Tranny Problem

[CK]

Hi All,

40 miles into my weekend road trip with another friend, I exit the interstate and soon learn that I can't shift out of 3rd into 4th. The shifter doesn't feel right either, so I pulled into a parking lot to investigate. I decide to limp along to my fiends place and try to shift again and this time it shifts into 4th and then into 5th. More testing revels that can downshift into 4th and back up to 5th, but that's all she'll do. The shifter now seems to have no spring centering action.

I've read-up on all the tech tips here on the XS website and am hoping that I have just a broken shifter spring. Can anyone tell me what they think has happened and how extensive this problem is. I've never worked on a transmission before and am a little bit intimidated to take that on. If it's a broken shifter spring, I would like to know the following:

1) Do I need to drain the crankcase oil out to take off the shifter cover plate?

2) It appears all models of the XS1100 share the same shifter spring part no. Are they all interchangeable?

3) any special tips on installing a new spring?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[DGXSER]

1) Do I need to drain the crankcase oil out to take off the shifter cover plate?

Maybe...meaning, if you can lean the bike to the right side similar to leanign left onto the kickstand, you can remove the shift cover without draining the oil. Otherwise, you will need to drain the oil.

2) It appears all models of the XS1100 share the same shifter spring part no. Are they all interchangeable?

True, that is the same part on all XS11s as well as the XJ11. Yes, interchangable.

3) any special tips on installing a new spring?

Really almost nothing to it. It sits behind the shift paw, tends to come out with the shift shaft when you pull the cover. It should be relatively intuitive how it goes in.

If it is not the return spring, though it most likely is, it will probably be a pin fell out of the shift drum. Other than finding it, probably in the tranny/oil pan, it is not to tough to fix either. I doubt you actually need to get into the actual transmission, everything you should need to work on will be under the shift cover.

[CK]

Hey thanks DGXSER - I'll try and get in there this week and see if it's the shifter spring. My ignorance on the next question, but if it's a pin that came out and if its in the oil pan - is the pan a simple removal - is a new gasket needed? What do I change modify to ensure a pin won't come out again?

Thanks,

Chris

[DGXSER]

Chris,

The tranny pan can be a little more involved, but it is still just a pan bolted on the bottom of the engine. Of course you will need to drain the oil for that one. And you may need to remove the exhaust to get to all the bolts that hold it on.

The pin sits behind a round plate that is supposed to keep them in place. It can bend and let them slip out. I have not had this happen to me, but read of it several times on the site. I believe you can bend the plate back into place after reinserting the pin.

Really, the return spring is the most likely culprit, so I would rule that out before you worry to much about the pins or the tranny pan.

Don

[CK]

Thanks again, I'll check that spring hopefully tonight. Just curious, my bike has $26K miles. Is this spring failing a common problem on an XS with the mileage my bike has?

Chris

[DGXSER]

Honestly, I would not say that it is common for that spring to fail. But it does happen from time to time. It just is alot more likely given the symptoms you described than the pins issue.

And I think it has more to do with age and how long the bike sat, oiling...etc. as it does to do with miles riden. After all, you could ride for 100,000 miles with alot less shifts than a bike with 26,000 miles depending how much highway is in each.

Then again, sometimes it is just dumb luck something fails. Bad metal in one spot or something. no telling for sure. So, nothing I can think of other than good routine maintenance that would make it last longer.

[CK]

Took the shifter cover off and as suspected, the shifter spring was broken. Played around with the shifter gears and saw how the "hook" mechanism engages the pins and either rotates the shift cam counter clockwise when up-shifting or clockwise when down-shifting. But that's where it ends for me. There's four pins for the mechanism to engage, but I can see that it can only engages the same two. Could the shift cam have gotten rotated to a position it's not supposed to be in. I'm convinced that if I put it back together now with a new spring, its only going to be able to shift from 4th to 5th or back. What am I missing? As it is right now, the four pins are in the 10, 8, 6, & 4 o'clock positions. Is this right? The hook mechanism only engages the same two pins.

Any explanation would be greatly appreciated.

Chris

[bikerphil]

Due to the design of the transmission gears, you will have to slightly rotate the rear wheel or you won't be able to shift thru all positions. It's highly doubtful the shift drum has moved past it's allowed position, it is designed so it can't. Try replacing the spring and test shifting before installing the cover.

[CK]

OK, thanks bikerphil, I'll try that tonight and provide an update.

Chris

[mack]

Springs

This bike has oil drained, check both springs and ensure the dot's are still in line. Just click on the picture, it should run. This will give you an idea of what you'll find under the cover.

[DGXSER]

I was diggin those tunes Mack! I can't recall, is there four or five pins in the shift drum?

[mack]

I didn't

pay any attension to it yet but I know it was more than four. I was doing all this trying to get the weight down on the motor so I could pull it myself to see if I could un-seize it. No luck though, two p[istons are rust welded to the jugs. I couldn't apply enough heat here to break them free.

[mack]

I've been wrong before

maybe it was four.

[DGXSER]

I honestly never had any trouble with it, so I never paid any attention. Looked through my pics of that area when I did my first dremel repair, can't tell for sure.

I would agree though to just get the return spring, install it. Then try to shift through the gears. And yes, you will need to rotate the rear wheel while shifting for it to shift alot of times.

[CK]

Bikerphil - turning the back tire slightly was the ticket - it'll work fine - just need to replace the spring and get a new gasket and I'll be on the road again. Thanks everyone for helping me out with this one.

Seriously, most of my buds felt this tranny problem was the ticket for me to get a newer ride - problem is, I like my XS - it fits me well - most of my friends don't understand that. Perhaps there's one, but I'm not immediately aware of another shaft driven in-line 4 - I know there's not a modern adventure bike being built that way. Too bad. Yamaha, in my opinion, needs to rethink the matter and birth another XS - just my 2 cents.

Thanks again,


Chris