TOPIC:

Ok, I've been having an icreasingly hard time with my starter clutch. This is compounding the iginition advance and intake leak problems as well. This particular bike (the '82 CSR) has only been in my possession for a few months, and only running for half that. When I first got it going, it ran kinda ok, but weak. I had some electrical probelems (anyone who looks at my old posts will evidence of this)

Then, I got the ignition advance freed up. Now it seems to be on advance ALL THE TIME, which causes a preignition when trying to start, blowing smoke out the carbs. It was running like a beast when you'd get into it, but starting was scary, and idle was super bad. I'm looking for another advancer now.

In the meantime, the starter clutch has started to give out since the advancer was freed up (this is with VERY little riding). I'm thinking this may be due to the extreme stress on the starter clutch from the preignition causing the motor to kick-back when trying to start.

At first, it started great. I had put some seafoam and mystery oil in the new crankcase oil to condition things on a motor that hadn't been run in years. I've read on other forums where putting synthetic oil into a Kaw has caused the starter clutch to slip. Does anyone here think that a simple oil change could fix this issue?

How are you sure the starter clutch is going bad? Not engaging? Making funny "whirring" sounds?

Usually when a starter clutch is bad/going bad it either won't engage at all, or will disengage somewhere during the cranking procedure (usually before the engine starts, requiring you to hit the starter button again). Both situations will almost certainly cause the "whirring" sound I spoke of.
Since there aren't actually any type of friction plates in the starter clutch itself (just a series of rollers, springs and pins), the only way I could see oil affecting it would be that if the old oil that was in there when you got the bike was dirty enough to "gum up" the rollers or pins, causing them to stick.

it'll just spin, with the starter going nuts, but the engine not cranking. occasionally, it will hook up and crank, but it's happening less as time goes on.