O! and....

[Kopfjaeger]

My starter.... some mornings you hit the button and it goes whump .... whiizzzzzzzzzzzz..... doesnt enage... turns the motor over once and then whhhhiiiizzzzzzz. have to keep trying and eventually it engages and fires up. not a biggy but is it a common problem?

[Arnie]

No, its not a common problem on FJ's.  Sounds like the starter clutch is going bad to me.  This is basically the same as a car starter when the "bendix" or solenoid is dying.

Cheers,
Arnie

[Dino33L]

My starter.... some mornings you hit the button and it goes whump .... whiizzzzzzzzzzzz..... doesnt enage... turns the motor over once and then whhhhiiiizzzzzzz. have to keep trying and eventually it engages and fires up. not a biggy but is it a common problem?

I have a 1991 with over 136,000 miles on the original motor ( I did put in a new top end at 100,000 miles). Sometimes, I can't get my bike to start and the battery dies. I've been reading here that this problem isn't a problem with the starter clutch but with the oil being used. I read using 10w40 is what cures this issue. For the longest time I used 20w50 and have had this issue from time to time but getting worse the last few years. Anyone have any additional thoughts on this? I live in the USA and it seems like I have this issue more during the winter when it gets to be around 40-55 degrees but not too much of an issue during the summers.

[racerrad8]

I have a 1991 with over 136,000 miles on the original motor ( I did put in a new top end at 100,000 miles). Sometimes, I can't get my bike to start and the battery dies. I've been reading here that this problem isn't a problem with the starter clutch but with the oil being used. I read using 10w40 is what cures this issue. For the longest time I used 20w50 and have had this issue from time to time but getting worse the last few years. Anyone have any additional thoughts on this? I live in the USA and it seems like I have this issue more during the winter when it gets to be around 40-55 degrees but not too much of an issue during the summers.

Here is a response that covers your question about oil, the starter clutch and the reason they start to have issues; you are on the right track.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1562.msg15735#msg15735

Randy - RPM

[SkyFive]

I just happen to have a picture of the starter clutch disassembled. The small springs and rollers are at the bottom of the picture. The smaller roller looking things are end caps for the springs and they press against the larger rollers.

[DB Cooper]

Ditto on the oil. When I first got my 88 FJ last May, I put in 20w50 Mobil 1 Synth. On the cooler mornings I would get the same problems you are describing. I changed over to standard 10w40 and the problems disapeared.
Kevin

[Kopfjaeger]

cheers fellas. that was a pretty old post, but yeah have started useing 15w oil and has stopped doing its whizz thing, figured the starter clutch was on the way out, its up there with the primary chain... one day... ... i think im either waiting till compression drops that badly its not worth riding  or it makes a slighly terminal noise that tells me ... nup... not today... then i will rebuild, which leads me back to getting this old gsx on the road so the effy can move in to shedland.