I got a little problem.........

[r00sty]

Hey people, and Merry Christmas, I am in the beginning stages of ripping into my bike for the infamous 2nd gear fix, anyway I am on the left side now and the problem is I have a Haynes manual not a Clymer, I have the bike in 4th gear like our wonderful step by step instructions say, but then it says to, "Remove the shift mechanism" (Clymer's, 124 and 125, steps 1-8) Well I have no idea what they are typing about? It can't be the shifter it's self because that is step 4. I am in need of help and would love it if someone could describe this step to me or maybe scan and send me these pages for me to print. I am going to go through my Haynes a little more to see if I can find the step, all and any help is appreciated, Thanks alot!!

[crunchbird]

Those steps are just removing the two toothed shift shafts that link the lever shaft to the shift drum. A nut holds on #1 (by the lever). A circlip holds on #2, and a "pawl" or lever fits from #2 over to the drum and should swing out of the way for removal. I've only been there on other bikes myself, but nothing tricky that I see in the Clymer's.

[crunchbird]

p.s. First you remove the allen bolts to take the cover off.

[r00sty]

Thanks alot!!

I went ahead and ripped into it and pretty much got stuff out of the way. I am in the process of dropping the oil pump and then out comes the gears. Those shift forks don't look like they are going to be much fun to get back in there, it doesn't help that the bike is only 10 inches off the ground, very hard on the neck and back!! I need to fab up a bike lift!!! Thanks again!!


Anyone have a better place to buy individual gaskets then the Yamaha shop? I need both covers and the pan, maybe a valve cover and really don't want to buy a whole set. I am going to get carb and petcock rebuild kits, filter, exhaust gaskets, and a few other things from Parts-n-more.

[xssiveone]

Anyone have a better place to buy individual gaskets then the Yamaha shop?

You could try cutting your own. Not a difficult process, but it is a bit time consuming. Measure the thickness of the existing gaskets, or take one with you and stop into your local auto parts supply house. They should be able to set you up with the proper gasket paper. Several ways to proceed from this point. You can lightly oil the mating surface of the cover and then place it onto the paper. The oil will leave a pretty good pattern to follow. Then cut SLOWLY with a razor blade knife. Trust me, if you rush you will end up doing it again. Use a single hole paper punch for bolt holes.

[r00sty]

Good Idea!!

Thanks for the tip Brian, I will do that over paying top dollar for gaskets, not like it's a head gasket or something!!

Now I am at the point of putting it all back together, and I want to put my "washer" in the right spot but have no idea which one? The one behind the circlip between 2nd and 5th? If so I can see no reasoning on why it would have to be put on the inside? Why not just out it all together? It is near the end of the gear set and is very small in thickness, but I will move it when I find out which one it is, a number off the exploded view would help, my manual is differently numbered, but I printed the one on here too. Thanks alot, I just want to put this new gear set in right, and I must say, what a difference in the two!! The old ones are really rounded and the face of 5th looks like it was faced on a lathe!!

[xssiveone]

Washer is part #24 on this Ken Talbot's page here http://www.rctvonline.net/xs11/c15.gif

Different schools of thought on this. Bob Jones, from Merriman Cycle http://www.merriamcycle.com/html/xseleven.html has been just moving the washer to the other side of the gear. Denny Zander has a mechanic friend who advised against that. He felt that a second washer was needed, one before the gear, and then one after the gear to prevent the gear riding against the circlip that holds everything together. Denny has his together with the second washer for many miles with no problems. Other's have done it without the second washer with the same results. Guess it is basically up to you which one you use.


I don't think it's a good idea to leave it out altogether. It's only about 40 thou. thick... and while it might not seem like a lot, when something is spinning that fast, even a little slop can greatly accelerate wear.

[r00sty]

You are AWESOME!!

I guess my thinking was right but I wanted to make sure, so I move it up against that permanent washer on the shaft and then pray the circlip holds? The new gears show hardly any signs of wear, where the old ones are looking a little scary, I guess that is what happens after two years and 10,000 miles of grinding!! It is not as bad as I was picturing though. Well I can hardly thank you enough!! Damn I love this site!! Have a good one! I'm off to the basement!!

[r00sty]

Well.............

I have done everything in my power to get that shaft and gears back in there but it is not happening, I know the damn thing came out!! The old and the new are exactly the same other then the condition, and the washer move. I am dumbfounded!
My hands are super sore, not to mention the condition of my neck and back!! To think I was worried about the shift forks! I was to the point of taking the BFH to it when I came up here to type out my frustrations. I have tried to slide the two big gears off the end then I can't get it square enough to slide the shaft back in, if I only had an 1/8 of an inch I'd be golden!! I see why the bike shops get $50 an hour, but they also told me that the cases had to be split to get it fixed, money in their pocket I guess.
Well I am feeling a little better, I guess I am off to try it somemore. I will keep you posted..................

