Starter O ring

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

I suspect an oil leak may be coming from where the starter fits to engine. Has anyone found the o ring on starter to need replacing? My starter was replaced a few years ago. The leak is very minor a drop finds its way to the floor after a ride.

[FJ1100mjk]

Yes. I had a similar leak, and it was the source. Pretty straight forward to fix. RPM has the o-rings.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Thanks.  That's reassuring that my deduction might be right. I checked RPM earlier, missed it. I will check again. Problem is I will probably order other stuff too 

[racerrad8]

O-Ring: Starter & Low Oil Level Sensor

Randy - RPM

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

  now back to the Raider game

[Jezza]

Hey quick question on this subject I have an 85 Fj and suspect I have the same slow leak but how do you shoe horn the starter motor out from under there? Checked my Haynes manual not very helpful looks like they did it with motor out I trying to avoid this just for one small O-Ring.. any advice is appreciated.

[racerrad8]

You have pull the alternator. The starter will then move forward enough to get it out.

Randy - RPM

[Bill_Rockoff]

I was able to do it removing just the alternator cover (it may be easier to do the entire alternator.)

Copied from a post I made a few years ago:

It took me about an hour from clean hands to clean hands again.

Here are the steps:

1) Disconnect battery at the negative terminal (10mm socket)
2) Remove the 10mm bolt from the shift linkage and slide the linkage off the splined shifter shaft, leaving it dangling from the shift lever
3) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder assembly onto the countershaft sprocket cover, leaving it dangling by the clutch line
4) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the countershaft sprocket cover onto the engine, so that you can
5) slide the cover over the splined shifter shaft to remove it from the bike

- Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 are necessary because this cover would be in your way trying to slide the starters between the frame and the engine -

6) Remove the three 8mm nuts holding the alternator cover in place, and remove the alternator cover (this would also be in the way of the starter)
7) Remove the left side body panel (no tools, you just pull it) so that you can then
8 ) Remove the air intake snorkel (three Phillips-head screws) so that you can then
9) Disconnect the starter lead (big red wire) from the solenoid behind the battery, so that it has slack to move with the starter
10) Disconnect any connectors for the wires that are there in your way, where the intake snorkel goes
11) Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the starter in place
12) Slide the starter out.  I grabbed the starter by the bolt holes, using two pair of needle nose pliers, and wiggled the starter free, and then tapped it with a long punch from the right-hand side of the bike.  Someone with the right picks could probably do it more elegantly
13) As soon as you can reach it to get a 10mm open- or box-end wrench on it, remove the nut that holds the starter lead (big red wire) onto the starter, and disconnect the starter lead from the starter
14) Wriggle the starter out from between the engine and the frame

Reassembly is, as they say, the opposite of disassembly.  I put the starter back in place and reconnected the starter lead, and then fastened the starter in with its mounting bolts, and then reconnected the other end of the starter lead to the solenoid. 

Probably a full 1/8 of my hour was spent trying to convince myself, "I don't really need to remove the sprocket / alternator covers, do I?  Surely there has to be a way to.... No, no, it has to come out, doesn't it?"  Probably just as much time was spent tightening the starter lead back to the new starter, half a flat at a time, with my no-name box-end wrench.  Probably another 1/8 of the time was spent bleeding the clutch after the slave cylinder had dangled there at the end of the clutch line for a while.

Good luck!

[FJmonkey]

I had an oil leak on my '86 and Randy helped diagnose it as possibly the starter O-ring. Once the new O-ring arrived I pulled the starter off. The O-ring was twisted in the groove. I removed the O-ring and it would not untwist. Not sure how it got twisted so bad as it is a tough little bugger. 

[Jezza]

Thanks Randy makes sense to do that and extra thanks for shipping the o-rings and pan gasket fastest despatch ever!

You have pull the alternator. The starter will then move forward enough to get it out.

Randy - RPM

[Jezza]

Hey Bill thanks that procedure it worked and the starter is now out only difference is my air box snorkel removes from the right hand side not the left (Aussie bike) also there is no leak so new o ring and back in it goes. I now suspect the shifter shaft seal is the culprit as the circlip is missing causing it to shimmy about more than I suspect it should, the splines are worn also so resulting in sloppy gear changes so I shall change out the shaft, seal and linkages fit a circlip and cross fingers all should be nice and tight.
I love my FJ except every time I undo a bolt it becomes a voyage of discovery.

I was able to do it removing just the alternator cover (it may be easier to do the entire alternator.)

