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81 GS550 Tranny questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter khardrunner14
  • Start date Start date
K

khardrunner14

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The bike was running fairly well, with a couple little glitches. I decided to seafoam it to try to clean it up a bit. I put 1/2 a can in the tank and 1/2 in the crankcase, ran it for 15 minutes or so. It never sputtered or smoked. It was getting dark so I put the bike away for the night. Here's where the trouble is:

I went to ride in the morning and it shifted hard into 1st. THe lever doesn't return after the shift and it's a bear to shift into any other gear. Basically the lever doesn't have any spring feel, it just sticks. The clutch works fine as it engages and disengages like normal.

I figured the seafoam deposited a bunch of crap in the tranny so I ran it until it was hot. The shifting improved, but barely. It's not rideable. I changed the oil while it was hot with no improvement.

What's the deal?
 
Change your oil. I'll bet my money on it that, that will fix your problems...
 
SqDancerLynn1 said:
Seafoam is for thr gas NOT the crankcase
Click to expand...

Oh come on now. :? It's magic elixir, everyone knows that. \\:D/

Seriously now, the seafoam has most likely caused the clutch plates to stick together. Get that stuff out of the crankcase - you might have to flush it with a second clean oil change (not likely though).

Good luck.
 
I already warmed the bike up, then changed the oil (same filter since it's only 500 miles old). THat had no effect on the problem. Should I do it again??

Also, if the clutch is engaging and disengaging properly, would the clutch plates be stuck together? When I ride it in 1st, I can pull in the clutch lever and the clutch disengages like normal. I can ride it fine in 1st, I just can't change gears. It doesn't slip or hesitate at all. It fully disengages like before the seafoam.

I just followed the directions on the back of the can of seafoam. Oh well. Live and learn!
 
Are you sure that the clutch is in proper adjustment? You may have to pull the cover and have look...as these are a wet clutch, the seafoam most likely messed with something, forks, gears, plates, could be almost anything. Pull it apart. Also, don't add any friction modifiers ie. STP or others, as this will all but destroy the friction properties of the plates themselves. :?
 
Thanks Dave. I just adjusted the clutch about 2 weeks ago. I was afraid the seafoam dumped a bunch of crap down into the tranny. I guess I'll just have to pull it apart...

all this during the nicest week so far this year!!
 
I have the clutch out and everything is clean and pristine in there. I don't have the spanner wrench yet, so the rest of that side will have to wait. I'll probably just use an impact wrench.

I am going to work on the shifter side tonight or tomorrow to see what I can do there. This seems to be the more likely place for issues. I sure hope the whole motor doesn't have to get yanked. I hope the shifter cam and clutch forks are not the problem!

It is raining now, but only for today. I wish I had a garage!
 
Hard shifting

Hard shifting

My 550 one day just had shifting "issues" similar to yours and I didnt put anything in the oil.

I fixed mine by shifting to 2nd and dumping the clutch. (sounds aweful but it worked for me)
It shifted fine after that. Could be coincidence though.
 
That is a little scary. I have the bike 1/2 apart now, so I am trying to figure out what's up. I have to get some tools so it will take a little while (no spanner wrench or air wrench so I'm stuck).

I hope I can figure it out.
 
verify that the ratchet ( actuates shift drum ) return spring is intact and working properly. that could give you the symptom of the shift lever feel. Don't reassemble the engine until you can manually shift through all the gears.
 
tranny

tranny

Im sure you have droped the oil pan, since your so far into it. i was suprised how much oil was still in mine after draining it and tipping side to side. could have still had seafoam left in their. good luck!
 
Honestly I didn't think of that! DUH! I'll pull that off tonight. I had to wait to get my impact wrench (I have a beauty now!) so I could get the clutch hub off. Hopefully that will come off tonight as well if the light holds up.

My next big purchase will have to be a house...with a garage!!
 
Well, the clutch hub is off, oil pan, exhaust, and just about everything else accept the motor itself and I have found nothing unusual. There was a little bit of metal shavings in the pan, but other than that everything seems clean. It's probably been decades since the pan was off.

I'll continue dismanteling the shifting compnents tonight, is there anything in particular I should inspect?

Should have known better than to mess around with something that was working ok. Now it's beautiful weather and I can't ride!
 
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