clutch / shifting is acting up

i have checked what has been suggested and what i can see all is where it is supposed to be and doing what it should. the fluid is a medium colored carmel color and is full.

not having worked on a bike in awhile, i could be missing something.

on a stand, if i go from neutral through the gears (engine running) the tranny makes quite a bit of noise as i progress up to 4th. it made enough noise, i went back to neutral and turned it off.

i changed the engine oil about 60 miles ago just after a rear tire change, which is good. I have been having shifting problems since.

on a side note while changeing the engine oil and i don't remember why i was going to do this, but i loosened a cover to see what was behind it. the cover is on the left side, back one. i got the bolts loose, but the cover did not want to come off. i got distracted and wound up finishing the oil change. then i cranked the bike. while idling in neutral, i remembered that cover. it was barely oozing oil. i tightened up the bolts and cleaned the 2 drops of oil. I don't know what is behind that cover, but that may be my souce of trouble.

any suggestions on adjustments? after i post this, i am gonna go to the stealer for clutch fluid in case changing the fluid is suggested. the previous owner used yama fluid for everything, so i know what to get.

I will check this thread afterwhile.

The clutch fluid is DOT 4 brake fluid and should be clear.

my clutch fluid was clear. i assumed it darkens with age, similar to engine oil as it is used. at some point, it gets changed. the shop manual states every 2 years.

i guess i will just have to change it.

has this darkening of clutch fluid happened to anyone else?

It will get dark as it is used...not sure on a time line, but it will get dark...

my clutch fluid was clear. i assumed it darkens with age, similar to engine oil as it is used. at some point, it gets changed. the shop manual states every 2 years.

 

i guess i will just have to change it.

 

has this darkening of clutch fluid happened to anyone else?

how dark do you let yours get before changing it?

Mine looked like watered down coke...probably not that dark, I have no idea of how old it was, as I have no records of any maint. on this bike... I have had it almost 2 yrs, it is a `01 and had 2700 mls on it when I bought it. I don`t think the PO did any maint. on it..

how dark do you let yours get before changing it?

Kbay, how easy is it to get something out of whack by loosening the middle gear cover (left side, back cover), starting it up and idleing, then remembering the cover was loose and then tightening it back down?

If its getting dark....trust me CHANGE IT...It will make a big difference as mine changed to dark color in Colorado and would not hardly shift..after changing it it was like a new clutch in it. It should always be the clearer color. (color(Shade) blind so I dont know the actual color)

Good question... I have no idea what is behind that, but I wouldn`t think that doing what you did would hurt anything... maybe some one with more knowledge will have an answer to that...and we both can learn something..

Kbay, how easy is it to get something out of whack by loosening the middle gear cover (left side, back cover), starting it up and idleing, then remembering the cover was loose and then tightening it back down?

Dale,

That rear cover has a bushing in it that is where the shifter linkage pivots. If by change it fell out of the bushing while you had it loose that might be your issue. It's a longshot, but I would check and see that it's all moving like it should

It turns a medium dark green..... really, ...LOL Just jackin with you...

If its getting dark....trust me CHANGE IT...It will make a big difference as mine changed to dark color in Colorado and would not hardly shift..after changing it it was like a new clutch in it. It should always be the clearer color. (color(Shade) blind so I dont know the actual color)

Ha , that's funny. green. i did have to laugh. it is a nice carmel color. well, i will change the fluid and pull that left aft cover to make sure all is where it's supposed to be. I have a feeling it is not from the way it is acting and the noise coming from it.

I will post this weekend after i have a chance to work on it. from how nice it was today, we are in for a hot summer.

come to think of it, while i would ride, the heel toe shifter would flop out of place by an inch or so, then i would flip it opposite the flop and i could shift again. pivoting wrongly is the description i could not come up with. i will have to take a look see.

besides pulling the bolts out and that little chrome piece that falls off, is there anything special to get the cover off?

Take pics of the cover off and whats behind it if you can...

Ha , that's funny. green. i did have to laugh. it is a nice carmel color. well, i will change the fluid and pull that left aft cover to make sure all is where it's supposed to be. I have a feeling it is not from the way it is acting and the noise coming from it.

 

I will post this weekend after i have a chance to work on it. from how nice it was today, we are in for a hot summer.

If its getting dark....trust me CHANGE IT...It will make a big difference as mine changed to dark color in Colorado and would not hardly shift..after changing it it was like a new clutch in it. It should always be the clearer color. (color(Shade) blind so I dont know the actual color)

Tom, i was a bit spoiled when i bought the bike, the P.O. had done all the fluid changes, so all i had to do was crank it and go. now is the time my maintenance miles are due. i had noted in the last few rides before winter the shifting was a bit harder than before.

the fluid does tell the tale.

Take pics of the cover off and whats behind it if you can...

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that will be no problem. i should get to this saturday morning. i left the scooter on the lift. i won't do any work on it until i post the pic with the cover off.

took the gear cover off. i don't know what it is supposed to look like, but here are pictures of it.

is anything out of place?

I will be outside cleaning up oil. i will check back in a bit.

the pin with the red arrow pointing at it seems to have marks indicating being in the hole located back side of the gear cover. the cover has no marks indicating rubbing elsewhere movement of that pin.

does this appear to be in order to those who know what it is supposed to look like?

Looks like all the other ones I have seen while changing stators. I think you need to look elsewhere.

Looks like all the other ones I have seen while changing stators. I think you need to look elsewhere.

 

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that is what i was thinking after seeing all looked well. after getting it all bak together, i did some in place test shifting. here are 2 pics of the shifter "flop" that i get when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. it does this on the road or just sitting still and easing forward then shifting. hard as heck to get back to neutral. the pictures show how high the toe side gets and at the same time the heel side will drop below the floorboard if you try to shift to 3rd or 4th.

i guess the next step is the transmission? any suggestions?