Cannot depress clutch lever while engine running

[midway]

did you read what this guy posted? he's claiming that one loose primary cover attachment bolt might be the culprit. i can assure you and he that it is not. problem lies within the guidelines i provided to him.

Yep something more than a loose cover bolt, I'm just being polite with the poster sir. Lets don't lose him and the conversation as there is something to learn for most of us here. I'm sure you already have it sorted in your mind, I'm not there yet Are we not entertained?

 

[34nineteen]

I agree with those two. Please let us know what the outcome is.

 

[tazwolf]

Hi all
Have not had a chance to get my tools so i can go through the guidelines given earlier in the thread. Hopefully at the weekend. Bike cant go anywhere. The loose bolt on the primary i saw while looking over the bike quickly. I have no idea if that is the entire problem or the cause or nothing to do with it, but that is all i know until i get my tools and can go through the guidelines.
Thanks for all the help will report back!

 

[racepro716]

I'm gonna guess the little lip on the inside of the primary cover that supports the ramp assembly is broken. This kinda sounds like how mine went when it broke. I was able to nurse it home but there's not much clearance in there and I can easily see how the assembly could bind in there. My 2 cents.

Wayne

 

[tazwolf]

Late home from work so i only had half an hour to investigate before it got dark.
Took off the 3 screw derby cover and ......
The spring in front of the ramp assembly (which works fine) is absent without leave, gone, missing in action, departed.
The hex coupling nut was hanging on for dear life on the edge of the adjustment screw.
So tomorrow i will set up a search and rescue for the missing spring and when found will check that lip on the primary as well just in case.


Again, really appreciate all the help.

 

[midway]

Thanks for following up with more information. Hope there isn't too much damage, very Interesting issue.

 

[TPEHAK]

It looks like when you were putting the inspection cover back you did it inaccurately and the spring popped out and you had not noticed it. You have to attach the inspection cover carefully and hold it firmly against spring until you have tightened all screws.

 

[tazwolf]

Midway, it will be interesting to see what happened to the spring, hopefully its just lying at the bottom of the primary, or in the worse case.... well lets see what i find to tomorrow. Of course it could be that finding the spring and putting it back is still not the end of the story but i will keep updating this thread till the bike is running again.

 

[tazwolf]

TPEHAK: yes very likely, i remember rushing that bit but dont remember why

 

[midway]

Rode it this weekend and all was fine

I don't see how you were able to ride it for a time if the spring isn't there. Lunatic is going to come back in here any minute and drop the hammer if we don't start making sense

 

[tazwolf]

Hi midway, I did ride it at the weekend, it was fine.

Just interested in getting the bike fixed and appreciate the help.
i dont understand the hammer comment.

 

[Cooter]

The Hammer Of Knowledge my young Skywalker...

 

[njloco]

And a vice grip with some duct tape !

We're just foolin wicha. You'll get it sorted out.

 

[midway]

To clarify the "hammer" comment while we wait for more of your details it was in reference to Lunatics break down of possible scenarios for your issue. He's going to spank us if we wonder off on crazy theories after he has already stated the only possibilities.

Now I will share my recent screw up to pass the time and btw friend up! Recently changed oil without my glasses (never do it) and overfilled just enough to cause a little spit up through the crankcase breather hose. The intake air sensor is conveniently located right between those hoses and took a light coat. The second this happens you get sputtering throughout the throttle range. Fuel mixture going crazy kind of ECM freak out I assume. You can hold steady until you get home but that's a ride with your mind on a thousand possibilities other than the road. I carefully cleaned the sensor with alcohol and run a swab down the length of the hoses to gather up any residual oil. Always go straight for the last thing you did

 

[user_deleted]

I don't see how you were able to ride it for a time if the spring isn't there. Lunatic is going to come back in here any minute and drop the hammer if we don't start making sense

LOL. loved that comment! no hammer dropping being issued BUT here's what happened and a potential easy fix. if you don't read this carefully you're going to potentially perform a hell of alot more work than necessary. read and try.
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED: you removed the derby cover...easy to do. you replaced the derby cover. NOT so easy to do and you did it incorrectly. period. during replacement you did NOT perform the procedure correctly and the clutch pack adjustment spring dropped into your primary assembly. from that point there was nothing to hold the clutch pack adjustment lock-nut in place. you rode the bike...eventually the slotted adjustment screw loosened up....your ability to operate the clutch disappeared. consider yourself fortunate you did NOT incur more damage than you did.
REPAIR STEPS: install and tighten ALL primary cover perimeter hex cap bolts. they must be torqued and sequenced or you'll have leaks.
drain the primary fluid. it holds 1 quart. replace the O-ring on the primary drain plug.
with bike on side-stand and fluid drained get a strong magnet that has small hole in it somewhere....anywhere.
attach the magnet to a very thin piece of wire. wrap the wire around magnet so that the magnet CANNOT fall off the wire. got that? important.
with oil drained and derby cover removed fish the magnet and wire down into the primary. it will grab the spring and retrieve it for you. be patient...be smart...be dilligent. the spring will come out.
with spring in hand now replace the drain plug...fill the primary with fluid and now and only now start from scratch with a complete clutch cable/clutch pack adjustment procedure. i've posted it on here 100X or more...not posting it again. manual also covers it.

 

[TPEHAK]

There is a possibility that the spring is not in the primary case but somewhere on the garage floor where you wrenched your motorcycle, or maybe you even did not install it at all.

The hexagonal nut without spring load slided out the pocket ant stuck between the cover and the hexagonal pocket walls. So now when you pull the clutch lever you press directly on the cover trough this nut stuck between the cover and the walls of the hexagonal slot. If you pull the clutch too hard you can brake the inspection cover mounting places or damage the components where the nut stuck.

 

[tazwolf]

So i folllowed instructions here and started fishing for the spring in the primary, nothing, tried all diiferent shapes of wire with magnet on end, nothing. Got fed up after 4 hours and took the primary cover off.

Imagine the look of "surprise" when i still could not find it.... must have started getting cocky having done the first few clutch adjustments by the book that i was not as alert and just forgotvto put the spring back on, note to myself, always do a checklist based on the service manual even if you have done a procedure before!!!! Put the primary cover back but stripped the thread on the shifter pivot, bolt just spun around and would not tighten even though it was fully seated.

Spare parts are hard to fing here in Sweden but i managed to get hold of a new spring and a longer shifter bolt with appropriate nyloc nut. Reassembled the primary following the correct bolt tightening sequence. Readusted the clutch, topped the primary oil level and..... it seems to work fine, went for a 2 hour ride and all seems well.

Thanks for all the help. really appreciate it.

I reused the primary gasket as i could not get hold one in a short period of time so i will keep an eye on any leaking oil.

 

[midway]

Good show! Very helpful, no one here will forget what happens when the spring is not reinstalled.