83 Yamaha Maxim XJ750 -- Transmission problems -- ADVICE PLEASE!

[Peter_A]

Ok, here is the problem...

I was driving to work today, and I was having no problems at all. I was
pulling out onto a main road from being stopped at a stop sign. While
trying to get up to speed I reved up in 1st gear, and then when I went
to shift to second, I couldn't. The shift lever is ok, it moves up and
down fine, but when I push it up to shift to 2nd (or even neutral) it
just stops, and applying force does nothing. The clutch is also ok, as
far as I can tell... but I still can't shift out of first.

Has anyone had this problem? Anyone have any ideas what might be wrong?

[Paul Elliot]

Post by Peter_A
Ok, here is the problem...
I was driving to work today, and I was having no problems at all. I was
pulling out onto a main road from being stopped at a stop sign. While
trying to get up to speed I reved up in 1st gear, and then when I went
to shift to second, I couldn't. The shift lever is ok, it moves up and
down fine, but when I push it up to shift to 2nd (or even neutral) it
just stops, and applying force does nothing. The clutch is also ok, as
far as I can tell... but I still can't shift out of first.
Has anyone had this problem? Anyone have any ideas what might be wrong?

...

IIRC 2nd gear was a problem area in Yamahas of that vintage(I worked in
the parts dept of a Yamaha-Kawasaki dealer 1983-85). Unforunately you
are probably looking at a tranny rebuild. Sorry :-(

[Polarhound]

Post by Paul Elliot

Post by Peter_A
Ok, here is the problem...
I was driving to work today, and I was having no problems at all. I was
pulling out onto a main road from being stopped at a stop sign. While
trying to get up to speed I reved up in 1st gear, and then when I went
to shift to second, I couldn't. The shift lever is ok, it moves up and
down fine, but when I push it up to shift to 2nd (or even neutral) it
just stops, and applying force does nothing. The clutch is also ok, as
far as I can tell... but I still can't shift out of first.
Has anyone had this problem? Anyone have any ideas what might be wrong?

IIRC 2nd gear was a problem area in Yamahas of that vintage(I worked in
the parts dept of a Yamaha-Kawasaki dealer 1983-85). Unforunately you
are probably looking at a tranny rebuild. Sorry :-(

...

The 2nd gear problems on Yamahas were related to slippage and failure to
engage 2nd while still being able to use other gears. For the
slippage problem, you can fix that in a couple of hours with a dremel.

Based on the locking up, I am almost 100% certain the clutch layshaft
bolt has either sheared or fallen off of Peter's bike. This bolt is
located behind your clutch plates.

The other, and lesser, probability is a bent shift fork, but it doesn't
sound like the problem in this case.

[Peter_A]

Hey again.

Thanks for the help guys. I've called a couple of shops in the area to
ask what the trouble would likely be, most seem to think it's a
transmission problem... and I've had two places ballpark a quote, they
gave me $500-2500(CDN), and $450-2000(CDN), depending on the actual
problem of course.

I bought the bike for $1500, so I really don't want to take it to a
shop.

If I have to open it up to fix the transmission, at least it will give
me the opportunity to tune-up a number of other little things inside,
i guess.

ugh.

Can anyone recommend a good shop for old bike parts?

[Popeye]

On 26 Apr 2005 16:46:31 -0700, "Peter_A"

Post by Peter_A
Hey again.
Thanks for the help guys. I've called a couple of shops in the area to
ask what the trouble would likely be, most seem to think it's a
transmission problem... and I've had two places ballpark a quote, they
gave me $500-2500(CDN), and $450-2000(CDN), depending on the actual
problem of course.
I bought the bike for $1500, so I really don't want to take it to a
shop.
If I have to open it up to fix the transmission, at least it will give
me the opportunity to tune-up a number of other little things inside,
i guess.
ugh.
Can anyone recommend a good shop for old bike parts?

...

It might help if people knew where you were so they can better
reccomend parts sources.

The problem with Yamahas of that era is as Polarhound stated, a
slipping 2nd gear, which is caused by 2nd gear not meshing fully
(design flaw, but Yamaha would never admit it) and slipping back out,
which then rounds off the dogs on the gear and chews up the web on the
mating gear.

Start with checking the broken or missing bolt as he suggested.. you
should be able to do this without pulling the engine. There's also the
possiblity that one or more of the tiny pins on the end of the shift
drum has fallen out and the shifter mechanism has nothing to catch and
move the drum.

It's up to you whether or not you take it into a shop, but as you've
already found out, it will cost more then the bike is worth. That, of
course, is if you're able to find one that will actually work on it.
Most times when you get it back, you will have to fix it properly
anyway so you might as well do it yourself, right, the first time.

Brian

[Robert Bolton]

Post by Popeye
On 26 Apr 2005 16:46:31 -0700, "Peter_A"

Post by Peter_A
Hey again.
Thanks for the help guys. I've called a couple of shops in the area to
ask what the trouble would likely be, most seem to think it's a
transmission problem... and I've had two places ballpark a quote, they
gave me $500-2500(CDN), and $450-2000(CDN), depending on the actual
problem of course.
I bought the bike for $1500, so I really don't want to take it to a
shop.
If I have to open it up to fix the transmission, at least it will give
me the opportunity to tune-up a number of other little things inside,
i guess.
ugh.
Can anyone recommend a good shop for old bike parts?

It might help if people knew where you were so they can better
reccomend parts sources.
The problem with Yamahas of that era is as Polarhound stated, a
slipping 2nd gear, which is caused by 2nd gear not meshing fully
(design flaw, but Yamaha would never admit it) and slipping back out,
which then rounds off the dogs on the gear and chews up the web on the
mating gear.
Start with checking the broken or missing bolt as he suggested.. you
should be able to do this without pulling the engine. There's also the
possiblity that one or more of the tiny pins on the end of the shift
drum has fallen out and the shifter mechanism has nothing to catch and
move the drum.

...

I'm not up on transmissions but I did break a gear on my Suzuki TC200 once. I
was riding a friend to work each day while he was getting his car fixed so was
sitting far enough forward that I sometimes ended up between gears because I
failed to shift up far enough. I think I had missed third on an upshift,
grabbed the clutch, popped it up into gear and kept going. It wasn't until I
stopped the bike that the tranny wouldn't go into any gear. I don't remember
what part of the gear I broke but it was probably a dog. I might have taken out
a shifting fork too but then it's been over 30 years.

Robert