Gears don't engage
 

Man, just when I thought I was ready to ride off into the sunset, another issue springs up. My wife says I like to sabotage my project and that I don't ever want it to end. What else can be said.

1984 chopped shovel, rotary top tranny, new clutch plates.
Anyway, here's my issue:- Bike starts up fine, it's in neutral,I engage the clutch, put it into 1st, let off easily on the clutch but 1st gear, doesn't grab. In fact, none of the gears seem to grab. Would any of you have any ideas, suggestions, advice? Thanks again.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

Adjust your clutch springs tighter.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

With the engine off, will the transmission go into gear? I'm trying to figure out what you mean in your post. The clutch must be disengaged to put the bike in gear with the engine running, otherwise the whole bike will jump as it goes into gear. If you are using the stock clutch, I don't see how the clutch isn't engaging even if you had the spring tension nuts backed off to almost falling off the threaded studs. I'm thinking there is something restricting the shift linkage, external to the transmission or internal,from making full travel.Again, will the bike go into gear with the engine off? In that state, the engine should keep you from rolling the bike around easily, of course.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

The bike will go into gear with the engine off. The clutch engages and I'm able to shift into gear but once I let off the clutch with the engine in gear, there seems to be no movement from the bike while in gear.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

Okay, My problem is withthe definition of a clutch that is engaged and a clutch that is disengaged.
The clutchshould beengaged when you are not pulling on the clutch lever.
The clutchshould bedisengaged when you are pulling on the clutch lever.
You say, with the engine running, the bike in gear and your hand off the clutch lever, the bike will not move under its own power.
However, you also say that with the engine off, the bike in gear and your hand off the lever,the engine will not let you move the bike around.
Have I got this right?
If do I understand you correctly, it soundsto me thatwith the engine running andthe clutch engaged (hand off the lever), you may think the bike is in gear, but it is not in gear. Something is preventing the bike from going into gear; there may be something bad going on inside the transmission. I am assuming the clutch is assembled and operating correctly.
You have a weird problem. I'm thinking about it. I may have more questions later, if ya don't mind.
Are you okay with my definitions of engaged and disengaged? If you can adopt my definitions that will help me understand the symptoms.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

have you recently done -

a new clutch cable or adjustment?

new clutches?

changed your trans fluid recently?

have you adjusted the clutch pushrod recently?

have you inspected your throw-out bearing?

with the rear wheel off the ground and the spark plugs out try shifting through all the gears 1-4 then 4-1 and let me know what happens.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

have you recently done -

a new clutch cable or adjustment?

new clutches?

changed your trans fluid recently?

have you adjusted the clutch pushrod recently?

have you inspected your throw-out bearing?

Replies in blue colored text: For inquiry above - All of these have been changed and replaced.


Okay, My problem is withthe definition of a clutch that is engaged and a clutch that is disengaged.
The clutchshould beengaged when you are not pulling on the clutch lever.
The clutchshould bedisengaged when you are pulling on the clutch lever.
You say, with the engine running, the bike in gear and your hand off the clutch lever, the bike will not move under its own power.
However, you also say that with the engine off, the bike in gear and your hand off the lever,the engine will not let you move the bike around.
Have I got this right?
If do I understand you correctly, it soundsto me thatwith the engine running andthe clutch engaged (hand off the lever), you may think the bike is in gear, but it is not in gear. Something is preventing the bike from going into gear; there may be something bad going on inside the transmission. I am assuming the clutch is assembled and operating correctly.
You have a weird problem. I'm thinking about it. I may have more questions later, if ya don't mind.
Are you okay with my definitions of engaged and disengaged? If you can adopt my definitions that will help me understand the symptoms.

Excuse my misunderstanding of clutch engaged, disengaged verbage, I believe your explanation of clutch engaged, clutch disengaged is correct. Engine is on, it's in 1st gear w/ clutch disengaged, I engage the clutch and expect the bike to move forward and it doesn't. What do you think is wrong here? I adjusted the clutch cable, springs to factory manual specs. What I'm going to try next is start the bike w/ engine in 1st gear, clutch disengaged, then engage clutchto see if that make this buggar move. Otherwise Megawatt, I think there is something that I need to dig deeper into...............like possibly pulling the trans. Thank you all for you input.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

:D This issue has been resolved. Since I am running a foot clutch, all the adjustments via the factory manual are somewhat applicable but not entirely. I backed off the push rod screw, tighten the clutch springs a bit, re-drilled and tapped the foot clutch pedal for better position of the clutch cable and readjusted the clutch cable and this worked. I took her around the block for a couple of miles to get used to the foot clutch/tank shift methodology and it's frickin a blast. Now I gotta deal with the gas seeping out of the float bowl and dripping on to my pipes - that's another issue. Thanks all for the input.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

Good deal! [8D]
I am confused how the engine could start with the clutch not engaging enough to move the bike?
end results its fixed!

If you think you may simply have a sticking or something stuck in the needle of your carburetor run it dry a few times by either leaving the petcock off or pull the drain plug and and tap on the area the needle and seat to see if it clears out.
May also be the float is set a little to high.

RE: Gears don't engage
 

it sounded like an easy issue to fix because of a minor adjustment needed after installing new parts.

actually the afjustment with the pushod is very important becauser it will shorten the throw-out bearing life and lead to falure.

keep a lot of waterproof gease on all shift linkage,

and - put a glass clear view filter in your fuel line, it sounds like some piece of crap is floating in your bowl...