Gear shift issues! Jammed in second

[scicluna]

Hi all,
I have an 88 Vmax, lately I have been having trouble upshifting usually 1st to 2nd gear & occasionally feeling like rough meshing, false neutrals and trouble finding neutral while parking.
Last night coming home from work I went to gear down from 5 to 1st coming up to lights and found I couldn't gear down the shift lever felt jammed. It then came loose and got down to 1st normally. took off at the lights got second gear normally and that's where it stayed', jammed!

Also the clutch had no affect when pulled, wouldn't disengage the driveline. The clutch felt like it had lots of freeplay and spongy? Pulling the clutch only changed the exhaust note slightly and didn't make any noticeable difference to slowing the bike? While driving in 2nd I could hear a slight ratchety noise from the gearbox?

Got it home and pulled the clutch basket, frictions looked good, some of the metals had slight burn spots, nothing major probably from me trying to disengage the clutch. I only had a quick look as I needed to get some sleep after shift work. The gearbox was no longer jammed in gear and I was able to change gears with the lever?

The gear selector segment looks pretty normal, the pins seem ok and all there with no major distortion? What I did find sometimes was that the selector would only rotate enough to select half a gear if that makes sense with the pawls not locking on the segment pins? If I rotated it by hand it then locked in place as it should, might be related to the gearbox not rotating while shifting??
What I don't understand is that if the segment was a issue, why wouldn't the clutch release?
Also the slave cyclinder is working pushing and releasing the push rod?

sorry this is so long winded, but wanted to give as much info and need some ideas. Thanks

 

[[email protected]]

Check the "How To" sectrion for shift segment replacement. It sounds like this is your problem. Pretty common issues with the older Vmaxes, or at least, part of the issue.
As far as the clutch not working, that sounds a bit odd if the slave is working.

I'd start with replacing the segment. Put the clutch back together but, leave the cover off. Purge the slave and line with new fluid and bleed and see what happens.

 

[jfeagins]

Bent shift fork inside?

 

[Itgoes]

Sounds like a clutch problem not a gear box problem......could be both I guess at this point. If the clutch wasn't disengaging completely exactly what you described would/could happen. Not the plates though.....master or slave.

 

[one2dmax]

Low fluid sounds like to me.

 

[jfeagins]

Maybe a big air bubble trapped up by the banjo bolt?

 

[Fire-medic]

Push the clutch fluid up from the slave bleeder w/a syringe. Plenty of threads about it & what you need to do it, nothing expensive.

 

[scicluna]

Thanks guys for the ideas, will check them out and keep you posted. Hopefully I get it sorted before I even have to think about that shift fork jfeagins lol?
Mike