clutch won't shift

[Dirtymotonut]

Hey all...I am trying to figure out why my friends xr 250r will not move once shifted into gear. It acts if it will move but then goes no where. I took off the clutch cover to inspect the plates and they look fine. In the bottom of the case was a very small spring about 2 inches long and about 1/8 in diameter. I cannot find where it goes and do not have a manual. But if the plates are fine why will it shift into gears but won't move the bike. The clutch cable seem tight and good, so any suggestions will be helpful. Could it be the gears?Thanks in advance! :nod:

 

[mideastrider]

That spring may be from the cam chain tensioner. Don't know how it would have any thing to do with it not going anywhere. Unless it was jaming up the shifter drum keeping from going or staying in gear.

 

[biglou]

Does the bike just rev when you try to move forward, or is it like it's against a wall (revs go down, engine loads up and possibly dies, bike is "in tension")?

 

[Matt90GT]

spring is from the shift mechanism in the bike. You probably are going to need a manual here and remove the side cover to get access to it.

 

[Dirtymotonut]

Does the bike just rev when you try to move forward, or is it like it's against a wall (revs go down, engine loads up and possibly dies, bike is "in tension")?

It just revs and goes no where. You can see the chain engage but then the bike does not move justs sits.

 

[biglou]

Could be completely worn down clutch plates. The little spring needs to be diagnosed as well.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Either it isn't shifting into gear or the clutch is toast.

Take the cover off the clutch. Shift into 1st gear, then rotate the rear wheel. Watch the clutch carefully.

Normally, you would not be able to rotate the rear wheel in gear without turning the engine over, which would be fairly difficult to do by hand in first gear.

If the rear wheel turns but you don't see any movement in the clutch at all then the transmission is not in a good state.

If one part of the clutch turns but not the other then the clutch is toast.

I recommend going to an online OEM parts dealer and examining the parts diagram to find out where that spring came from. There is a very good possibility that it is related to the problem.

Rod

 

[biglou]

My thought was clutch since the chain jumps. But I could be wrong.

dgy.com and bikebandit both have online parts diagrams that you can look at.

 

[Dirtymotonut]

Had the bike up on a block turned the rear wheel while in and out of gears shifted gears all moves inside fine. But there is not force as the engine is not running or on the ground so I am still looking into it. the spring possibly jammed up in the gears and made it not shift. the clutch plates have a toast color on the out side and smell a bit burned so could they also be wasted and need new? Would them being bad make the clutch not work. All the teeth are perfect on the plates.
I checked the websites for the spring and it is similiar to the can chain tension spring but has no way to hook on the part as there is no hooks on the ends. So also looked elswhere and nothing similiar. Weird eh?

 

[biglou]

If you can turn the back wheel by hand with the bike in gear, that's not good. Sounds like clutch to me. If they are obviously burnt, you can just replace. Or you can meause them to see if they are in spec (thickness).

 

[2strokerfun]

Take the clutch plates out and measure them. A manual will tell you the tolerances. Worn plates don't have to look bad to be worn.

 

[Dirtymotonut]

Ok the spring looks like one from the oil pump. But there is no way it could come out with out taking out the cotter pin. I searched all places on the web sites and went to honda and they also said it looked like that spring. Next step is to pull the pin and see if the spring is missing. New clutch plates ordered so hopefully the mystery will be solved!