2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding
Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 10:45 pm
2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding.
On my SM project, after running 6 heat cycles on it I rode it for a few hundred yards up and down the street.
It shifted fine through 4th gear with no issues.
On Friday I ran it for 20 minutes trying to get some starting heat numbers.
After the test I had to take it for a quick ride.
I pulled the clutch in and clicked it into first.
I gave it some throttle and let the clutch out.
It took off just fine.
Pulled in the clutch and upshifted into second and GGGGrrrrrrrtttt, GGGGrrrrrtttt... the gears were grinding.
But the bike went into second when I let off on the gas.
I thought I blew a shift, although I didn't see how that was possible as I wasn't getting on it.
Then I tried to shift into 3rd and GGGGrrrrrrrtttt, GGGGrrrrrtttt...the gears were grinding again..
I let off on the gas and it was in 3rd.
So I rode it back to the shop and parked it
Today I pulled the clutch cover, clutch basket, ect so I could get a better look at the shift mechanism.
All the springs are there and in place.
I pulled the shift shaft out and inspected the pal, springs, everything that I can see that would be a problem.
Then I compared it to another shift shaft asy I have and it looks and functions exactly the same.
I spend about 30 minutes reading the Clymer but didn't see anything out of place.
I'm stumped, any ideas?
Here is a pic with the shaft removed.
The shaft that came out of the bike is on the right.
Another view..
On my SM project, after running 6 heat cycles on it I rode it for a few hundred yards up and down the street.
It shifted fine through 4th gear with no issues.
On Friday I ran it for 20 minutes trying to get some starting heat numbers.
After the test I had to take it for a quick ride.
I pulled the clutch in and clicked it into first.
I gave it some throttle and let the clutch out.
It took off just fine.
Pulled in the clutch and upshifted into second and GGGGrrrrrrrtttt, GGGGrrrrrtttt... the gears were grinding.
But the bike went into second when I let off on the gas.
I thought I blew a shift, although I didn't see how that was possible as I wasn't getting on it.
Then I tried to shift into 3rd and GGGGrrrrrrrtttt, GGGGrrrrrtttt...the gears were grinding again..
I let off on the gas and it was in 3rd.
So I rode it back to the shop and parked it
Today I pulled the clutch cover, clutch basket, ect so I could get a better look at the shift mechanism.
All the springs are there and in place.
I pulled the shift shaft out and inspected the pal, springs, everything that I can see that would be a problem.
Then I compared it to another shift shaft asy I have and it looks and functions exactly the same.
I spend about 30 minutes reading the Clymer but didn't see anything out of place.
I'm stumped, any ideas?
Here is a pic with the shaft removed.
- shifting issue 4.PNG (165.59 KiB) Viewed 10410 times
- shifting issue 2.PNG (1.2 MiB) Viewed 10416 times
- shifting issue 3.PNG (424.13 KiB) Viewed 10416 times
