Chattering or slipping starting out first gear.

[puv]

I'm looking for some advice. I just picked up a XJ1100 with 9,000mi and it has a problem. When put into first gear and start to let the clutch out some chattering and hesitation occurs so much that you pull the clutch back in for fear of something breaking. This doesn't happen when starting out in 2nd. I haven't tried going through the rest of the gears yet. The person I baught it from thought it was just the clutch and pulled the clutch with the intention of replacing it but has not yet. Is this something experienced before? I read a lot of the stuff under the tech tips and all I see falls under 2nd or 5th gears. Is what I'm experiencing maybe similar issues? Seems kind of weird with only 9K mi. But it is old. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanx

puv

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there PUV,

My bike which is an 81 Special, along with 2 other XJ's were the three bikes that I've done the "1st" and second gear dremmel fixes on. My 1st went first, followed by 2nd a few months later. One Xj was so bad, that anything above IDLE in trying to let the clutch out caused it to pop out of gear/mesh with the dogs and slots, sounded like a machine gun!

With only 9K on the clock, it's odd for it to show up so soon, but if the PO was a 1st gear hammer, stopping and shifting in and out of first gear a lot, I guess it could wear the dogs out that quick!? GO back and look thru the tech tips, you'll find under repairs, the "1st and 2nd gear Dremmel fix", you'll see pictures of what the gears look like when they wear!

If you can get into 2nd gear without too much trouble, then you can still enjoy the riding season using that technique, and then tear it down in the Fall and get it fixed then.

[puv]

Thank you Top Cat. It all looks a little intimidating but I might be willing to give it a try. First I'm going to put a new clutch in and see what happens. Who knows, maybe it's just the clutch. Yah right!

puv

[TopCatGr58]

Hey PUV,

If you're going to go to the trouble of replacing the clutch plates, you're already about half way done with the gear repair! I had never worked on a Tranny either, and with just the info from Ken Talbot's pages, and my Clymer's, I was able to do it! You don't have to split the cases, the one shaft comes out fairly easily, and with the bike on it's back(upside down), it's easy to handle the shift forks and such! The Torx bolts holdind the bearing end of the countershaft is one of the hardest parts. And although my Dremmel fix has held for 4 years, when I do this on "Teacher", I'll be getting with a machinist to more precisely grind/mill the contact surfaces of the 1st and 4th gear dogs/slots!

You can do it!!! T.C.

[puv]

A local fixit guy by me said he could simply replace the "dogs". Looking at all the literature writen it doesn't look like you can simply replace the "dogs" I think your right. I might as well just finish the job. Be prepared for a lot of questions. Thanks again,

puv