Still can't shift the Kat.

[Guest]

With numerous things going on, I hadn't touched the Kat in getting on 2 months. When I left off, I couldn't shift out of first when moving. I took off the side cover and put the linkage back on. Testing on the lift and it did seem to be able to shift up and down.

Today I took it out again but with the cover off it seemed that the shift shaft was flexing as I tried to pull out of first. It still wouldn't come out of gear.

I put the side cover back on and with it on the lift I could easily move up and down the gears. Back on the street, I'm stuck in first. It would not move out of first. I gave up again.

I just don't understand what the issue is. On the lift, by hand it seems to move easily. Once I try and move the shifter with my foot its no go. Bizarre.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Cheers,
spyug

[Danjal]

Does the clutch disengage the gears at all?

[tkent02]

The clutch doesn't really have anything to do with it.
Shifting should work just fine with or without the clutch.
Linkage hitting something?

[Danjal]

The clutch doesn't really have anything to do with it.
Shifting should work just fine with or without the clutch.
Linkage hitting something?

I understand the linkage. I just came back to the post. I mixed up what he was having problems with.

Can you feel all of the linkage with your foot working? IE any metal on metal movement or is soft and smooth like its not touching anything?

[spyug]

The linkage works fine and is not binding or jammed anywhere. As I mentioned, I can shift it smoothly by hand when its on the lift. with my foot it doesn't budge.

From trying it with the cover off I can see the shift shaft seems to bend somewhat when I try to depress or lift the lever with my toe. It seems like the cover keeps the shaft correctly aligned but even with it back on the thing will not shift by foot.

The more I play with this, the more I'm convinced something is amiss inside the tranny. I'm wondering if there is too much play in the shift drum or something along that line causing it to bind when pressure is applied. Not having any knowledge of trannys, I'm flying blind here.

I appreciate all thoughts folks.

cheers,
Spyug

[posplayr]

The linkage works fine and is not binding or jammed anywhere. As I mentioned, I can shift it smoothly by hand when its on the lift. with my foot it doesn't budge.

From trying it with the cover off I can see the shift shaft seems to bend somewhat when I try to depress or lift the lever with my toe. It seems like the cover keeps the shaft correctly aligned but even with it back on the thing will not shift by foot.

The more I play with this, the more I'm convinced something is amiss inside the tranny. I'm wondering if there is too much play in the shift drum or something along that line causing it to bind when pressure is applied. Not having any knowledge of trannys, I'm flying blind here.

I appreciate all thoughts folks.

cheers,
Spyug

Dont know about your tranny but I can say my GS1100ED shifter shaft moves all over when the cover is off. It makes it hard to get into gear when working with the cover off.

[chef1366]

If someone split the casers maybe they didn't get the shifter forks in their grooves.

[Nessism]

Behind the clutch basket you can access the shift drum and the fiddly little ratchet mechanism shown in the parts diagram above. You can also pull the shift shaft though the engine from that side so you can check it for straightness. Worth a try...last resort.

[Smokinapankake]

My 82 Kat Thou would shift up, but not go back down. Period. So I pulled the clutch cover and clutch, to find the "crows foot" on the shift shaft to be misaligned with the shifter pawl by one tooth. Also noticed the centering spring was off the little boss. Reset them into position with the trans in neutral, reassemled, and off we went. End of problem.

Might have a look at that....

[Baatfam]

If you drop the oil pan you can see up into the transmission...

Might give you a clue as to what is happening...