GS1000G clutch problem

[martin]

okay, so here's what happened. I've had a leaking gear shift shaft for too long, so i decided to just fix it. I thought I'd save meself the hassle of trying to pry the seal out while the shaft was still in place (which i think some people here have said they have done) and i removed the clutch so i could take out the shift shaft.
seal came out no problems, new one went in no problems.
clutch went back together no problems , although one of the clutch spring retaining bolts had stripped out the thread and i helicoiled it. retightened the clutch hub nut etc. I've taken apart and repaired clutches like this one many times, so I'm familiar with how they go together...
refilled will oil, ran good, but THE CLUTCH WON'T RELEASE!
looking down through the oil filler hole the clutch inner is moving out, but the clutch is not disengaging?
I thought it might be the plates sticking for some reason, but knocking it in and out of gear didn't make it let go.
I took the clutch apart again last night and could not see anything wrong with it.
anyone got any suggestions for things I might have missed? the only change in the clutch was that i helicoiled one of the spring bolts, but i can't see how that would stop up the works?
Anyone experienced this problem before?

I ended up getting caught in one of Pirsig's 'gumption traps', or as we say here in Oz, I cracked the *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$s with it, so it's in bits on my shed floor and i'm taking the train to work!

[focus frenzy]

if it was working fine before hand, you most likely did not get the actuation rod clocked correctly or the cable adjusted incorrectly.
when the clutch cover is removed the release pinion arm has to be rotated to disengage the release rack.
when you put the cover back on you have to have the release arm in the correct position or the clutch wont work correctly.

if my memory is working the release pinion has teeth all the way around, you can take the release arm off and adjust it's position so in comparison to the clutch cable, it is at a angle of about 70 degrees with light pressure in on the clutch release arm but the clutch not engaged.
this way when the clutch is fully engaged the arm is at about a 90 degree angle for the best leverage.

[SqDancerLynn1]

if it was working fine before hand, you most likely did not get the actuation rod clocked correctly or the cable adjusted incorrectly.
when the clutch cover is removed the release pinion arm has to be rotated to disengage the release rack.
when you put the cover back on you have to have the release arm in the correct position or the clutch wont work correctly.

if my memory is working the release pinion has teeth all the way around, you can take the release arm off and adjust it's position so in comparison to the clutch cable, it is at a angle of about 70 degrees with light pressure in on the clutch release arm but the clutch not engaged.
this way when the clutch is fully engaged the arm is at about a 90 degree angle for the best leverage.

ditto

[martin]

thanks for the tips, but I'm pretty sure i did get the actuation rod properly aligned, as I could operate the clutch, and see it moving through the oil filler hole.
I tried adjusting the cable for maximum 'lift' but it did no good.
you can remove the clutch cover without rotating the actuation rod, as long as you disengage the cable, when you pull the cover off the release pinion just spins around to release the actuation rod.

the tip about the alignment of the release arm is gold!

I'll let you all know what happens when i get back to putting it all back together tonight...

[martin]

Just to follow up...put it all back together last night, and it works.
I'm none the wiser as to what happened the last time i put it together, but it's working so I'm happy.
thanks for all the replies.