Clutch won't fully engage

[Topman]

After taking all the side covers off a few months back, to replace the Stator and R/R, I cleaned up pretty nice under the front sprocket (just visually), then moved on to the other side where I didn't do much but get as much excess crappy oil out as I could reach. I since put all new gaskets on and replaced all the covers, then I noticed there was far less friction on my clutch lever. The bike wasn't running so I couldn't actually test it. Did get it running at one point a month or so ago, on the center stand, I shifted to 1st and the wheel spun right into action, then I pulled the clutch.. and the wheel just kept on spinning. I've done more work since then putting the bike back out of running order, and in the mean time I replaced the clutch cable and springs just to do it, and figured it'd help with my issue, well it certainly didn't help the friction at the lever, but was focused on other issues. Now I have hopes of riding the bike in the coming weeks, and have her running intermittently. Had her on today (still on the center stand) and thought I'd check the clutch again, popped the lever back on, clutched it, popped it to first (accompanied by a pretty strong jump of the bike), and the away went the wheel. Pulled the clutch, still didn't stop the wheel.

Clearly the clutch is engaging enough to A. Turn the bike one, and B. shift ever so aggressively into first, but I'd say it's not fully engaging. I've adjusted the cable every which way to counter this, have changed the arm attaching to the shaft coming from the side cover numerous times as per several other threads I've dug up here, but still not getting it. When the clutch is pulled, there's not much more you can push on the arm anymore either, so it's not as if I'm not reaching the farthest extent of the clutch. I'm at a loss.

[shinzon1]

if its been sitting for a while then it will tend to jump into gear when u shift. especially if its cold or the rpms are over 1500. the back wheel will tend to keep turning if there is nothing to add a little resistance when the clutch is pulled in. i'd try letting it warm up and idle at 1050+/- for a minute or two and then with the bike off the center stand sit on it and have the front brake pulled in good and tight just incase, maybe have the front wheel up against a wall so u won't take off, and just pop it in first. if the bike stalls then ur clutch definately isn't opening up or the plates are stuck together.

[Topman]

Stalled immediately. I guess when I get another free day I'll have to pull off the side cover and see what's going on in there.

[chef1366]

Change the position of the clutch arm on the clutch cover.

[shinzon1]

agreed. the arm could have slipped out of postion. it happened to me when i was replacing my clutch.

[Topman]

I took all the clutch plates out today, they were relatively stuck together, but it would seem that they'd always be that stuck together when there's an amount of oil between two. Either way, wiping them off then soaking them in fresh clean oil didn't fix the issue.

I don't believe the arm has slipped out of position because when I spin the arm, there is a definitive area where it can swing and where it is then stopped, and if I swing it enough away from the engine (with the screws removed from the cover) it will push the cover off, meaning (I believe) that it's clearly engaging with the mechanism inside the cover. What I'm not getting is basically any tension, when I pull the clutch without it attached to the arm, I get the same amount of tension as when it's attached to the arm. Obviously the clutch doesn't need to engage to start the bike, the lever just needs to be pulled, but what about shifting to 1st, I was just thinking about it so I haven't actually tried it. But considering I am able to shift into first (as I stated) wouldn't that mean the clutch is engaging at least a little, barely enough to shift, but not enough to disengage the gears.

Perhaps an illustration will help. When attaching the arm after reinstalling the side cover, I'm not sure where in relation to the edge of the cover (yellow line) I should have the farthest extent of the arm located. Where it is now (just past the yellow line on the blue side) is the farthest extent of the arm, but when I loosen the cable enough to reach that for attachment, the arm cannot be fully pulled in when pulling the clutch lever. So where I'm confused is what's the more important thing, that the arm when tense is at it's nearest reach to the engine, or when first engaged it's at it's farthest from the engine. There I go again, I'm confusing myself all over. This may not be the issue at all, because either way I hook it to the arm, I'm pretty sure the only tension in the cable is the tension of it's own spring...

Thanks for understanding my lack of knowledge on the subject, I'm trying to learn as I go.

[PoppaDre]

Hey i think i have the same problem as you. After replacing my cover my clutch wont engages and stalls when shifting to first. you find a solution yet?

[Topman]

Unfortunately I have not, I've been very distracted with my fuel feed problem I brought up in another post, it's keeping me from even getting my baby running. But rest assured that problem will be figured very shortly, and I will be back onto this one. Please keep me posted on any progress you make with it, I look forward to the day I can tackle it.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The gear is off one tooth SIMPLE take the cover loose and move the lever back slightly

[Topman]

Ok, I've tried this dozens of times now, loosened even removed, and tried putting it back on it several different manners. No matter how I go about it, it still can't fully engage. What in gods name am I missing here???

[KenSmithMT]

Tried the same thing. Several positions. No help.

[KenSmithMT]

I ride it frequently. This happens warm or cold. No difference. When in neutral and shifting into 1st I can feel it engage. I can hold it back with my feet fine, but as I said, it has a hard time idleing.

if its been sitting for a while then it will tend to jump into gear when u shift. especially if its cold or the rpms are over 1500. the back wheel will tend to keep turning if there is nothing to add a little resistance when the clutch is pulled in. i'd try letting it warm up and idle at 1050+/- for a minute or two and then with the bike off the center stand sit on it and have the front brake pulled in good and tight just incase, maybe have the front wheel up against a wall so u won't take off, and just pop it in first. if the bike stalls then ur clutch definately isn't opening up or the plates are stuck together.

[Topman]

This is beginning to really bum me out. I can't for the life of me figure this out. I took the whole clutch assembly apart again, inspected all the plates and the hub and such. The plates are within spec, albeit they will need replacing in the near future, nothing that should cause them to not work. The hubs have some grooving, but they're minor, not what I'd call "deep". Putting it back together I caught myself wondering how the clutch works even, because with my cover off the release rack (#21 on the fiche) just kinda hangs there, I can push it in and pull it out to some extent. When I think about what happens when pulling the clutch lever thus turning the release arm, I can imagine the release pinion turning and it's gears pulling the release rack out. But I can do that with my hand when the cover is off and there's no friction anywhere, and that seems to explain why when I pull the clutch lever there's no effort required, as if the cable isn't even hooked up to the release arm. So I'm confused how this is supposed to release the clutch, and where all the friction you'd expect from a clutch lever is supposed to be coming from.

If there's anyone in the Chicagoland area who's good with a clutch, please help me, I want to ride so bad before the cold sets in.

[chef1366]

Do you have an extra clutch plate/steel installed?

[Topman]

Nope, got the prescribed amount of both. Before doing any work on her, she shifted fine, when I could get her to start. Once I had the stator and all ordered she sat open for a little while as I polished the covers. After the stator was replaced and the sides were polished, they were put back on, and it would seem my problems began then. At least from what I could tell, because that's when I recall the lever feeling much looser then ever before. It was however a few weeks before I could get her started to really test it.