79 KZ400 Clutch / Tranny issues

check the pusher under clutch cover that engages pushrod.
can you here transmision engage when you shift trans?
trans could be going into gear but clutch is just not engaging,not sure which issue your having.

treitz wrote:

In looking through the manual and pictures of my bike I don't think that there is any way looking through the shift side covers will help me here.

As you can see in this picture, there is no visual way to see the the push rod from the shift side other than the inch or two that is sticking out.

If I decide to take the clutch side cover off, what am I looking for? I have attached a picture with a circle where I THINK the push rod goes, but I am not sure.

bottem picture is the external linkage i was talking about,check the spring on lobster claw where it goes around shift drum

This is harder to explain than I thought it would be...

With the shift side cover off I can see the push rod. The push rod is obviously all the way IN because I cannot push it in any further. So the clutch is DISENGAGED right?? It's as if the clutch lever is always pulled.

Meaning... when I try to shift, the shifter goes up and down but never engages in a gear because the clutch will not allow it to.

Make sense?

treitz wrote:

This is harder to explain than I thought it would be...

With the shift side cover off I can see the push rod. The push rod is obviously all the way IN because I cannot push it in any further. So the clutch is DISENGAGED right?? It's as if the clutch lever is always pulled.

Meaning... when I try to shift, the shifter goes up and down but never engages in a gear because the clutch will not allow it to.

Make sense?

With the shift side cover off I can see the push rod. The push rod is obviously all the way IN because I cannot push it in any further. So the clutch is DISENGAGED right?? It's as if the clutch lever is always pulled. WRONG.

Under such conditions, the push-rod is just sitting there in its channel doing absolutely nothing, whereby the clutch is supposed to be fully ENGAGED.

It takes more than naked hand pressure to exert enough force against the push-rod to disengage the clutch.
What it takes is a properly assembled and installed actuator, cable and sprocket cover, together with a proper gap set between the adjuster screw and end of the push-rod, and proper cable sheath adjustments.

Good Fortune!

Patton wrote:

treitz wrote:

This is harder to explain than I thought it would be...

With the shift side cover off I can see the push rod. The push rod is obviously all the way IN because I cannot push it in any further. So the clutch is DISENGAGED right?? It's as if the clutch lever is always pulled.

Meaning... when I try to shift, the shifter goes up and down but never engages in a gear because the clutch will not allow it to.

Make sense?

With the shift side cover off I can see the push rod. The push rod is obviously all the way IN because I cannot push it in any further. So the clutch is DISENGAGED right?? It's as if the clutch lever is always pulled. WRONG.

Under such conditions, the push-rod is just sitting there in its channel doing absolutely nothing, whereby the clutch is supposed to be fully ENGAGED.

It takes more than naked hand pressure to exert enough force against the push-rod to disengage the clutch.
What it takes is a properly assembled and installed actuator, cable and sprocket cover, together with a proper gap set between the adjuster screw and end of the push-rod, and proper cable sheath adjustments.

Good Fortune!

I pushed with more than just my hand. And nothing.

I have also properly installed the sprocket cover and clutch cable and I am fairly certain, but not 100% sure that the push rod is not moving when I pull the clutch.

If you do not believe that the clutch is stuck in the disengaged position, what could be causing the symptoms I described?

With the sprocket cover off and no pressure on the push rod it will not shift into gear. The shifter travels up and down but it does not find the gears. As if the clutch is pulled. This is to say that 30 seconds prior this happening it DID shift into gear. I feel that when I installed the clutch cable and sprocket cover and pulled the clutch it disengaged the clutch and it is now stuck disengaged due to bad springs.

In its normal resting position, the clutch plates are held pressed together by the springs, at which time the clutch is "engaged."

The push-rod is part of the mechanism whereby the clutch plates may be forcefully spread apart by compressing the springs, which allows separation of the plates, hence "disengaged."

The adjuster screw pushes against the push-rod.

The adjusted gap (per clutch push-rod adjustment) assures there's no pressure being exerted against the push-rod while the clutch is supposedly fully engaged (handlebar clutch lever not being squeezed).

Good Fortune!

Question -- is transmission now in neutral, and won't shift into 1st?

Patton wrote:

In its normal resting position, the clutch plates are held pressed together by the springs, at which time the clutch is "engaged."

The push-rod is part of the mechanism whereby the clutch plates may be forcefully spread apart by compressing the springs, which allows separation of the plates, hence "disengaged."

The adjuster screw pushes against the push-rod.

The adjusted gap (per clutch push-rod adjustment) assures there's no pressure being exerted against the push-rod while the clutch is supposedly fully engaged (handlebar clutch lever not being squeezed).

Good Fortune!

I fully understand what you are saying, but I don't think you understand what I am saying.

With the sprocket cover completely off, so ZERO pressure on the push rod the clutch should be ENGAGED in which case with the bike OFF I would be able to shift through the gears without issue.

Prior to yesterday this worked correctly. I could shift through the gears with ease. With the bike OFF and the sprocket cover off.

All of the sudden it wouldn't shift anymore. With the sprocket cover off (no pressure on push rod) and the engine off.

Does that makes more sense as to why I feel like the clutch is stuck in the disengaged position? With the plates spread apart.

Patton wrote:

Question -- is transmission now in neutral, and won't shift into 1st?

Yes it is in neutral. The shifter will go up, and go down but will not find a gear.

I can hear it "clicking" as if it's finding the gear, just won't stay in the gear.

But if the clutch is truly stuck in the disengaged position, it could be in gear but I wouldn't know.

Regardless of clutch position or condition of plates or springs or even with the entire clutch basket removed from the engine, or push-rod removed and set aside, and with the sprocket cover removed --- the tranny should still shift back and forth between neutral and 1st gear.

When everything is functioning perfectly, it should not shift up from neutral into 2nd gear unless the bike is moving forward. Which is a safety design by Kawasaki.
This forward motion may be simulated with the bike on its center-stand (or rear wheel otherwise suspended) by hand-spinning the rear wheel.

Good Fortune!

Ya good point.

Although it won't go into first either. The most confusing part about this whole bit is the fact that at one moment it was shifting through just fine and the next it wouldn't.

Just not sure where I should even start trouble shooting.