Hard Shifting

2612 Views 20 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Astor123, Jul 18, 2009

Astor123

Discussion Starter · Jul 8, 2009

imported post

This problem occurred overnight, the day before it was shifting just fine and the following morning I got it into 1st and could not get it out. With some force it did come out and the same went for the second gear, goes in easy but it will not come out.

I parked it and saw a little oil coming from the rear seal so I pulled the cover off and saw that some of the friction material was coming off the last pressure plate. I have a spare engine that came out of this bike not too long ago, maybe 30 days ago or so, and I pulled the clutch plates from there and installed them in the running engine, problem continued. Then I went back and replaced the pressure plate and the center clutch as well, checked all the plates for thickness and flatness so it was basically the whole clutch assembly from the spare engine except the outer drum (the basket). I did inspect the outer drum for any wear on the grooves where the plates rest and it was perfect. After mounting the plates and the center clutch I was able to spin it so the plates were free. I flushed the engine with MMO & 10/40 with the rear wheel off the ground and the gears were shifting fine but when I dropped the wheel back on the ground the problem continued. I did take off the front cover behind the water pump and inspected all the lickages and they work fine.

The local Honda guy is still presistently telling me that the clutch is dragging and that's the reason why it doesn't want to disengage. The clutch that is in there right now was working just fine in the other engine before I pulled it out and the only reason I pulled the engine was due to low compression on #2 & 4. I'm just wondering if there is something else internaly that can cause this problem

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Dancinbear

· #2 · Jul 8, 2009

imported post

I tend to agree with the honda dude... It acts like the slave is not working properly. maybe try bleeding the clutch with new fluid. Or could be the slave cylinder needs a re-build.

agnogel

· #3 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

hi astor and welcome to the forum are the other gears ok or will this happen in all gears

GLester

· #4 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

Dancinbear wrote:

I tend to agree with the honda dude... It acts like the slave is not working properly. maybe try bleeding the clutch with new fluid. Or could be the slave cylinder needs a re-build.

Dancingbear, if you'll notice, it is a GL1000, has cable operated clutch, not hydraulic like your 1200.:?

But, he might be on to something, if it doesn't want to shift when it is on the ground, that means something is binding the system. First thing I'd look at is the cable itself, make sure it isn't frayed and is working smoothly, if it checks out, I'd be suspicious of loose engine mounting bolts, which can cause the engine to bind the clutch cable when the weight is on the wheels, or a loose swingarm which can bind at the engine at the output shaft.

Gene:waving:

See less See more

DaveO430

· #5 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

When moving it should be just as easy to shift gears with the clutch dragging as with it working perfectly. If it is only hard to get in gear without grinding or hard to get in neutral when stopped I agree the clutch may be dragging. Otherwise I think you might have a bent shift fork or other internal trans problem.

Dancinbear

· #6 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

Dang Gene............. you're just confirmng what my wife tells me all the time. I'm just plain f^&cked up.........

Sorry ,,,,,,,,,,

Astor123

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

The cable is fine, I kept adjusting it from loose to tight and now I got it set up where it engages the clutch somewhere in the middle of the hand lever travel.

When I had the wheel up it would shift and the wheel would stop turning in N but when in gear it would turn even if I pressed on the clutch lever. I don't know if that's normal since there is no friction at all or a sign of the clutch dragging. If it is dragging, how come it didn't do it on the engine where it was mounted on originally?

DaveO430

· #8 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

Did you adjust the screw on the center of the clutch cover?

Astor123

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

I did adjust the screw, The shop manual calls for 3/4 out but many recommend to do as less as possible so I got it at 1/4 out.

I'm just wondering about the wheel turning while off the ground and in gear with the clutch lever pressed. Since there is no pressure on the wheel it sounds logical that it would turn. Just wanted to add, when on the ground and when I shift into 1st or 2nd and with the clutch lever pressed the bike does not move forward as if the clutch was engaging or dragging.

DaveO430

· #10 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

That pretty much narrows it down to a transmission problem.

Astor123

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

Thanks Dave,
I just wanted to touch all the bases before I have to pull the engine. If it was the clutch drag issue the bike would surge forward even a little and it would be difficult to get it out of gear but not impossible.

