GL1000 Goldwing Starter removal and replacement

Put the bike on the SIDE STAND until the starter is reinstalled or you will move the chained sprocket out of place. Then engine removal is necessary.

Detach battery and wires

You can see that I've put on extra insulation around the frame. Just a precaution, I'd removed the rubber cap from the solenoid to clean the terminals. The cap didn't survive, and I prefer to see these terminals and keep and eye on their state of corrosion....note the modern "prong" type fuse. This is a 20amp fuse. The 30amp fuse called for was not necessary after my rewiring job.

Set on side stand, prop center stand

The info I'd found on changing the starter indicated leaving the bike on the side stand throughout the procedure for very good reason, but the need arises to do something with the center stand in order to drop the exhaust in one piece. This worked well.

Undo exhaust

When removing these nuts, start in the middle and then the outer ones. Each needs to be loosened just a little at a time and evenly throughout (all four) the procedure. This is to prevent any tendency to warp the exhaust flange. The 12mm combination wrench is necessary to remove the rear nut. Below, you can see that I use blocks in four places at the same time to lower the exhaust. This is handy if you're working by yourself. The reverse it true for reinstalling. This makes it very easy to put that 30 year old header and mufflers exactly where you want it with little stress.

Remove rear exhaust stud

The rear most exhaust stud (by the starter) must be removed in order to get the starter past it. I was lucky that when I loosened the nut, seen above with the 12mm combination wrench, the stud just happened to come out with it. Maybe someone had already changed the starter somewhere in the bike's 30 year history, who knows why but I'm glad. The stud may also be removed by "double-nutting" the stud.....tighten two nuts together and then undo.

Oil pan?

I discovered the hard way that when removing the starter, oil pores out....maybe even half a quart (a small detail left out everywhere I read about this procedure). It then drools down the side stand, so it's difficult to get a pan under it. I did get most of it in the pan as shown, of course after it made a good mess while I found the pan.