1982 GS550l clutch not engaging...

[Defore]

Ok so I just got my 1982 gs550l running today now the only problem is my clutch. With the clutch cover off, the rod right in front of the front sprocket is moving in and out freely with no resistance in or out? The bike only has 3000 something miles which I dont think is even close to enough miles to have clutch problems? What should I do?
Thanks in advance.

[Nessism]

What did you do to the bike? Why is the clutch cover off? Did you take the helix mechanism out of the clutch cover?

[mike_of_bbg]

Put it back together and adjust it properly.

The clutch rod is loose and has play. When you push it in far enough, it's contacting the release bearing on the pressure plate. You're unlikely to have the strength to press the pressure plate against the six springs it is holding down your clutch stack with. When you pull the clutch cable, it turns the helix which presses the clutch rod for you.

What is your specific clutch problem that has you tearing it down this far for investigation?

[Nessism]

This is a common problem when people install the helix wrong.

[ride_002000]

same thing is happening with mine, so how do you install the helix correctly?

[Nessism]

same thing is happening with mine, so how do you install the helix correctly?

Pull it out and play around with the index positions until you find the correct orientation. I can't remember if you have to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise but you will figure it out.

[Defore]

ohhhhhhhh ive taken the bike a part to restore it because of the shape it was in when i got it. i had no idea the helix pushed it even deeper. good thing i didnt take the helix apart. so all of you are saying all i have to do is put the plate back on and itll push in?

[Nessism]

ohhhhhhhh ive taken the bike a part to restore it because of the shape it was in when i got it. i had no idea the helix pushed it even deeper. good thing i didnt take the helix apart. so all of you are saying all i have to do is put the plate back on and itll push in?

I'm not following you.

What I'm saying is...IF you removed the helix from the sprocket cover you may have indexed it improperly when it was reinstalled. Since you did not remove the helix then that can not be the problem on your bike. Sorry.

[mike_of_bbg]

See the second picture in this post:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1401742&postcount=6

That shows approximately the correct orientation of the helix as viewed inside the cover (in that picture the cable looks maybe a bit taut to me). When you pull the clutch lever that mechanism turns clockwise and pushes out toward the engine block. When it does that it pushes the clutch rod which releases the pressure plate, disengaging the clutch.

Is your clutch not engaging or not disengaging? If your clutch is not engaging there's too much pressure on the rod (obviously, the cover must be bolted into place). There are three locations on the 8V 550 where the clutch can be adjusted: at the handle, on the top of the sprocket cover where the cable enters, and using the screw under the smaller cover on the clutch cover.