/6 Clutch / Gearbox issue

[Ze Red Baron]

I finally had a chance to go out for a Sunday morning ride with a friend today, and about 15 minutes into the ride, as I come around a corner out of an intersection, the bike shifts into second, and then stops shifting altogether. Can't downshift to get it into neutral, can't upshift into third. When I pull in the clutch lever, it disengages the gear.

I was able to jump start by coasting and popping the clutch, and limp home in second. Anyone have any ideas of what the issue might be, and how involved diving into it might be?

Thanks,

Gero

[Boon Booni]

Originally Posted by Ze Red Baron

I finally had a chance to go out for a Sunday morning ride with a friend today, and about 15 minutes into the ride, as I come around a corner out of an intersection, the bike shifts into second, and then stops shifting altogether. Can't downshift to get it into neutral, can't upshift into third. When I pull in the clutch lever, it disengages the gear.

I was able to jump start by coasting and popping the clutch, and limp home in second. Anyone have any ideas of what the issue might be, and how involved diving into it might be?

Thanks,

Gero

The issue is that you broke your clutch shifter pawl spring. Happened to me and left me in 2nd gear as well. "C" in the photo is the clutch shifter pawl, and there is a torsion spring that keeps it in contact with the big wheel with teeth on it.



Going to have to pull the transmission, and yank it apart to fix. Might as well install new bearings, seals, and maybe a shift kit while you're in there.

EDIT: And I see you have a '74 gearbox. The '74s are known for having some bad gear dogs on 3rd(?) gear that can break off and get chewed up in the system.

Here's what broken dogs looks like.



The two chunks missing from the top are the broken ones, the two intact ones are... well.. intact. So take a look while you're in there. That gear is from my box. The damage was noticed while we were in there for the pawl spring. I hadn't noticed any oddities about the box, but I went back and upended the oil catch container I'd been using for years and one of the dogs fell out. Don't know where or when the other broke off. Replaced the gear with one from another box.


You might want to look into a newer style gear box, either from a later/6 or a /7. The problem with the dogs was a one year only issue. I have a later model /6 gear box sitting in a corner waiting for the day when my gear finally grenades...

[Ze Red Baron]

Originally Posted by Boon Booni

The issue is that you broke your clutch pawl spring. Happened to me and left me in 2nd gear as well.

Going to have to pull the transmission, and yank it apart to fix. Might as well install new bearings, seals, and maybe a shift kit while you're in there.

EDIT: And I see you have a '74 gearbox. The '74s are known for having some bad gear dogs on 3rd(?) gear that can break off and get chewed up in the system.

Here's what broken dogs looks like.



The two chunks missing from the top are the broken ones, the two intact ones are... well.. intact. So take a look while you're in there. That gear is from my box. The damage was noticed while we were in there for the pawl spring. I hadn't noticed any oddities about the box, but I went back and upended the oil catch container I'd been using for years and one of the dogs fell out. Don't know where or when the other broke off. Replaced the gear with one from another box.


You might want to look into a newer style gear box, either from a later/6 or a /7. The problem with the dogs was a one year only issue. I have a later model /6 gear box sitting in a corner waiting for the day when my gear finally grenades...

Thanks Boon - this is very helpful. If the dogs from 3rd gear broke off, I should still be able to get into 1st though, shouldn't I?

Not what I was hoping to have to do, but might as well get down and dirty...

[Boon Booni]

Originally Posted by Ze Red Baron

Thanks Boon - this is very helpful. If the dogs from 3rd gear broke off, I should still be able to get into 1st though, shouldn't I?

Not what I was hoping to have to do, but might as well get down and dirty...

Yes if the dogs break you only lose one gear as long as the dogs don't lock the transmission up on their way to the bottom of the sump.

Your issue is, without a doubt, the clutch shifter pawl spring.

I was just giving you too much info on something to look for while you're in the box fixing the spring.

[Boon Booni]

...and why I keep calling it the "Clutch" pawl spring I couldn't tell you.

It's the shifter pawl spring.

[Ze Red Baron]

Shifter pawl spring makes more sense as I was able to get neutral by pulling in the clutch lever, or I'd still be by the side of the road

I'll figure out what parts I need and give Bob's a call.

thanks!