80 GS850G Clutch, or lack thereof

[PaGS850]

Bought a used 80 GS850G last August for 500 dead (and hard bags and fairing), been a daily rider til last week.

Clutch was high with no more adjustment, new cable didn't help. Took it a couple blocks, not even on it and stopped at a sign. Started, then when I shifted to 2nd the clutch went.

Bought new plates driven and drive, replaced them all but the first one because I couldn't locate a piano wire clip. bought new springs, put it all back together. Did an early oil change just because.
Still no clutch, shifting seems to be normal, and gear position indicator works right. Clutch lever only springs back because of the cable spring, same problem as when it went.

What did I miss? I need my ride.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The clutch arm on the left side case may be off a tooth from when you put it together ??? Not allowing proper adjustment ???

[Seana23]

Hi babes.
Yeah the actuating arm mught have gone on slightly wrong...
Or cable stretch...
Or maybe the plates went back in wrong order...
Maybe clutch springs....
Need more info really...
Pics please.
Xxx

[PaGS850]

Think I uploaded the only pic I took while I had it open.

Clutch lever went limp when it blew,and is still that way. I can shift and clutch doesn't engage in any gear. Made sure the grooved side of the clutch release rack faced the splines on the rod on the case. Thrust bearing seemed to roll ok. Never took the basket off. What exactly do you want a pic of?

Replaced the valve cover gasket and cam end plugs at the same time to fix an oil leak, but I doubt that has anything to do with this.

[Seana23]

Hi babes.
Did you say it just "blew"...
As in, it was ok, then something went and it didnt work any more..?

What can just break?
The cable...
The clutch adjuster can rip its threads and slide into the moulding on the top cover ov the base ov the engine...
The push rod...

Thats it i think...
So, measure the pushrod length and see if its straight...

inspect all the adjusters to see if they are still able to take up the tension in the cable...

Take off the cable and make sure the inner cable is still in one piece and not stretched...

if Its none ov the above, it has to be a more serious problem to do with how the clutch is meshing with the engine, both the clutch basket and its contents and the centre pushrod...
Inspect the actuating arm and the mechanism it fits.into behind the clutch cover... It sort.ov spirals into the casing in a funny way which may he mis-aligned.

You do have a manual i.presume...
Inspect all the diagrams to see if yours compares...

Cant think ov much else other than the friction plates for damage.

Good luck.

Xxx

[Steve]

The clutch arm on the left side case may be off a tooth from when you put it together ??? Not allowing proper adjustment ???

There is no "clutch arm" on the left side on an 850.

... The push rod...

Thats it i think...
So, measure the pushrod length and see if its straight...

There is no pushrod on the 850.

Something is going on here, both of these ladies have 850s and don't know their clutch?



PaGS850. Please explain "the clutch went". Are you saying that it is always engaged, and the engine is connected to the transmission, meaning that you can't stop without killing the engine? Or do you mean that it is always released, meaning that the engine runs, but you can't get any power to the rear wheel?

There is very little inside the engine that will "go" that quickly, it's likely the cable. Please note that when you put everything back together, the release arm (the part that the lower end of the cable attaches to) should be roughly perpendicular to the cable. Start adjusting at the top end of the cable, where it attaches to the lever. Start with the adjusters threaded in all the way. Go back to the bottom end, turn the adjuster there until you only have a slight movement at the lever. Turn the locknut to keep that adjustment in place. Now go back to the top adjuster and fine-tune it to just a couple milimeters of play at the lever. This should give you proper operation over the full stroke of the lever.

.

[PaGS850]

Always released. Cable is new, I can adjust it out to where it pulls the arm all the way in. The lever is limp, only springs back cause of the small spring on the cable. the arm has limited play, will stop either direction, so I believe its engaged.

Brand new steel and fiber plates, except for the first steel, since I couldn't locate a new clip. brand new springs.

