2 new knicker elastic belts on the list!

My regards, Bill

[EVguru]

I have several starter motor rebuild videos on my YouTube channel.

[3potjohn]

Finally my starter motor works from cold. After rebuilding it in 2017 and having it apart again this week, the simple cure was a new battery.Nothing like a bit of procrastination. The old Odyssey was at least nine years old and though it had about 12.7 volts after a run this dropped away to 12.3 overnight.
I went for an Xtreme XR600 battery as only £55 and was able to drop the old battery into the shop.
In the starter gearbox the bronze gear was OK but I did renew this 3 years ago.( don’t know if these are now extinct in the wild) and I have the smaller roller bearing with a separate shaft seal. I wished I had measured the seal as it would be worth getting one in as a spare.
John

[3potjohn]

I overlooked a weep from the needle roller area behind the sprocket. This type has a separate oil seal and I assume the smaller bearing.After much peering at small numbers a magnified photo shows it to be 15x21x3. I therefore ordered 3 which should last till petrol is banned or something else unpleasant.
Good luck for this Sunday by the way.