gear oil for an 84 400s?

[Anonymous]

This is my first post so go easy on me!
I've got an 1984 400S and it's a chain drive. When it gets hot, the gears are hard to change and neutral is near impossible to find. At the back, on top of the motor (on the brake side) is a bolt with a spring under it. Is it for gear oil?
Obviously I am in bad need of this site!

Thanks in advance for any help someone out there can give me!

[earlfor]

Re: gear oil for an 84 400s?

The transmission and engine on an 84GS400 run in a common oil sump in normal engine oil. Absolutely do not put gear oil in the engine oil filler neck. There should be a plastic sight window on the right hand tranny case below the oil filler cap and the correct oil level is embossed on the case next to the window. Unsually an oil level midway in the window when the bike is sitting on level ground on its centerstand is correct. If the oil level is ok, hard shifting may be due to a worn out clutch, or incorrect clutch adjustment.

Earl

This is my first post so go easy on me!
I've got an 1984 400S and it's a chain drive. When it gets hot, the gears are hard to change and neutral is near impossible to find. At the back, on top of the motor (on the brake side) is a bolt with a spring under it. Is it for gear oil?
Obviously I am in bad need of this site!

Thanks in advance for any help someone out there can give me!

[saaz]

The chain drive GSs run the transmission in the engine oil. You don't have a sepaarte transmission with its own oil. Apart from clutch adjustment and worn clutch plates, you could try an oil change! new oil can sometimes make things a lot easier.

[Anonymous]

That is what i thought, but what is that bolt for ? I have one on my 1982 650 as well. It looks like it leads to the gears

[Dink]

I think it may be a crankcase breather, another thing , on my 1150 I find that drive chain tension affect the ability to select nuetral as well.
Dink

[Anonymous]

thanks for your help I think it does need a new clutch. I'm going to have to do something before I sell it in the spring. Other than that it seems to run great even after 45000 k's.

[earlfor]

Zeke, if youre considering selling it just because it needs clutch disks replaced, keep it. Putting a new set of disks in it is very easy. I'm guessing the parts probably would only be about $50-$75.

Earl

thanks for your help I think it does need a new clutch. I'm going to have to do something before I sell it in the spring. Other than that it seems to run great even after 45000 k's.

[Anonymous]

It was my girlfriend's first bike and she has a 1999 katana on lay away.
She's deserting the GS team but at least she's still on a suzuki.
I'm working on the 650 as well to sell it. I had it less than a week when I came across my 78 1000. The only problem is that the garage i'm working in
is not heated and it's - 17 degrees today so I have to wait for a warm spelll.

[Jeff Tate]

Whens the last time the oil was changed? Part of the problem may be just old worn out oil, or the wrong weight. Try changing the oil and make sure the clutch cable is adjusted correctly.

[Jeff Tate]

Just thought of another thing. If you do replace the clutch, a new set of clutch springs would be a good idea also. They're not expensive.

[Anonymous]

Just to make sure, whatever you do, if you change oil use mineral oil and no additives!!! You'll ruin the clutch otherwise.

Your's, me.

[Anonymous]

I know that the oil is not the problem - it is changed regularly. I even went to a 20/50 to see if that would help when the engine ran hot but it made no difference. I did adjust the clutch cable, but the problem only happens when the engine is hot. I am now back to using 10-40 in all my bikes.

[Anonymous]

In lack of a suitable bible I contacted my guru on these matters. His suggestion were several, among other, worn levers and a less than perfect cable. The most to me plausable explanation would be warped steel plates in the clutch assembly. If the bike has had contact with and been run on synthetic oil there's a chance of the clutch being glazed. With warped steel plates they would then twist as the engine goes hot and add more pressure to the plates and thus make it more difficult to change gears or shift to neutral. This is not a big or difficult job to fix unless you're all thumbs.

Your's, me.

[Anonymous]

From the sound of things it must be in the clutch, probably the plates. Thanks.
You'll be hearing from me in the future if it isn't.