[Seana23]

Sorry, didnt mean the "pushrod" as such, i meant the bar the clutch locates onto... Through the centre ov the clutch basket...

Soz for wrong name.

Xxx

[Steve]

Always released. Cable is new, I can adjust it out to where it pulls the arm all the way in. The lever is limp, only springs back cause of the small spring on the cable. the arm has limited play, will stop either direction, so I believe its engaged.

Brand new steel and fiber plates, except for the first steel, since I couldn't locate a new clip. brand new springs.

Sounds like you need to make sure the release arm is set in the correct direction before engaging the arm at the top. Adjust the cable for maximum play. Remove the arm at the top of the clutch release rod, move it out by at least one tooth on the spline, try again.

Sorry, didnt mean the "pushrod" as such, i meant the bar the clutch locates onto... Through the centre ov the clutch basket...

Soz for wrong name.

Xxx

No problem, it's just that some of the smaller bikes do have a pushrod that goes from the left side (where the cable attaches), through the transmission shaft, to the center of the pressure plate. Just making sure you were not remembering working on a previous bike.

.

[PaGS850]

Checked it at both extremes of the arm to a dead stop. its moves easily, so it must not be engaging the pressure plate. loosened the screws on the cover, the arm pops the cover off no problem, so everything seems to be good til there. I may have put it together wrong, but it was like that when it went.
So the problem seems to be I'm not able to move the pressure plate and feel the springs at the lever.

Going diggin into in again, with a better idea of how it works, will keep you updated.

[PaGS850]

The part the book calls the clutch release rack that engages the arm in the cover moves freely back and forth behind the pressure plates
This does not appear to be normal.

What next?

[PaGS850]

Inside basket spins freely in nuetral, light drag in 2nd

[PaGS850]

With all the plates in, they go to the end of the outside basket. If I leave 2 out, I can get the pressure plate fully seated, and there is a lot less movement of the clutch release rack. Wondering if the last steel plate is warped, and what would happen if it wasn't clipped in? I do have another new one. Or should I leave 2 plates out and see if that works?

[Mekanix]

Checked it at both extremes of the arm to a dead stop. its moves easily, so it must not be engaging the pressure plate. loosened the screws on the cover, the arm pops the cover off no problem, so everything seems to be good til there. I may have put it together wrong, but it was like that when it went.
So the problem seems to be I'm not able to move the pressure plate and feel the springs at the lever.

Going diggin into in again, with a better idea of how it works, will keep you updated.

When It pops is the clutch still spinning freely?

You make it sound as if once the clutch is pulled that it sticks disengaged and the pin is able to float freely but the clutch stay's stuck in that position.

If so I would take the cover off by pulling the springs off slowly and wait for something to POP into place or show you that the outer pressure plate is stuck on top of the basket.

How many plates and disks do you have, and how thick are they ?
Should be 8 fiber with 7 disk according to what I see on the manual.

[PaGS850]

When It pops is the clutch still spinning freely?

You make it sound as if once the clutch is pulled that it sticks disengaged and the pin is able to float freely but the clutch stay's stuck in that position.

If so I would take the cover off by pulling the springs off slowly and wait for something to POP into place or show you that the outer pressure plate is stuck on top of the basket.

How many plates and disks do you have, and how thick are they ?
Should be 8 fiber with 7 disk according to what I see on the manual.

I can make the cover pop off the gasket by moving the top arm out, which leads me to believe the cable (new) and parts in the cover are functioning properly.

the pin (clutch release rack) that engages the cover moves about 2 inches in and out freely with the plates in place, less than 1/2 an inch by removing 2 plates ( 1 fiber, 1 steel)

brand new plates, 8 fiber, 7 steel, with the original steel last plate still clipped in. I haven't been able to locate a new clip so I still have 1 new steel plate. Old plates don't look bad,none burnt see pic.
Clutch was HIGH right before it broke, barely had to pull the lever in to disengage, and now its staying that way. Clutch lever went limp, and is still that way.