TOPIC:

LOOKING FOR HELP AGAIN.

I am reposting this topic to see if there are any new responses as to what may be causing my problem. I have been away at college and ave not been able to work on my bike at all, but I am wondering if my issue may be a stripped first/second gear. I am not at home to be able to trouble shoot this issue, but am wondering if anyone on here has had a similar issue. I have a 1976 Kawasaki KZ400. I have done lot of work to the bike. I fixed every thing that was wrong and rode my bike for over 100 the first day it was plated.

The next day, I went out and got on it, started fine, put it in first gear, but it felt like it had no power. It was in first, but rpms had to be very very high to get it going. Once I got down the road and picked up enough speed I was fine. The problem persisted into the next day. The day after that, there is nothing. I can but the bike into first gear, I can feel if engage, but when I give it throttle, RPMs go up, but the bike does not move. I can fully release the clutch level as well and the bike does not stall. When I rode the bike the day before it went out, the only issues I was seeing was that when cruising around 55/60 the RPMs would rev up randomly. I would be steady on the throttle, but it would feel like something would slip and the RPMs would shoot up.

I described what I was experiencing to a friend of mine, and he said without hesitation, your clutch plates are slipping. Explained to me what happens when plates slip, and it made sense.

Well... I replaced my clutch plates and the problem persists. The only other information I can provide is that if the back tire is off the ground, the tire will spin, but if you push your foot against it, the tire will stop.

I am stuck here. I have taken it to two of my knowledgeable friends, and they are also stuck. I have attached a video showing me putting the bike into gear and what it sounds like.

Thanks for any help,
Blaze Watson

Make sure your front sprocket is still on the drive shaft. I had a similar experience a couple of years ago and it turned out the sprocket had slid off of the shaft.

Clutch cable frayed and stuck?
Steve

Did you put in new clutch springs when you put in new plates. The springs are usually the first part that goes bad in the clutch pack not the discs.

Were you able to just disassemble, correct the issue and reasseble? or did you need to replace any parts?

Clutch cable is free and moving...

Your clutch cable is likely out of adjustment. There are three locations for this:

- The level perch

- The cable midpoint

- Under a small rectangular cover just above the shifter

Your best bet is to get a factory service manual and ensure all three adjustments are set properly. The one on the left side of the engine is the one that seems to trip people up.

Also, stop riding until you do this. There's no sense putting additional wear on new clutch plates. Good luck!

The issue is not in the clutch cable. I have adjusted the clutch cable correctly, and messed with it any way I can and do not get any response still.

Don't know why I bother but See my previous post.

If its the same as 650's in operation then I believe your friend was correct when he said the clutch plates were slipping. Question is why were they slipping? If your confident the cable is good the next thing to look at is the clutch pushrod accuator. Its behind the front sprocket cover and gets covered in chain and road crap. Take the sprocket cover off and pull the clutch lever in and ensure the accuator operates and springs back as it should. If not clean and re grease it until it does. If thats ok next check the clutch push rod operates smoothly again gets covered in chain and road crap . Clean and regrease if it doesn't until it does.
If you still have no drive then you need to check the other side, the clutch drum is not slipping on the shaft and springs are good and that friction and pressure plates are in the correct order and of the right number.
Its unlikely to be the gearbox as khi gearboxes are almost bullet proof. The fact you can feel it engage a gear also pretty much rules out primary drive issues. Primary drive issues feel like a chain jumping on the sprocket.
Also what did your old plates measure when they came off? That would tell you if you needed new plates or not.

BlazeWatson wrote: The issue is not in the clutch cable. I have adjusted the clutch cable correctly, and messed with it any way I can and do not get any response still.

What type of engine oil did you use? Oil intended for car engines will have a lot of friction-reducing stuff added. Since your bike has a wet clutch, if you used car oil then there are now friction modifiers/reducers interfering with the operation of your clutch.

People have different oil preferences but you'll want something that is explicitly okay for motorcycles/free of anti-friction stuff.

That is a good shout by Nerdy. Barring any mechanical issues that is the most likely cause.