Shifter Pawl Upgrade/Issues

So I was having trouble getting my bike to cycle into neutral while running, it seems once Idling and out of neutral it was basically impossible to put it in neutral. I took apart the clutch, cleaned the tar like substance out of the shifter side and removed the shifter rod to upgrade the pawl (as well as servicing the clutch). The clutch boss spring was warped beyond belief but no burnt/warped plates. The shifter set up was an easy swap and all the springs seem to be doing their thing.


After the install, I was cycling through the gears before putting the clutch basket back on and the shifter stop lever just kept popping out of alignment in the shifter drum and refusing to shift. Pics below showing as installed, and then when it pops out. All parts are installed as I see in the manual.

 

it appears that if you are testing this with the clutch cover off, then that would allow the shifter shaft to move outwards, and so jump off the pawl. the end of the shaft locates in a recess in the cover, preventing it from moving, just try it again with the cover just placed on , and bolted up

 

Yeah that’s eventually what I tried. Seems to work but I don’t feel like my shifter pedal is popping back up the way it was before all this. I’m going to take it out for a spin but I know all my springs are good on it. It’s an 83 Xj550 maxim if that helps.

 

check if the shifter shaft is bent slightly ,where it passes through the shifter cover, that can bind the shaft up, it can easily be straightened by using a close fitting piece of pipe, maybe a foot long, and re-bending it

 

So in more frustration, I have the fuel levels set within parameter and even recleaned my carbs after the rebuild (gaskets, jets etc) and the second/third the carbs are pissing gas out the intake side of the carbs (airbox). It starts and runs but the moment the bike is on the gas starts coming out. I’ve taken them off three times and rechecked everything (the first time was the first new set of gaskets catching the floats when the gaskets swole from fuel- rubber then rubber cork both had the same problem for some reason). So I switched the rubber fiber gaskets, no problem. However my floats seem to be free moving, the needles are seating and not sticking. But alas, I can’t for the life of me figure it out.
The butterflies are sliding fine and the seals seem good but are the originals. Could it be them sticking and causing too much fuel draw? All I can come up with is that it’s either that or the floats.

 

did you change the o-rings that fit around the float needle seat, although the needles may be seating ok , the fuel can by-pass them , by leaking around the needle and seat.

 

i know its a poor drawing, but its item 44 here, i just used some o-rings from a set, and they worked perfectly
https://www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/4041115/xj550-4v8-1981-999/carburetor

 

I did in fact change the whole needle assembly on all 4. The mesh, o ring, float needle, but now I’m tempted to pull them and throw some buna orings just to eliminate my problems. I did all the orings on the fuel rails too.