[mitch]

2nd gear

just a hint i did the same as u after much cussing and pain i turned the bike upside down on the handle bars and sissy bar and it was back together in no time good luck,,,,,,doug

[mitch]

gaskets

permatex form a gasket works great cheap fast and no leaks on my side covers ,,,,,,doug

[r00sty]

All I can say is..........

OMFG!!! I got it back in there, and guess what? I had to rip it all back out again!! Just so everyone knows, you can't put the wanna be kickstarter thingy back in after the gears, it has to go back in first!! The 5th gear shift fork was a pain in the wingnut! After all was said and done I think I am going to be stress free for awhile, the 2nd gear washer move took away some of the freespool, but I figure it will wear in. I can see how it all went wrong and how the fix helps out, I had no idea what I was getting into but now I am glad I did it myself. Now I have a little buttoning up to do and add some oil and try it out, I hope there is enough gas left in the carbs, I will run through the gears and see how everything is. Then I am going to get into the gauge swap, seatcover, rear caliper, brake pads all around, and get my parts ordered for the petcocks and carbs, man I can't believe there is almost 18"s of snow on the ground and about 4 months before it is time to ride again!! I can hardly wait!!
I want to thank everyone who helped me through this and thanks for all the useful tips and advise!!

[ACE]

rOOsty i just read this thread and found it interesting.
If alot of us haven't had the second gear problem it sounds like the odds happening in the futer are good that it will.
i'm interested on how your fix turns out.
Let us know!
If you had to do it over again would you pull the engine to do this?
Or at least flip the bike on its handle bars?
I don't know as I would try this but pulling the gears looking and working upside down seems like a real pain to!
Good luck
ACE

[r00sty]

Here's what I think........

Ace and everyone else interested, I would imagine that normal use would not cause this problem, my dad beat on this bike, it was his 3rd XS in a row, then he went to a Harley. The first two were piled up in accidents and this one he lost interest in after the Hardly Davidson came along. So I got it and it already had the problem, I beat on it pretty good from 3rd gear up, always having to skip 2nd. Anyway to answer your questions, and knowing what I know now, I would do it just like I did it, unless you had other problems as well, but I have good compression and it runs great, just needs some TLC and the 2nd gear fixed. I am not saying that a fix like this is for everyone, I have alot of mechanical abilities and have raced and built everything from 2 strokes to 500 hp Big Blocks, so this was not to bad, I do hate tranni's and everything to do with them, but sometimes you gotta do things you don't like to! I would have under no circumstances flipped the bike over with the motor in it, just doesn't make logical sence. I am a big guy, over 6' and over 250, and I managed to get my fat butt under there. I have never had the use of lifts for anything, so everything I have ever done has been on my back and upside down, bench pressing Turbo 400's into vehicles is always the best!! lol All I can add to the info I got off this site about doing the 2nd fix would be to definatly remove the oil pump, 3 allen bolts, and be sure to check and recheck the O-ring, before you put the pump back in, mine was split in two and half wasn't even in use, it was hanging out the side, looked to have come from the factory like that. Also make sure you have good freespool after you switch the washer, I ran through the gears a little while ago by hand and it seems to have a catch, I am debating on ripping it all out and doing some investigating or just hope when it is running it will be ok or will wear in a little more. Everything seems to shift better when it is running and under a load, so we'll see and I will let you all know. There is about 2 foot of snow here so it will be a couple months, unless I get everything else done then I will build a set of rollers for the rear wheels for a test run. Any and all questions will be entertained, to the best of my abilities, Thanks and ride safe!!

[stpbuzz]

making gaskets

Originally posted by xssiveone


You could try cutting your own. Not a difficult process, but it is a bit time consuming. Measure the thickness of the existing gaskets, or take one with you and stop into your local auto parts supply house. They should be able to set you up with the proper gasket paper. Several ways to proceed from this point. You can lightly oil the mating surface of the cover and then place it onto the paper. The oil will leave a pretty good pattern to follow. Then cut SLOWLY with a razor blade knife. Trust me, if you rush you will end up doing it again. Use a single hole paper punch for bolt holes.

-------------------------------------------------------------
(MAKING GASKETS)
i use a small ballpeen hammer,
place the gasket paper on the part where gasket is needed, and cut the paper by hitting with small ballpeen hammer.
this works for almost any gasket needed, usually the part has sharp edges and will cut exactly where ya want the holes and all.

stpbuzz
1980 sx1100sg