Help me diagnose a starter problem on my 1998 evo Road King. The symptoms are this:

I push the starter button and it starts to turn over for 1 or 2 revolutions then I hear a grinding sound in the starter area.

Observations:

1) It only happens after a few starting attempts or if the battery is low.
2) It never grinds immediately after pushing the button, only after revolution or two of the motor
3) If it grinds, releasing the button and pushing it again will allow for another spin of the motor before it starts grinding.
4) I never ever hear the starter spinning and not engaged to the clutch ring.

If my bike is warm it will start pretty quickly so I normally don't experience it. If the bike is cold and the choke is held out, it also starts quickly. If I take 2 or 3 shots at starting it, then it is very likely to happen.

Any ideas?

 

Weak battery, dirty battery cable connections, faulty solenoid, weak starter relay, borderline Dreaded Click.

 

Hard to add to that.

 

Starter bendix going out, soon won't start at all.
Simple replacement and fairly inexpensive, I think the last one I bought was $45 or so.
It is a clutch on the output shaft on the starter, they all wear out eventually. Usually you can replace them by just removing the primary cover.

Just my guess though. I have had this happen on my EVO and it sounds familiar.

 

Electrical problem, for sure. Just like it does in a car with weak battery. Does a spin or two, then bendix goes back spinning on it`s own.

 

Thanks for all the inputs guys.

 

hook a set of cables from a car, (not running) to your bikes battery. Try the cranking thing again & see if it's better.
I agree with bad battery or dirty connection.

 

Starter clutch. I'm on #3.

 

Go to harbor freight get a cheap power meter start it up, check terminals see if charging. if not work backwards, load regulator if you have one or the solenoid on the front mine went bad a year ago and replaced starter only to find out was not getting any power from the generator which indicated that square looking box on the front of the frame.

 

I have honestly checked all the voltage drops and the battery is a new odyssey. When it does crank it cranks fast. My comment about the battery earlier was more about how hard it kicks in from the solenoid. If I must crank it for a few seconds for 3 tries (like my float bowl is empty and I must fill it), then on the last try it is more likely to grind.