Rough Skip Past Neutral While Riding, Fine When Engine Off

Hey Folks,

Ran into an issue today and was hoping for a quick gut check before I go headfirst into pulling things apart. If anyone has had this issue before, what was your fix?

I am finding that my '82 XJ650 is no longer able to go into neutral while the engine is running. I start up in neutral and the only way I get back is to kill the engine and then shift into it with ease.

While the engine is running, however, switching between 1st and 2nd (up or down) feels like a harder transition than any other gear shift and skips completely over the neutral (never see the light on the dash blip). Foot motion is = Light pressure doesn't cut it, regular doesn't, harder pressure than typical and then shift

Just getting the bike out of mothballs from the winter so this is the first ride of the season, didn't go far for concern of causing damage. Current thoughts are:

• Wishful Thinking - Oil change might help. Due for a change for the season and hoping that will get things moving again, maybe the level is somehow low. (Have been using Rotella T4 15W-40 without issue for some years)
• Still Wishful - Clutch cable may be too loose, making shifting rough and getting into neutral while running impossible
• My Fear - Something in the shifter is wearing out and I'll have to go digging in there and checking springs.

Bit of a headscratcher for me, but if there's anywhere else I should be looking let me know!
Thank You!

 

Adjust clutch cable first in case it is not fully disengaging.
Sticking clutch plates?
Is the oil level correct?
Remove gearchange lever and cover and check selector mechanism.
Hope it is not your alternator/starter guide breaking up. Look for small bits of plastic in the oil, if that is the problem you will need to split the cases to replace it. If it is changing through all of the gears hopefully it is not the guide.

 

^^+1 what Franz says , it is possible the chain guide has started breaking up and pieces are wedging against the gears , if you have to split the case, replace starter clutch rollers and springs while your at it .

 

Thanks for the advice! Will check for plastic bits in the oil, hope that's not the case...

The strange bit is how easily it shifts when the engine isn't running vs. when it is. If it was the chain guide, wouldn't it still refuse to shift regardless of being on or not?

 

Yes if parts of the guide were getting between gears and in selector drum tracks they would cause gear selector problems with engine not running. Something worn, broken or clutch plates are sticking. Hopefully it is an easy fix once you find the cause.

 

you can remove shifter cover to check chain guide through a hole

scroll down past models

Emergency Guidectomy (stuck in first gear, won't shift up past neutral)

 

I had this issue about a month ago for 1 day on my xj550 with 5800 miles

same exact symptoms!
would easily shift when engine was off, but got really really stiff when engine was on, and would skip right over neutral, really frustrating

it was after the bike was sitting for about 3 months, and an oil change, after the case was contaminated with gasoline, that it acted like this.

the next day I went to figure it out, and i since haven’t been able to recreate it.

my best guess was stuck clutch plates, bad oil, sitting, combination of all?

not sure, just glad it hasn’t done it again since

 

My XJ550 does this when clutch cable slightly out of adjustment. If that doesn't fix it, then proceed as indicated above.