Cannot get bike in gear.

1974 Z1 Chassis, 1976 KZ900 Motor/Transmission (not LTD, not shaft drive)

Problem started after converting my ride from 630 to 530 chain and sprockets. Anyone familiar with this conversion knows you need to remove the left-side clutch cover to get to the front sprocket and chain to replace with the 530 parts. Once this cover is off you have access to the front sprocket, transmission push rod, and on the cover the clutch release mechanism, clutch cable, spring and cotter pin.

My problem is this. After reinstalling everything (clutch cover, gear lever etc) and checking that I can go from neutral to first and back while motor is off I then proceed to turn the bike on. Once on, I can no longer shift down to neutral.

I take off the cover and modulate the push rod (pull out part-way and push back in) and at some point am able to again shift from neutral to first.

* caveat - while on a stand to raise the rear wheel - sometimes I can get the bike started and shift from neutral to first and back, and also while in first, pull the clutch lever to disengage the clutch from the driveline. Once off the stand and ready to ride, I am back to not being able to shift. I don't know if the "on the stand" means anything pertinent since when I am working on it I tend to use it but wanted to throw that data out there.

Is it possible that when I originally pulled out the push rod a bearing on the clutch side (right side) "fell"?
I also notice that when you pull it out say 4 inches and when you try to push back in there is a point where it seems to stick about 1 or so inches from full insertion. You have to jiggle it a little to get it to slide all the way in. Not always, but almost.

I am pretty sure the problem does not reside with clutch cable adjustments as the problem did not occur before the sprocket/chain conversion and me pulling out (not all the way but pretty far) the pushrod.

Any help would be great guys.

That bearing is pressed in. I don't think it's possible for it to just fall out.

It's more likely that you haven't adjusted the push rod mechanism correctly. I don't know what manual you're following but some of them have the instructions for this stuff reversed.

I read that other thread on the adjustment mechanism. The one with Old Man Kaw's input.. Its similar to the directions I have in my manual.

I believe that, like the manual, I should be adjusting the screw clockwise until I feel the screw engage (resistance) then tighten the lock nut down. Going the other way you would simply unscrew the adjusting screw all the way out of the lever mechanism I would assume.

I will go through the procedure of adjustment again to see if it helps or solves the problem.

Good to hear that I couldn't have "made something fall out" when sliding out the push rod part-way.

Bugeater wrote: . . . I believe that, like the manual, I should be adjusting the screw clockwise until I feel the screw engage (resistance) then tighten the lock nut down. . . .

The basic idea is to lightly seat the screw against the push rod, then back the screw 1/4 turn away from the push rod, to thereby provide a small gap between end of screw and push rod. And then tighten the lock nut down. With handlebar clutch lever fully released, there should be some slight slack in the cable.

Also, except for 1st to/from neutral, the transmission is designed to not shift unless the rear wheel is turning forward.
If not already done -- with bike on center stand, would attempt shifting while spinning the rear wheel by hand.

Good Fortune!

Bugeater wrote: I read that other thread on the adjustment mechanism. The one with Old Man Kaw's input.. Its similar to the directions I have in my manual.

I believe that, like the manual, I should be adjusting the screw clockwise until I feel the screw engage (resistance) then tighten the lock nut down. Going the other way you would simply unscrew the adjusting screw all the way out of the lever mechanism I would assume.

I will go through the procedure of adjustment again to see if it helps or solves the problem.

Good to hear that I couldn't have "made something fall out" when sliding out the push rod part-way.

I'm telling you it may be counterclockwise. It is on my bike. What that screw is actually doing is pushing on a plate that presses on some ball bearings. So counterclockwise == increasing the distance between the screw head and the plate == decreasing the distance between the plate and the pushrod. If you went clockwise, then that would explain why your clutch is engaging too late and you can't get into first.

