Damn second gear and standard man rule of not reading the directions

[DVigue]

Well, yesterday sucked. Riding home I completely lost 2nd. I had just shifted from first into 2nd and while it didn't lock totally it almost did and I could not get it out of 2nd. I lurched to the median and shut it down. Tranny totally locked. Knowing that I tanked something already I gave the lever a swift shove down and it dropped out of gear. I started it up and inched my way home and parked it. During the ride, 2nd would chatter like hell and not stay in gear, I then just skipped it and went to 3rd. There was a bit of chattering in 3rd also.

I started the tranny removal. (not to self......ensure you follow the first line of the directions remove oil pan) I got it to the point of pulling the gears and couldn't, so getting in touch with my feminine side I went to re-read the directions and realized I missed the first line about removing the oil pan. I will do that tonight and pull all of the gears out.

The question is what damage am I looking at? Will the Dremel fix still work or should I just go order new gears for it?

[blue giant]

I'm only basing my response on the fact that I just had my entire engine/transmission apart for a rebuild and while the tranny was fine I think you probably have bent shift forks. With your bike being an 82 XJ it should already have the updated gears. I'm sure the gurus will know for sure.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there DVigue,

You may have been experiencing a NON tranny problem with your not being able to get it out of 2nd gear...IF you were trying to downshift vs. upshifting into 3rd. The shift lever return spring can get weak, and sometimes not return the shift lever far enough back UP to it's position needed to reset the shift pawl where it ratchets over to the next pin on the shift drum, so when you try to push down on the lever the shift pawl hasn't grabbed the pin, and so it won't downshift....until you gently pull up on the lever far enough to reset the shift pawl/grab the next shift drum pin.

Now, if you were just trying to continue shifting up to 3rd and beyond but couldn't get out of 2nd, then it possibly could be a bent shift fork??

There are several tech tips(some with nice pictures) covering the 1st and 2nd Dremel/die grinder fix technique....scroll down from the MAIN FORUM PAGE, you'll find newer ones that are NOT linked from the left column! Inspect the shift forks for signs of Xsive wear where it contacts the gears, but you only have the choice of buying new ones!

The 82XJ did NOT have the factory undercut gears, that came several years later! SO....IF you are going into the tranny, then you should go ahead and do the fix on 1st as well as 2nd, because it won't be long before 1st would start acting like 2nd did!

You'll need to remove the shift lever cover anyways, so be sure to check the shift drum to make sure all the pins are there, that the drum plate isn't already bent, etc.!
T.C.

[Hammerhead1st]

Ugh...im looking at the same thing this winter...and dreading the dremel...

[powerram50]

ya my 2nd gear act like it slips in and out of mesh.i just hope it last till winter.i try to just skip 2nd.

[Hammerhead1st]

Mine meshes ok if I shift slow. If I try to shift too fast a.k.a. racin from light to light, it grinds going in. Clean downshifts tho. I don't beat on my baby often, just now and then to get my point across. SO, hopefully it'll last till I get a beater to ride for the winter.

[powerram50]

mine goes in good.but if i give it more than just a very mild acceleration,it seems to unmesh than mesh back in then go out then in.

[planedick]

First time

When I did the tranny fix the first time, I decided that the Memorial day weekend would be time enough to do it. I was really not looking forward to a long weekend of struggling, but I was able to finish it in one day. Not such an ordeal like I expected. I think the best thing I did was turn the bike upside down for the job. It made everything easier. It does take a little longer because I had to drain all the fluids and remove the battery etc.