Copied from a post I made a few years ago:

It took me about an hour from clean hands to clean hands again.

Here are the steps:

1) Disconnect battery at the negative terminal (10mm socket)
2) Remove the 10mm bolt from the shift linkage and slide the linkage off the splined shifter shaft, leaving it dangling from the shift lever
3) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder assembly onto the countershaft sprocket cover, leaving it dangling by the clutch line
4) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the countershaft sprocket cover onto the engine, so that you can
5) slide the cover over the splined shifter shaft to remove it from the bike

- Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 are necessary because this cover would be in your way trying to slide the starters between the frame and the engine -

6) Remove the three 8mm nuts holding the alternator cover in place, and remove the alternator cover (this would also be in the way of the starter)
7) Remove the left side body panel (no tools, you just pull it) so that you can then
8 ) Remove the air intake snorkel (three Phillips-head screws) so that you can then
9) Disconnect the starter lead (big red wire) from the solenoid behind the battery, so that it has slack to move with the starter
10) Disconnect any connectors for the wires that are there in your way, where the intake snorkel goes
11) Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the starter in place
12) Slide the starter out.  I grabbed the starter by the bolt holes, using two pair of needle nose pliers, and wiggled the starter free, and then tapped it with a long punch from the right-hand side of the bike.  Someone with the right picks could probably do it more elegantly
13) As soon as you can reach it to get a 10mm open- or box-end wrench on it, remove the nut that holds the starter lead (big red wire) onto the starter, and disconnect the starter lead from the starter
14) Wriggle the starter out from between the engine and the frame

Reassembly is, as they say, the opposite of disassembly.  I put the starter back in place and reconnected the starter lead, and then fastened the starter in with its mounting bolts, and then reconnected the other end of the starter lead to the solenoid. 

Probably a full 1/8 of my hour was spent trying to convince myself, "I don't really need to remove the sprocket / alternator covers, do I?  Surely there has to be a way to.... No, no, it has to come out, doesn't it?"  Probably just as much time was spent tightening the starter lead back to the new starter, half a flat at a time, with my no-name box-end wrench.  Probably another 1/8 of the time was spent bleeding the clutch after the slave cylinder had dangled there at the end of the clutch line for a while.

Good luck!

[balky1]

Hey Bill thanks that procedure it worked and the starter is now out only difference is my air box snorkel removes from the right hand side not the left (Aussie bike) also there is no leak so new o ring and back in it goes. I now suspect the shifter shaft seal is the culprit as the circlip is missing causing it to shimmy about more than I suspect it should, the splines are worn also so resulting in sloppy gear changes so I shall change out the shaft, seal and linkages fit a circlip and cross fingers all should be nice and tight.
I love my FJ except every time I undo a bolt it becomes a voyage of discovery.

I was able to do it removing just the alternator cover (it may be easier to do the entire alternator.)

Copied from a post I made a few years ago:

It took me about an hour from clean hands to clean hands again.

Here are the steps:

1) Disconnect battery at the negative terminal (10mm socket)
2) Remove the 10mm bolt from the shift linkage and slide the linkage off the splined shifter shaft, leaving it dangling from the shift lever
3) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder assembly onto the countershaft sprocket cover, leaving it dangling by the clutch line
4) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the countershaft sprocket cover onto the engine, so that you can
5) slide the cover over the splined shifter shaft to remove it from the bike

- Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 are necessary because this cover would be in your way trying to slide the starters between the frame and the engine -

6) Remove the three 8mm nuts holding the alternator cover in place, and remove the alternator cover (this would also be in the way of the starter)
7) Remove the left side body panel (no tools, you just pull it) so that you can then
8 ) Remove the air intake snorkel (three Phillips-head screws) so that you can then
9) Disconnect the starter lead (big red wire) from the solenoid behind the battery, so that it has slack to move with the starter
10) Disconnect any connectors for the wires that are there in your way, where the intake snorkel goes
11) Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the starter in place
12) Slide the starter out.  I grabbed the starter by the bolt holes, using two pair of needle nose pliers, and wiggled the starter free, and then tapped it with a long punch from the right-hand side of the bike.  Someone with the right picks could probably do it more elegantly
13) As soon as you can reach it to get a 10mm open- or box-end wrench on it, remove the nut that holds the starter lead (big red wire) onto the starter, and disconnect the starter lead from the starter
14) Wriggle the starter out from between the engine and the frame

Reassembly is, as they say, the opposite of disassembly.  I put the starter back in place and reconnected the starter lead, and then fastened the starter in with its mounting bolts, and then reconnected the other end of the starter lead to the solenoid. 

