Starter clicking

[Vegasrandall]

My 1980 clicks when I hit the starter.i'm having trouble getting the starter cover off. Does the filter chamber have to be unbolted to get the cover off?

[Bob_Roller]

The top cover can be a tight fit at times .

I try tapping with a rubber hammer, or a piece of wood and a regular hammer, just don't get carried away .

Once you get it off, file the ends down a bit so it doesn't happen again .

If all else fails, you may need to loosen the airbox a bit, it doesn't take much to get it loose .

[nhmaf]

It *may* need the airbox removed, but usually not.  In any case,  some taps on either side of the starter cover with a rubber mallet or piece of wood may help, after removing the machine screws that hold it on.

How old is your battery?  

[Barry]

My 1980 clicks when I hit the starter.i'm having trouble getting the starter cover off. Does the filter chamber have to be unbolted to get the cover off?

I've done it without removing the filter covers and I do understand why you would want to do so as the filter covers and breather tubes are a bit of a pain on the early bikes. There is a picture of this somewhere on an earlier post of mine I'll see if I can find it for you.

If I remember I did have to remove the front coil.
 
Here's the earlier post http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1297514165/0#6

I'd forgotten the other good reason for doing it this way it leaves the choke cables in place and saves having to synchronize them again which is quite a fiddly job.

[k_enn]

I just replaced a starter - not a big job.  First, remove the gas tank.   Second, take off the air intake and filter.  No need to remove the underlying filter box.  Two bolts hold the starter cover on.  Remove them, and the cover lifts right off.  If you are removing the starter, there are two bolts and nuts holding it on and a bracket at the rear if it is a Bosch starter, or just two bolts if it is a Valeo starter.  Use a 13mm 1/4 drive socket with a 1/4 drive breaker bar / flex handle to get the bolts/nuts off.  See the thread "Diagnosis Please."  If you decide to replace the starter, do not buy it from a BMW dealer, but see the link in the "Diagnosis Please" thread -- it is the same starter and will save you a lot of money.  

k_enn

[Barry]

Second, take off the air intake and filter.No need to remove the underlying filter box.

Sounds like that might be a description of a post 81 filter set up.

Randall's 1980 should have the round filter and clam shell filter covers which are a lot more hassle to remove.

[Vegasrandall]

After farting around with cleaning terminals I went and got a new battery. That seemed to be the problem. I never did get the starter cover off.

[badbmwbrad]

It would also be worthwhile to remove the battery ground strap connector at the transmission.  Clean the cable termination and its landing area of the transmission case.

After farting around with cleaning terminals I went and got a new battery. That seemed to be the problem. I never did get the starter cover off.