Bike...and Dennis

· #12 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

Sounds like a shift fork to me. Do you have a heel/toe shifter? I've seen them bend shift forks before, but not on a 'Wing.

Astor123

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 9, 2009

imported post

I have a regular shifter but then, this is the replacement engine that I installed 30 miles ago and who knows. But at least it has a good compression on all 4 cylinders. The strange thing is that the problem occurred overnight, one day it was fine and the text morning it wouldn't shift. I guess it took a few miles to loosen the problem.

I just have to say that folks here on this forum give straight answers right away as compared to the NGW where every Joe Blow has an answer and where everyone that invested $500 or so on a Goldwing just became a master mechanic.

Flyone

· #14 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

Gentlemen, please keep it civil and get back on topic which is hard shifting. Obviously there is a difference of opinion here so let's move on please.

I appreciate your help in this matter!

morriscatt

· #15 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

Seems like some know so much perhaps they should not need a forum of nice people to bounce things off of. I get some answers occasionally that may not apply, however, I do appreciate others caring about my problem. In a brain storming session all ideas are considered good ideas, this is done so even those with a bad idea will not be ridiculed, because there next idea could be the winner. Please keep the good ideas coming guys. Most of us care and are appreciative.

plainmech

· #16 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

morriscatt wrote:

Seems like some know so much perhaps they should not need a forum of nice people to bounce things off of. I get some answers occasionally that may not apply, however, I do appreciate others caring about my problem. In a brain storming session all ideas are considered good ideas, this is done so even those with a bad idea will not be ridiculed, because there next idea could be the winner. Please keep the good ideas coming guys. Most of us care and are appreciative.

well said:clapper:

MDKramer

· #17 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

Pull the front cover around the oil filter and look for something loose and binding up in there, check your shift fork while you're in there as well.

With that said, I'm going to ask everyone involved in this thread to go back and please edit out anything that does not directly have to do with hard shifting, or this forum.

Thank you and best of luck with your shifting problem Astor.

redbaron

· #18 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

Astor...I am not a Gold Wing mechanic per say but I have read this forum and through it I have learned how to do many many things to my Wing that I would have other wise sent and spent mega bucks for a Honda mechanic to do on it....As we ALL know quite a few of the members Wings in this forum were built from 1975 to to date, and for us with Wings built in the early years there are very few Honda mechanics or Honda shops that will even give us the time of day much less work on our old Wings...With that said I bought an 1982 Wing and for the past year I have been slowly going through it, replacing this, rebuilding that etc...To me it is a labor of love of a motorcycle that I hope will carry me and my wife many many more trouble free miles.....And every step of the way I have used the great advise, pictures, and technical tips to do what I have done so far...One of my last things that I will worry about when I get to it, is rebuilding my carbs and balancing them with the use of the forum tips and the forum balancing kit.....

Now several times I read not only on this forum but some others about cables breaking, from throttle cables, speedo cables, tach cables, and last but not least clutch cables.....Try thinking of it this way, if you had a nickle for every time that clutch lever has been pulled in, you might have enough to buy a brand new Wing...If I were a guessing man I might be tempted to say that you may have a clutch cable that has got a weak spot in it and is stretching ....

I read your first post where you stated it shifted good one day and the next day it started shifting hard....Well from working on many types of machinery in my past that had cable operated devices, this was a sign that cable was stretched and in some cases did break....JCWhitney sells new clutch cables for about $16.00 dollars plus shipping....Just a thought, get some one to help you and have them pull the clutch lever in and you measure every stroke for several times ...See if every stroke is the same if not then that may, I repeat may be your problem...

Claude....

See less See more

sandcastcb750

· #19 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

I want to mention a possible clutch problem. I had this happen on a CB750, and while I realize we're talking about a Goldwing, the principles are the same.

The clutch is comprised of a basket with friction and pressure plates. The plates have fingers that slide in and out of the slots of the cage (where the basket resides). It is possible that the cage slots have gouges or rough surfaces that impede the plate movement. This is like a stuck clutch. Most case of hard shifting or difficulty in putting in gear (1 or 2) are due to grabby clutch.

Just a thought anyway. Check the cage before yanking the motor.

Whiskerfish

· #20 · Jul 10, 2009

imported post

What oil are you running? if it is not stock then before I tore into the engine I would spend a few dollars and try some OEM Oil just to eliminate that possibility.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.