'80 KZ440 clutch - won't disengage

Hey everyone.

I'm new to this forum and have been reading through the archives to find my problem. It seems there have been a couple, but no resolution posted.

I bought the above bike for a friend to learn with. The bike runs great (I rode it home for her) but needs some miscellaneous work; nothing major. First thing was to replace the clutch cable which was frayed.

Cable replacement was fairly painless, everything fit together the way it seems it should. The actuator on the side cover is well-lubed and seems to be doing its job. HOWEVER - I cannot get the clutch to disengage now. I adjusted the cable to where the spring tension is felt right as the lever is pulled, but it doesn't release the clutch disks (can't rotate the back wheel). I've even tried adjusting beyond that (where I KNOW it shouldn't be), but it just won't disengage.

I pulled it apart again and looked at everything I can see, it all looks the way I think it should. The pushrod is clean, and not binding in any way. I think my only option is to take the clutch basket apart to see what it's doing over there.

Any suggestions? I thought the ball might have gotten dislodged, but would I still feel the spring tension if that's the case? Could the pushrod be pushing off center? It doesn't seem likely in either case.

Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks for your time.

- Fred

Welcome aboard, 1LessCage (nice screenname )

Showing diagram for reference, if needed, for someone more experienced with this style push rod adjuster to offer sugestions.



Post edited by: Patton, at: 2007/11/19 10:33

did you adjust on the engine? loosen the jamb nut, tighten adjuster till it gets a little snug, then IN 1/4 turn. i know it sounds wrong, but i am pretty sure that is the procedure for the 78' and newer 400/440. i know you usually back it off 1/2 turn but these are different for some reason. then go and adjust your cable after of course.

Post edited by: flht1997, at: 2007/11/19 22:00

Thanks for the responses so far.

Being that I was just replacing the cable, I assumed the engine adjuster was ok where it was and adjusted the slack at the lever first. However, after undoing and redoing it so many times, I did start at the engine and moved back to the lever with no better luck.

I didn't have a manual with me at first (it's just a stinking cable - or so I thought), and I've learned a lot about how it's supposed to work since then.

I plan on taking it all apart again sometime this week and take a look at everything again, painstakingly adjusting as I go.

It's been suggested that maybe the ball (21 in the diagram - thanks Patton) has been worn flat, and is jammed in cockeyed. I'm not sure if that is A.) possible, or B.) likely to cause a problem, but I'll try to fish the ball out with a magnet and look at it. Before I take the clutch basket apart.

Thanks again, suggest away...

Post edited by: 1LessCage, at: 2007/11/19 12:29

1LessCage wrote:

...suggest away...

Maybe this procedure

clutch

If not already seen, here's a posting (courtesy of JR) found by entering clutch pushrod in the search forum box. It's one of the several links shown which might be helpful.

Re:KZ440 wont go - 2005/11/30 22:00
If you go here to Ibsens site www.kz400.com/TechnicaltipsFrameset.html and scroll about 2/3rd of the way down theres a secton on clutch adjustment. The last time I messed with the cable on my 750 I think I had to repeat the adjustment about 6 times before getting it right - very frustrating. Also wonder if it might be worth your while checking out the mechanism on the other side of the adjuster screw location shown in ltdrider's photo and seeing if your mechanism is acting correctly on the clutch pushrod - assuming you have one.

flht1997 got it right.
One important question is if the clutch worked properly before you replaced the cable. If it did,I think the problem is the cable installation and you should check if you installed it correctly and that it is correctly adjusted. But if the clutch didn't work before you replaced the cable, the problem is most likely to be found in the clutch itself. It is not uncommon that clutch plates that hasn't been used for many years will be like they should have been glued together, and the solution is to dismantle the clutch, clean the clutch plates in a solvent like kerosene, then put them in a bath with fresh engine oil and finally put everything back together. And when you have taken the clutch off the shaft you can just push the push rod inwards a little and the steel ball should come out on the right hand side of the shaft. And sometimes the ball will fall out by itself when you take off the "mushroom" :

Yeah, the clutch worked fine beforehand (I rode it home), so I agree it has to be the cable installation. I won't get a chance to get over there to look at it again until later this week.

It's got to be a lack of procedure on my part. I'm betting I don't have the side adjuster set right, even though I'm not sure why it would have come "un-adjusted." Regardless, I'll start there and work my way back to the lever. I just don't see how anything could be wrong in the basket.

I'll let you guys know what happens. Thanks for all the responses.

- Fred

Ok, I've taken the left side (adjuster mechanism) apart a couple more times, and here's what I see:

- The mechanism seems to work fine. If I loosen the side cover screws and work the clutch lever, it actually pushes the cover off. I've taken it completely apart anyway and made sure everything is clean, working smoothly, and lined up all nice-like.

- The pushrod moves freely through the transmission. It looks the same on both ends, but I tried putting it in backwards in case, somehow, in a fit of confusion, I put it in wrong; no difference.

No matter how much I adjust the screw on the side cover, I cannot get the clutch to release.

Next, I'll take the other side apart next so I can watch it, maybe see what's happening.

Just an update, see if anyone can see what I'm missing.

Good Thanksgiving?

Hello everyone. I'm just wondering if there was any end verdict to this thread. I'm having the EXACT same problem on my 1980 KZ750LTD. Clutch cable broke at the hand lever so I bought a new cable and installed it according to CLYMER. The clutch was working fine before and the mechanisms seem to be in good working order. The resistance at the lever feels right, but the clutch will not disengage. Any ideas or has anyone else run into this?

Well, in my case, it turned out to be inexperience with wet clutches. My other bikes are BMW and dry clutches. When I took the clutch basket apart, I could see that the oil was just cold, and the disks were just sticking to each other. Once the weather warmed up and the engine was run the first time, the clutch worked perfectly.

I hope that helps!