Help finding 97-99 gear wheel starter for FE501E

All,

I'm relatively new to the forum, but I've been lurking in the background soaking up all the great info this community has to offer, so thanks!

Picked up a 98 FE501E last fall that wasn't running and had coolant in the oil, the e-start was also not working. Wanted to make sure the bike would run before debugging the e-start, so I rebuilt the top end, tuned the carb and got it running pretty well, but man was it *hard* to kick!

So I just recently split the cases to diagnose the e-start issue, and no big surprise, the sprag clutch was toast. Significant wear on one side of all of the rollers, and the spring was obliterated. Finding a new sprag clutch (P/N: H25015301) is pretty straightforward, as there seem to be a couple of good substitutes on the web, and some great info on the forums here, however, the rollers also galled up the bearing surface of gear wheel starter (see pic; P/N: H25015701) and I'm having a ton of trouble finding a replacement that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Munn Racing has one listed but is asking $400 for it. Does anyone have one off an old parts bike they'd be willing to sell me? If so, I'd appreciate a PM.

Alternatively, I see a posting on ebay of the whole counter-balancer shaft and one-way clutch assembly that is listed as being for a 2000 FX600E, but has the same part numbers. Does anyone know if this will be compatible with my current motor?

And I guess one last question is, that I've never actually seen the bearing surface on a new gear wheel starter. I'm just assuming this has been damaged by the sprag clutch failure. Is my assessment right? The surface looks rough to me, and sits about 0.010" shy of the "unworn" portion of the surface.

Thanks in advance!
Jeremiah

I'd consider getting a hardened steel ring pressed onto that. they would grind it down first and then fit the hardened ring. the FX should be the same as the FE.

fit the later auto decomp and the softer DVSK. I sell both, they will make quite a difference. carb set up is another. bar mounted choke, things like that....

cheers

Taffy

Thanks for the feedback, Taffy. And for the great videos, those were extremely helpful!

Just to make sure I know what I'm getting into, the auto decomp kit on your site (100046) doesn't require any machining for the cam shoulder on a '98, right? My bike has a full thickness aluminum sprocket on the cam shaft.

I checked out the action on my stock auto-decomp setup and yes, the spring isn't sufficient to the task. At different orientations the spring doesn't even have the oomph to overcome gravity.

JDWan

yes that decomp is VERY weak!

I'm afraid that if the should is flush with the alloy sprocket then you have got to machine the shoulder off and also you need to machine out the alloy sprocket or buy a steel one instead?

or, if the w/p seal area is looking badly grooved and the cam lobe faces are looking very poor you might think that starting with a new cam? that way you get fresh;
lobes
where the W/P seals sit
no shoulder

cheers

Taffy