Probably a full 1/8 of my hour was spent trying to convince myself, "I don't really need to remove the sprocket / alternator covers, do I?  Surely there has to be a way to.... No, no, it has to come out, doesn't it?"  Probably just as much time was spent tightening the starter lead back to the new starter, half a flat at a time, with my no-name box-end wrench.  Probably another 1/8 of the time was spent bleeding the clutch after the slave cylinder had dangled there at the end of the clutch line for a while.

Good luck!

Especially if a lot of them tampered with it before you.... 

[Jezza]

Hey guys any tips on how to loosen the clutch boss nut (30mm) I have tried using home made scissor type holding tool to hold the splines and I have also got a good socket extension bar about 300mm long but that nut is very tight. As always any advice appreciated.

Hey Bill thanks that procedure it worked and the starter is now out only difference is my air box snorkel removes from the right hand side not the left (Aussie bike) also there is no leak so new o ring and back in it goes. I now suspect the shifter shaft seal is the culprit as the circlip is missing causing it to shimmy about more than I suspect it should, the splines are worn also so resulting in sloppy gear changes so I shall change out the shaft, seal and linkages fit a circlip and cross fingers all should be nice and tight.
I love my FJ except every time I undo a bolt it becomes a voyage of discovery.

I was able to do it removing just the alternator cover (it may be easier to do the entire alternator.)

Copied from a post I made a few years ago:

It took me about an hour from clean hands to clean hands again.

Here are the steps:

1) Disconnect battery at the negative terminal (10mm socket)
2) Remove the 10mm bolt from the shift linkage and slide the linkage off the splined shifter shaft, leaving it dangling from the shift lever
3) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder assembly onto the countershaft sprocket cover, leaving it dangling by the clutch line
4) Remove the three 8mm bolts holding the countershaft sprocket cover onto the engine, so that you can
5) slide the cover over the splined shifter shaft to remove it from the bike

- Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 are necessary because this cover would be in your way trying to slide the starters between the frame and the engine -

6) Remove the three 8mm nuts holding the alternator cover in place, and remove the alternator cover (this would also be in the way of the starter)
7) Remove the left side body panel (no tools, you just pull it) so that you can then
8 ) Remove the air intake snorkel (three Phillips-head screws) so that you can then
9) Disconnect the starter lead (big red wire) from the solenoid behind the battery, so that it has slack to move with the starter
10) Disconnect any connectors for the wires that are there in your way, where the intake snorkel goes
11) Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the starter in place
12) Slide the starter out.  I grabbed the starter by the bolt holes, using two pair of needle nose pliers, and wiggled the starter free, and then tapped it with a long punch from the right-hand side of the bike.  Someone with the right picks could probably do it more elegantly
13) As soon as you can reach it to get a 10mm open- or box-end wrench on it, remove the nut that holds the starter lead (big red wire) onto the starter, and disconnect the starter lead from the starter
14) Wriggle the starter out from between the engine and the frame

Reassembly is, as they say, the opposite of disassembly.  I put the starter back in place and reconnected the starter lead, and then fastened the starter in with its mounting bolts, and then reconnected the other end of the starter lead to the solenoid. 

Probably a full 1/8 of my hour was spent trying to convince myself, "I don't really need to remove the sprocket / alternator covers, do I?  Surely there has to be a way to.... No, no, it has to come out, doesn't it?"  Probably just as much time was spent tightening the starter lead back to the new starter, half a flat at a time, with my no-name box-end wrench.  Probably another 1/8 of the time was spent bleeding the clutch after the slave cylinder had dangled there at the end of the clutch line for a while.

Good luck!

[racerrad8]

Hey guys any tips on how to loosen the clutch boss nut (30mm) I have tried using home made scissor type holding tool to hold the splines and I have also got a good socket extension bar about 300mm long but that nut is very tight. As always any advice appreciated.

I use this tool, FJ/XJR Clutch Boss Holding Tool and a pneumatic impact gun.

If your tool is able to hold the clutch boss, then don't be afraid to put some leverage on it to loosen it.

Randy - RPM

[Jezza]

Yep thanks again Randy I used my battery impact wrench, had to search far and wide to find the 30 mm socket and coupled with my home made tongs this did the trick (with extra pair of hands courtesy of son in law) all is well.