CB400F issues with starter clutch / starter gear / starter - some ideas ?

Hi,

I recently bought myself a CB350F with CB400F engine on. Been riding around and recently the electric starter failed to start the motor. In the beginning once out of 2 attempts but after a few weeks there was no reaction from the motor, although the starter performed quite well. So i started using the kickstarter.
In meanwhile I dismantled the starter and cleaned it.

Still wanting to repair the starter, I took out the starter and couuld feel in the engine that the starter gear could spin in two directions. After reading about it on some blogs, it might be caused by dirt on the starter clutch. So the handy solution was to try to start the bike by pushing it in 2nd or 3rd gear and then pushing on the start button, which could free the starter clutch or move the dirt.

So I tried a number of times and heared different cracks and noices. The result is that now, I can't use my kickstarter, because when pushing I feels like it's in a gear. I removed the starter again and I can clearly see, I've damaged the starter gear.

So now I'm removing my engine from the bike to see what's the damage.

I've read that is possible, when re-assembling the starter, that the starter rotates in the wrong direction (due to changing polarity).

So I have a number of questions and would really like your help (I'm only a beginner in working on motorcycles):

[list type=decimal]
[*]What is the right direction of the rotation of the starter ? Clockwise or Counter clockwise ?
[*]I have an other CB400F engine and there I can push the starter gear towards the front and when pushing it backwards it blocks. Could this mean the right direction should be to the front ?
[*]How hard is it to replace the starter gear ? Anyone has done this before ?
[/list]

Looking forward to your idea's !

I've done a couple of builds on CB400f and CB 550's, never seen dirt inside starter clutch, it's well sealed up inside engine in a nice oily environment.
What you describe sounds more like the cast steel ramp section is broken which is relatively common if starter has been used to move bike around (pput it in gear and use starter : )
It's a pretty major job to fit starter clutch, engine out and case split

if teh bike has sat in a damp atmosphere the spring sprags on the starter clutch will rust up and the roller wont move and engage

that or broken springs is what has happened once you pull the starter clutch the starter gear will just slide off the shaft

check the starter driven gear as well for damage

some are around once in a while

http://www.ebay.com/itm/75-Honda-CB-400-CB400-F-Four-Super-Sport-starter-clutch-/310947921779?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4865f0bf73&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-HONDA-CB400F-SUPER-SPORT-STARTER-CLUTCH-GEAR-W-BEARING-/260990059455?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cc43843bf&vxp=mtr

The starter clutch is direct drive to idler gear and then layshaft geared onto clutch basket. (If I remember right, last time I did one was around 1990)
You'll probably be better off removing exhaust the pulling the sump. It may be possible to do it with engine in frame but I don't think it would be easy. You need to remove clutch cover and primary drive gear then need a slide hammer to remove layshaft

thanks for the messages... i went this monday to an experienced guy who helped me on this.. Had to seperate the cases of both my good and old engine.
Apparently there was more damage than expected. The starter gear and needle bearing were heavily damaged. There was also damage on the starter clutch and the primary shaft ... even metal pieces in that were scattered around between the gears..

Fortunately I could use my older engine from which we pulled out all the same stuff to replace the damaged and cleaned everything ... and that in 4,5 hours ...what a guy !

so now back to normal ... :

I was petty sure you had to split cases.
Glad to hear you had all the parts needed 8)