Relax both cable adjustments, adjust the screw until tight, back off 1/4 turn, tighten the lock nut, then the cable adjustments. Get it on the road and see how it does. Might be clutch plates sticking.
Steve

Was the bike shifting fine before you took the sprocket cover off?

Solved.

This time I performed the adjustments with the rear wheel up in rear center stand, with the engine running. What I noticed was when the adjustment screw was not tightened down (but in the proper adjustment per manual) everything worked perfect. Was able to shift. Clutch worked fine. IF YOU OVER TORQUED THE LOCK NUT, IT QUIT WORKING.

I tightened the lock nut down but not too tight and everything worked fine on-stand then on test drive. I don't know what the torque specs are on that lock nut but I was surprised to see this the problem! Explained why I was seeing it sometimes on the stand, because I would check to see if I could switch gears before I buttoned everything up to take off the stand - ie: tighten down the lock nut.

Weird. I wonder if when I over torque that nut something in the adjustment mechanism is flexing or I need to replace the mechanism soon... well see.

In my case I followed the adjustment per CLYMERS manual - no deviation (unscrewing the opposite way)...fyi for others


Thanks for everyones help. Wouldn't have re-attempted the adjustment without being prodded by ya'll

Bugeater wrote: Solved.

This time I performed the adjustments with the rear wheel up in rear center stand, with the engine running. What I noticed was when the adjustment screw was not tightened down (but in the proper adjustment per manual) everything worked perfect. Was able to shift. Clutch worked fine. IF YOU OVER TORQUED THE LOCK NUT, IT QUIT WORKING.

I tightened the lock nut down but not too tight and everything worked fine on-stand then on test drive. I don't know what the torque specs are on that lock nut but I was surprised to see this the problem! Explained why I was seeing it sometimes on the stand, because I would check to see if I could switch gears before I buttoned everything up to take off the stand - ie: tighten down the lock nut.

Weird. I wonder if when I over torque that nut something in the adjustment mechanism is flexing or I need to replace the mechanism soon... well see.

In my case I followed the adjustment per CLYMERS manual - no deviation (unscrewing the opposite way)...fyi for others


Thanks for everyones help. Wouldn't have re-attempted the adjustment without being prodded by ya'll

So, when you tighten the lock nut you're supposed to be holding the screw in position with a screw driver and turning the nut with a box wrench. Is this what you did? There's no way you'd ever be able to do that with a torque wrench, so there's not really any point in specifying a torque value. With lock nuts in general, it only needs to be hand tight.

You tighten the lock nut snug with a open end wrench.
Steve

I never used a torque wrench, I just assumed I was over torqueing. The adjustment screw was held in place with a flathead screwdriver and tightened the locknut down with an open wrench.

Well, after the successful test drive I put her away. Next day got on to go riding and NO SHIFT. Wouldn't go into gear again so back to square one... I have another adjustment mechanism from my parts bike so I will try that one I think. Maybe I will take the cover off my 75 turbo bike and see if that mechanism actuates any different than the 74.. lol it really shouldn't be such a mystery I think!

Anyone else have difficulties with this?

Bugeater wrote: I never used a torque wrench, I just assumed I was over torqueing. The adjustment screw was held in place with a flathead screwdriver and tightened the locknut down with an open wrench.

Well, after the successful test drive I put her away. Next day got on to go riding and NO SHIFT. Wouldn't go into gear again so back to square one... I have another adjustment mechanism from my parts bike so I will try that one I think. Maybe I will take the cover off my 75 turbo bike and see if that mechanism actuates any different than the 74.. lol it really shouldn't be such a mystery I think!

Anyone else have difficulties with this?

Heh. Yeah. On my bike you also have the heel/toe shifter linkage to deal with. There's one perfect balance where it shifts smoothly. A little off in either direction and you can't shift up or down, and if that pushrod adjustment isn't right you either clunk/grind into gear or the mechanism goes "pop" and the clutch doesn't work at all because it jumped over to the next ball bearing and you have to take the whole damn thing apart and reset it (usually on the side of the road).