A Fresh Start

When it bothers to spin at all, Ludwig's starter makes a terrible cherking noise--kind of like the sound a robot chicken might make as you wrung its neck before you cooked it as dinner for your robot guests. It was time for a replacement.

This, friends, is a rebuilt Bosch starter purchased locally for less than $100. Amazing. I don't hold any illusions about the vaunted Bosch brand being much better than any other garbage nowadays, I hate to say. It'll probably be fine. I hereby promise not to strike it with a hammer (not while it's under warranty anyway).

All the work for this job is on the other side of the bus, so I don't know what I'm doing in these last two shots. Probably trying to take a nap.

The second I got under the bus to remove Ol' Cherky, I saw fresh fuel dripping from this hose above the transaxle.

About a foot and-a-half of it got replaced forthwith. Ludwig has a ridiculous fuel hose set-up, with one size hose coming out of the tank to a filter, then stepping a size up into the pump, then on the other side of the pump another filter to step the hose down to the original size again--all because the stupid pump doesn't have the right size nipples. So like a fine wine*, the gas is doubly filtered by the time it gets to the carbs. Keeping all this tomfoolery mounted to the transaxle makes the fuel pump less clattery than when it was bolted to the subframe. Damn, that racket used to drive me crazy.

Tater Tot stylishly rode by as I was reassembling all the air cleaner stuff; I had it off to get at the fuel line and the engine mounting bolt that does double duty as a starter mounting bolt. We know that bike is too small for her, but try telling her that. Also, try telling her that rain boots aren't the most practical footwear for all conditions.

The new starter just gave me a 'clack' when I turned the key so after, ah, collecting myself I tightened up the battery-to-body ground, the transaxle-to-subframe strap, and all the connectors at the starter. It chirped right up, and has started every time since, even after getting nice and hot on a drive (pictured above; note all the smoke) to Butte and back--something that would've almost guaranteed a push start with the old starter. 

*Confession: I have no idea if good wine is actually double-filtered.