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Kickstart not returning CB400t/hawk

804 views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Cowboy 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi,

I am new to this site and also kind of new to 'bike mechanics'. Just bought a project bike - 1989 Honda CB400t/hawk.

In the videos it ran great but the prev owner informed me that the Kickstart wasn't returning.

So I opened the Kickstart case cover and with it open the Kickstart returns normally when pulled down slightly. Haven't tried to kick the bike properly yet. I am also feeling A LOT of play on the Kickstart shaft or whatever it is called when the right side cover is off. I am concerned.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Will post a video of my problem tomorrow.

Regards,
Gideon
 
#2 ·
Gideon, I'm a bit confused, because I'm not familiar with the 1989 CB400T. Did you mean 1979?

At any rate, on my '79 CB400T, the kickstart shaft is loose when the side cover is removed, because the sidecover itself provides support to the outer end of the shaft. When you remove the side cover, the kickstart shaft hangs out in the air, with no support at the outer end. That much suggests that the loose shaft is no problem, though it does make diagnosing a problem with the return spring more difficult.

As it happens, I'm having trouble with my kickstart return as well. On my bike, the the kickstarter starts the bike just fine, but the weak return mechanism causes a ratcheting noise while the engine is running.

I'm planning to dig into it tonight, so I'll share whatever I find, and hope it proves useful to you as well.
 
#3 ·
Gideon, I was able to fix my kickstarter easily. What I found was that the kickstart shaft can be removed by hand, simply by pulling it outward. Doing so will cause several parts to fall off the inside end of the shaft, but they are easy enough to put back into place. One caveat: I did the work with the bike laying on its side, because I didn't want to drain the oil first. As it happens, the two innermost pieces on the shaft are probably at risk of falling down into the sump if the bike is upright, but on its side, they remained basically where they were when I pulled the shaft That may not be true if the bike is upright, so be aware that you may need to have a magnet or other tool handy when you pull the shaft, so those pieces do not get away from you.

I found that the kickstart shaft is splined, and can be inserted in any orientation. In order for the kickstarter to return, the shaft must be inserted so that the hook on the end of the return spring is located at roughly seven o'clock. That way, when you lift that hook from seven o'clock around to eleven o'clock where the hook attaches to the case, it twists the spring and creates enough tension to return the kickstarter after you use it.

You also need to be sure that the kickstart ratchet (part #2 in the diagram on this page) is mounted on the spline so that it rests against its "stop" when you insert the shaft. You also need to be aware that the spring collar (part #5) is oriented on the shaft so that the slot slides over the inside end of the spring (the opposite end from the "hook"). The inside end of the return spring sits inside a hole drilled in the shaft, and that collar must be inserted so the slot slides over the inner end of the spring. Part of the function of that collar is to hold the spring in place, so that the inner end of the spring does not slip out of the hole drilled in the shaft. If you forget this part, you'll find that the cover will interfere with that collar when you bolt the cover back on, causing the kickstarter to bind. It will seem to work fine, right up until you snug up the mounting bolts around the cover. When the bolts get snug, the shaft will be suddenly stuck, and will not turn anymore.

So there are three pieces you need to be dealing with when you insert the kickstart shaft. If you get all three pieces into the right alignment on the shaft, then hook the spring to the case, your kickstarter will return fully, and the ratchet will stop making that chattering noise when the engine is running.

I hope this helps!
 
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