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2010 Triumph Bonneville SE won't start

harshgpt

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Location
Palo Alto
Moto(s)
Kawasaki Z650

Triumph Bonneville SE
Hi all!

I have a 2010 Triumph Bonneville SE. The bike was working perfectly until a few days back. A friend borrowed it recently. He mentioned to me that the bike makes loud clanky sound when starting up. I was surprised since I have never had that happen.

Today, I decided to go for a ride (first after my friend returned the bike). When I tried to start the bike, it did sound clanky - as if the starter gears or the starter motor pinion were struggling to make contact or turn over). The bike did start but then died. When I tried to start it up again, it just kept making a whirring high-pitched sound but wouldn't start. The engine doesn't crank at all.

I am attaching a video link with this

Help me please! Here is what I think:

1. The battery or the starter relay/solenoid are likely not the issue since the bike did start the one time. Additionally, the whirring sound seems to be from the spinning of the starter motor which rules out the solenoid and likely the battery (although a weak battery might have led to this problem).

2. It sounds like the starter motor is spinning and is the source of the whirring sound. I will check this soon (need to find time to drain the engine oil and remove + test the starter motor). It seems likely that either the starter pinion is not connecting with the starter idle gear or there is some issue with the sprag clutch.

Any help, ideas or suggestions? I am surprised that I had no issues at all with the bike until my friend borrowed it. Would likely refrain from lending the bike again :rolleyes:
 
Weak battery? Easy check. Jump from an auto battery (car engine off). Had the same symptom once, new battery fixed it. Your experience may be different.

Yeah. . . friends and bikes. No advice, just history. Ugh.
 
Alright, update - I jumped the bike using my car. The same symptom persists so I guess my initial analysis holds. Nothing seemingly wrong with the battery.

I have drained the oil now. Will remove the starter motor tomorrow and inspect it. I hope that the starter motor is not the issue since it is a freaking $1000 part on Triumph's website. Will keep you folks updated and seek advice!
 
Sounds more like the starter clutch is not engaging. I don't know where it's located on Triumph, but they can be easily accessed behind the rotor on some bikes, or hidden deep inside the cases on others.
 
Alright, another update - I opened the clutch cover and found that the starter idle gear is toast (picture attached). I didn't get the time to disassemble the starter drive gear and pull the starter idle gear assembly out today. Will do that tomorrow and update if there is more damage. If this is the only damage, I think the problem is manageable. Hoping for the best!

IMG_5959.jpeg
 
Good job digging in and finding it.
The bad news is the teeth on the starter motor itself look toast also.
I would source a used one off eBay If the OEM is that expensive.
 
I’m going too guess the gear damage was caused when starting a hot engine, and some throttle was applied and the engine recoiled.
To prevent Hot engine recoil/ when pressing the starter button don’t open the throttle at all.
 
You also have to figure out where all that missing metal went and fish as much of it out as possible....
Like, count the missing teeth and hope to retrieve them all intact
 
Ah! Where should I look? No pieces really fell off when I opened the clutch cover. My guess is they might have come out when I drained the engine oil? Not sure, but would try to fish for them. Any particular areas I should scan?
 
If they weren't in the immediate area, they likely followed gravity downward to whatever is below that area through whatever opening is large enough for them to pass through.

Think like a piece of those teeth, look around and where can you disappear to? It's a game of mechanical hide and seek.

If there is a removable oil pan, I would remove that and get those pieces out, you don't want them loose in your engine if possible.
 
Alright folks! Another update - I was able to retrieve the starter idler gear and as expected it has a bunch of broken teeth. The starter motor is also toast - has broken teeth. I was able to find a lot of debris sticking to the clutch cover so I am reasonably sure that most of the debris is removed now.

A bigger issue now is the following - one of the two bolts on the starter motor seem to be stripped. What to do? The area is really hard to get to - I tried with a torque wrench extender (had to buy a new one that was thin enough to get there) but the head just keeps slipping on the bolt.

Any help to remove that bolt?
 
Pry back on the bolt head with a pick as you turn it slowly

Striped huh? Someone has already been in there then?!
 
stripped, as in the threads are jacked?

or

stripped as in the flats of the hexagon are now all rounded?
 
Stripped as in the flats of the hexagon are rounded (not all but some - I am cussing myself to not have used the best tool to begin with). Here is an image:

imageedit_5_9692581562.gif

I don't want to drill into it and pull it out (never done that before and also the upper bolt came out relatively easily so hoping this would too somehow). The upper bolt came out fine. What I have ordered for now is the following kit from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCRRLCTQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any ideas or suggestions?

Side view:

edited_bonneville_small.png

This pipe thing (arrowed) is making it hard to access the bolt generally. What is it? Some kind of fuel line?
 
Are you using a 6-point socket and not a 12-point?
A quality brand properly sized six-point socket on extension but instead of a ratchet, give it a tap with an impact screwdriver to break it free.

Edited to clarify the proper tool is an impact screwdriver, not just an impact driver (power tool)
 
Last edited:
I am using a 6-point socket with a torque wrench. Earlier I was just using a combination wrench which I think might have aggravated the problem. I don't have any impact driver or wrench (looks eye-wateringly expensive to buy just for this). Let me see if I can borrow one.
 
View attachment 565015

I don't want to drill into it and pull it out (never done that before and also the upper bolt came out relatively easily so hoping this would too somehow). The upper bolt came out fine. What I have ordered for now is the following kit from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCRRLCTQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any ideas or suggestions?

Side view:

View attachment 565016

This pipe thing (arrowed) is making it hard to access the bolt generally. What is it? Some kind of fuel line?

From the picture you posted not all is lost and you still have some flat on there, you could of course hammer on standard / metric socket of a slightly smaller size than the correct bolt and break it lose. I would have bought these https://www.amazon.com/Extractor-Easy-out-Removing-Fittings-Threaded/dp/B083FSBFQ6 so you can really whale them on with a hammer.

Really WORST case scenario I can see that bolt can be cut with a dremel (you are replacing it anyways and the starter, so actually that might be fastest solution anyways, the only thing you dont want to destroy are the threads insid ethe motor!)

If you want help I have an impact not too far from you.
 
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