Grosset Electric Starter - maintenance tips?

[BlackLightning998]

Evening All,

I have a Grosset Electric Starter fitted to my bike.

The instructions say to strip and grease the sprag clutch once a year or every 3100 miles. Just a little inconvenient as I guess the pipes have to come off to get the kickstart cover off too?

I've done the 3000 now, and am preparing to head to the Manx for a week in late August.

As many will know, I'm not an experienced (yet) Vincent spanner wielder.

I wondered if any other owners with a Grosset electric starter could give me any tips or advice of dismantling the necessary bits to get to the sprag clutch and the process of stripping, cleaning and greasing the sprag clutch itself. For instance I think that the pipes should be taken off in one assembly to save disturbing any of the settings and adjustments. I also know about taking great finger care with the head threads on the exhaust pipes - do up by hand was the way my father taught me - and feel it right.

I've heard one or two horror stories of people not doing as they were told and assuming they don't need to service the sprag clutch - I guess it is not an option to leave it as is and rely on the kickstart for the week?

All advice gratefully received.

Cheers

Stuart

 

[tonythecat]

You are right Stuart, pipes off, kick-start off,gear lever off,gear indicator off,kick-start cover off, whilst removing the cover put some inboard pressure on the gear change shaft to keep it in place.
When the cover is off locate the sprag clutch which is inside ES10AS, on the outboard of the gearbox mainshaft, this is held on by a circlip type clip ESV5. (I can't remember if you need to remove the Kick-start quadrant, or maybe just manoeuvre the gear linkage out of the way)Separate the sprag clutch from the gear (it just pulls apart) clean out and re-grease, note you need SPECIAL GREASE, if you need some send me a pm. On re-assembly be careful not to damage the fine rubber type oil-seal inside the clutch, feed it in gently using something like a very small probe or screwdriver, back onto the shaft, replace the circlip, re-assemble the rest.
Do you have a copy of the manual? if not I can send you one, or alternately contact Francois himself, he is a great guy and really helpful. I went to see him a couple of weeks ago, if you get the chance pay him a visit, his wife Catherine does an excellent B&B.
I don't think I have missed anything, if I have perhaps Trevor will contribute, as he is the undoubted UK expert.

Ride Safe
Tony

 

[stumpy lord]

Hi Stuart,
only one other thing, be very frugal with the grease, they only need the smallest ammount, if you over grease the sprag clutch will tend to slip espeacily when the engine is cold.
stumpy.

 

[clevtrev]

You do have the SPECIAL grease supplied ? If not ask for some.
You would do well to understand that this grease is NOT your ordinary slippery grease, it is formulated for GRIP not slip.
I would say will be able to get to Winter before greasing.
Trevor

 

[BlackLightning998]

Hi Trev - thanks for that...

Hi Trev,

Thanks for your reply - much appreciated.

Yes - I was lucky that the previous owner of the bike had kept all the paperwork and the little white pot of special grease and let me have it all when it came back to me.

It was Terry Prince that built the engine and installed the Grosset Starter.

Quite a few of my miles have been done as long distance without using the starter - for instance 200 plus miles up to York with just one fuel stop and engine re-start, 200 miles back with 2 stops and re-start - so that's over 400 miles with just 5 uses of the electric starter.

I quite often head out on a Saturday and will do 250 miles with only 2 or 3 stops for fuel or tea.

Hoefully then it has done the miles, but the starter hasn't had a hard life.

Great news that you reckon I can wait till the Winter - that'll get me through the Manx GP and back to the UK.

I can then add it to the list of jobs to do over the Winter period.

Cheers for now.

Stuart

You do have the SPECIAL grease supplied ? If not ask for some.
You would do well to understand that this grease is NOT your ordinary slippery grease, it is formulated for GRIP not slip.
I would say will be able to get to Winter before greasing.
Trevor

 

[Tom Gaynor]

Somewhere recently someone gave the part number of the sprag cage for Francois's starter. I didn't write it down - or if I did can't find it - and now can't find the original reference. I was sure it was in MPH last month, but I'll be damned if I can find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[Tom Gaynor]

Call off the dogs: I've just found it, bottom of page 11 in February MPH.

Somewhere recently someone gave the part number of the sprag cage for Francois's starter. I didn't write it down - or if I did can't find it - and now can't find the original reference. I was sure it was in MPH last month, but I'll be damned if I can find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[goin michel]

contact Francois himself, he is a great guy and really helpful. I went to see him a couple of weeks ago, if you get the chance pay him a visit, his wife Catherine does an excellent B&B.

You are right, Tony,Catherine 's B&B is wonderfull to fight the stress and François's workshop is wonderfull for a Vincent owners.

Michel

 

[clevtrev]

contact Francois himself, he is a great guy and really helpful. I went to see him a couple of weeks ago, if you get the chance pay him a visit, his wife Catherine does an excellent B&B.

You are right, Tony,Catherine 's B&B is wonderfull to fight the stress and François's workshop is wonderfull for a Vincent owners.

Michel

And he`ll be in Trevs workshop Friday morning.

 

[tonythecat]

"And he`ll be in Trevs workshop Friday morning."

Trev, please give him my kindest regards, and ask him how his German lessons are coming on?

Tony