Shifting Problems

[GS Farmer]

Got to go for a 200 mile ride today, ninety degree's in central Nebraska. Got a problem that I had hoped might just go away, but instead seems to getting worse. Riding a 81 1000G that I swapped an engine in this winter. The doner motor came out of a 80 1000L model. I noticed when I rode the L last winter ( It was butt frezeing cold) that it seemed to shift a little harder that the G, but wrote it off as cold weather\cold oil. After the swap I noticed that when engine was cold and you went to shift down, the shift lever would not come back to the neautral position, you would have to bring it back up manually. But it seemed that after engine was warm, it then was okay. Now the problem is both up and down, as about 75% of the time the lever will stick in the up or down position, needing to be manually returned. Pulled the cover off of left side, that shift shaft comes through, cleaned, greased alittle and reinstalled. With cover off , I was moving shifter, and It is stiff and sticky feeling. Shaft dos'nt look bent, I don't think the other bike had ever been down. I'm running 20\50 oil, and thats what I always ran in the previous GS's I've owned. In looking at the clymers manual I see there are some springs involved, on the shift pawls behind clutch basket, and maybe somewhere else. Also neautral has always been hard to catch. The clutch seems to work as it should, no dragging, disengages fine. The doner motor only had 8700 miles on it, was wondering if sitting so long could have sludged something up internally??? I know, probably wishful thinking!! Next thing I'll try is going to a lighter oil, but Ive got a bad feeling this might be internal mechanical problem. Was wondering if anybody else has experienced these symptoms?? Thanks, Tod..

[rphillips]

When first reading your post, I thought the spring, behind the clutch basket. But if it's stiff & sluggish all the time, doesn't sound as much like the spring, But it still would be worth a look.

[SqDancerLynn1]

SHaft could be binding ? Need to remove the clutch assembly to check the springs & shift shaft

[jmlcolorado]

Has anyone found a resolution to this issue? Mine is having the samp problem.

[Steve]

What you just read is all we know. If you notice, he was a "guest" and had no post count.

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[jmlcolorado]

My Resolution

Well, i found the hard way that you CAN NOT use any liquid gasket maker on the clutch cover. Doinf this moves the clutch cover into the engine just a fraction of an inch too much. The shift lever uses this cover to keep it from sliding back and forth in the engine case.
There is a knob built into the clutch cover that contacts the shift lever on the inside of the cover. If you use liquid gasket maker, when you tighten the cover, it will press the shift lever against the inside of the case and cause it to "stick"

SO, lesson for all.......USE THE CORK OR BOARD GASKET SUZUKI RECOMENDS.