Refit a kickstarter shaft, gear and return spring

A kickstarter turns the engine through a chain of gears. The shaft must lock to its gear when you press the lever, and release when you let go. Several designs do this, so details differ. This page shows how to tell the designs apart and what to mark and check before and after taking one apart.

Safety

• Engine off, cold and in neutral. Remove the kick lever first.
• A return spring stores force. Hold it when releasing, so it does not snap back.
• Wear safety glasses when removing clips or circlips.

Know your type

• Fully internal: gear and spring are inside the crankcase. A broken part means removing the engine and splitting the case.
• Spring outside the case: only the return spring is on the outside. The spring can be replaced from outside.
• Fully on the outside: reached by taking off the clutch cover, and at worst the clutch basket.
• Lateral engagement: the gear moves along angled grooves on the shaft, held by a friction spring clip.
• Full ratchet: a ratchet tab and a lock-out plate move the starter gear in and out of mesh.
• Pawl ratchet: pawls between shaft and gear lock when the shaft turns one way.
• Quadrant gear: a half gear turns a spring-loaded pinion with ratchet teeth.

Check the manual for your engine. Small changes between models are common.

Steps

1. Drain the oil if the cover joint is below the level, and remove the clutch cover.
2. Before taking anything off, photograph the gear, spring ends, clip and pawl positions.
3. Look for punch marks on the shaft and gear. Some gears and compression release cams must be fitted at a set angle. Mark them with paint if you cannot see any.
4. Release the return spring tension and remove the spring. Note which end goes where.
5. Take off the circlip, washers and gear. Slide the shaft out of the case.
6. Clean the parts. Check the gear teeth, ratchet teeth, pawls and spring ends for wear or breaks.
7. Check the friction clip or spring on a lateral type: it must still grip the shaft.
8. Refit the shaft with the gear on its grooves, align the punch marks, and fit washers, clip and circlip in the right order.
9. Fit the spring and hook it onto the case anchor and shaft hole. Give it the tension the manual states.
10. Turn the shaft by hand. The gear must move into mesh with the idler gear, and move out when released.
11. Refit the cover with a new gasket, refill the oil and fit the kick lever.

Check your work

• The lever returns to rest by itself and stays there.
• The gear is out of mesh at rest and the engine turns on the first kick.
• No oil seeps from the cover or the shaft: Replace an engine cover gasket.

If it did not fix the problem

• Lever slips: Kickstarter slips or turns without turning the engine.
• Lever stuck or does not return: Kickstarter will not move or does not spring back.
• Kicks back: Kickstarter kicks back against my foot.
• General checks: Check the kickstart mechanism.

When to go to a workshop

• The gear or spring is inside the case.
• The ratchet or pawl is worn, chipped or broken.
• The idler gear or clutch ring gear is damaged.