Clutch will NOT disengage

[mack]

try this

I"ve had this before every spring. Put it all back together, start the bike and push it to get it rolling then jump on and pound it into first. Give it a bit of throttle, pull in the clutch lever and slam on the rear break. That always disengaged mine.

[DGXSER]

The clutch still works very similar to on a car. The crank gets turned by the pistons and it turns the primary chain. The primary chain then turns the primary shaft. The gear you see in the top right of the clutch pan area is attached to and driven by the primary shaft. That gear then drives the outer basket and therefore the friction disc of the clutch by the meshing of that larger gear on the back of the clutch basket. FYI, it also drives the oil pump by the meshing of the smaller gear on the back of the clutch basket with the oil pump drive gear in the bottem right corner of the clutch pan area.

Now that the engine is turning the outer clutch basket, the friction disc, with pressure from the psrings, drive the metal plates that then drive the inner basket of the clutch. That inner basket is splined and meshes with the splines on the end of the transmission main shaft. Very similar to your car. Just think of the primary shaft gear as being similar to the flywheel in a car.

So, if you have removed the spring pressure from the assembly and it still continues to drive the transmission then you either have things in the wrong order of assembly as TC suggested. Or you have a warped steel or two or more that are causing the pressure. Or you have some gook that keeps the friction disc and steels glued together.

Now, have you tried putting the bike on the center stand and starting it in Neutral, then putting it in gear and confirming the rear wheel turns?

Also, you stated it dies when you put it in gear, and you have an XJ, this can be your sidestand safety. IIRC, on the XJ they implemented the sidestand safety switch, so if you put the bike in gear with the sidestand down it WILL die.

[oseaghdha]

I'm getting full resistance with no slack after adjustments, but it has no effect on the clutch actually working, when i squeeze the handle the lever goes all the way up, the throw rod/bearing assembly pushes out, but the clutch doesn't release. so if I attempt to shift from neutral to first it just kills it. pulling or releasing the clutch has no effect... which is why i suspect the problem lies in the clutch assembly/basket itself... actually, even after i remove the star plate which normally holds the springs, and the clutch plates are all hanging loose in the basket with no tension on them, and I shift into first, it still acts as though the clutch is engaged. so perhaps the problem lies somewhere in between the gear and the basket? I'm not exactly sure how its supposed to behave because this is my first bike, and the transmissions on bikes are so different from the cars I'm used to working on...

Yeah, you've got some other problems.
Sounds like more than one gear is selected.

[Ivan]

When you get the chance to look at them they aren't terribly different. Just doesn't have any scynros and the clutch is upside down.

A couple ideas. There have been reports of the basket getting notches in the guides where the disks slide. This may be enough to keep the clutch from disengaging when installed.

Second idea. These transmissions don't have syncros, and while idling in neutral, everything will get to spinning at what ever speed, and even without the clutch binding, they will make a good clunk when dropping into gear. I would try to get the transmission in first, and then start the engine, its possible that things are just not loosened up enough to let it shift yet.

[jrplumber1]

oh, didnt know that

Is your sidestand down?
Some bikes will die when in gear with the stand down, saftey? j.a.t.

[Incubus]

What happens if you put the bike in first, pull in the clutch and push the starter button?
Don't try this if there is something in front of the bike.

Patrick

[cardboardguitar]

So, if you have removed the spring pressure from the assembly and it still continues to drive the transmission then you either have things in the wrong order of assembly as TC suggested. Or you have a warped steel or two or more that are causing the pressure. Or you have some gook that keeps the friction disc and steels glued together.

Now, have you tried putting the bike on the center stand and starting it in Neutral, then putting it in gear and confirming the rear wheel turns?

Also, you stated it dies when you put it in gear, and you have an XJ, this can be your sidestand safety. IIRC, on the XJ they implemented the sidestand safety switch, so if you put the bike in gear with the sidestand down it WILL die.

i will recheck the order of assembly and condition of the steels when i get back into town on monday, I do have the bike on its center stand, and when i put it in first and turn the clutch basket the rear tire moves... and no the side stand isn't down...
thanks for the detailed explanation of how the clutch works btw. very helpful clear and helpful

[cardboardguitar]

When you get the chance to look at them they aren't terribly different. Just doesn't have any scynros and the clutch is upside down.

A couple ideas. There have been reports of the basket getting notches in the guides where the disks slide. This may be enough to keep the clutch from disengaging when installed.

Second idea. These transmissions don't have syncros, and while idling in neutral, everything will get to spinning at what ever speed, and even without the clutch binding, they will make a good clunk when dropping into gear. I would try to get the transmission in first, and then start the engine, its possible that things are just not loosened up enough to let it shift yet.

I'll take a look at it and see if I can spot any notching goin on in there...
Also I've got it on the center stand so i'll try starting it in first when I get back on monday and see what happens...