GS1000 Gears difficult to downshift

[GS1000EC78IE]

Hi, just got my old 78 GS1000EC back after 21 years, it was stored for all that time and unused. I rebuilt everything but the engine as it seemed fine after testing. However when I go to drive it now there's the usual clutch basket noise at tick-over which i believe can be fixed by correctly tightening the center nut in the clutch basket, but the real problem is the bike will go from 1st thru 5th gear no problem but as you come down the gears they get increasingly harder to select and neutral is nearly impossible to get unless you switch off the engine. The clutch is not dragging and the lever is adjusted correctly. I'm using 10-40 mineral oil as I should but am not sure if its the same as the 10-40 from 20-30 years ago, someone said to try semi synthetic motor oil but I'm not sure that will make a difference, I'm hoping its something simple as I don't want to have to strip the gearbox at this stage, new fiber plates were fitted in the clutch during the rebuild that's the only thing I did as far as the transmission is concerned. Id be much obliged for any ideas on what this may be and how to fix it from anyone here Cheers Derek

[Agemax]

what condition are the chain and sprockets in after being stored that long. if they are rusty and maladjusted that will cause your symptoms

[GS1000EC78IE]

Chain and sprockets are fine, oiled and adjusted ok, they were replaced by the previous owner they aren't the ones that were on the bike when i sold it back in 91, Thanks Agemax Cheers Derek

[hjfisk]

How many miles on the bike? is it a stock clutch or an after market? Sometimes wear in the clutch basket will cause clutch plates to hang and not release completely even though it feels correct at the lever . Also a clutch cable can cause you problems also

[GS1000EC78IE]

Hi HJFisk, theres approx 40k on the bike, its the original clutch basket but the fibre plates i fitted are new OEM, clutch cable is a new OEM part also. May try old plates back in as they werent that bad just to see if it makes a difference, Thanks HJF Cheers D

[Agemax]

it could be a broken,weak or wrongly fitted spring on the end of the gear change shaft, you can just see it behind the clutch basket

[tkent02]

Even not using the clutch at all it should be a very light click. Look into the shifting mechanism itself as Agemax suggests.

[hjfisk]

Look at the clutch basket where the plates ears ride and make sure it is smooth. if it is not smooth the plates can hang. Ran in to this on a 1100 once.

[GS1000EC78IE]

Thanks again AM and TK we did have issues with the spring on the shift change shaft thought we had fixed it maybe not Cheers Derek

[Agemax]

Thanks again AM and TK we did have issues with the spring on the shift change shaft thought we had fixed it maybe not Cheers Derek

make sure it is fitted correctly and the toothed selector "fork" is set correctly, centered to the teeth on the opposite "pawl"

[GS1000EC78IE]

that's the problem we had with it we were sure it was fixed maybe not also the part of the casing that the spring leaned against seemed quite small but we checked to see if it had been damaged but it didn't look like it was we will check it again Thanks Agemax, D

[Agemax]

also make sure the washer and the clip are on the other end of the shaft, as it comes out the crankcase, or the whole shaft could float sideways.

[Big T]

On a side note, make sure you're using a motorcycle or diesel oil.Car oil is not the same as 20 years ago and the "energy saving" on the can will wreck your clutch

[GS1000EC78IE]

will do, adding to the list of checks :-) thanks again D

[GS1000EC78IE]

Well folks mystery solved, as you suggested we found a fault with the change shaft there was a spacer missing from the shaft at the clutch side my friend got on his lathe and produced one as spec'ed, slotted it in problem solved. We weren't sure that the last keeper was at the clutch but now we know he was so he must have put it back together minus the spacer. So problem solved and glad the box didn't have to come out. Thank you very much everyone esp Agemax for taking all the silly questions Cheers Derek