Gear gets stuck when hot

[vuzzi]

On hot summer days in slow traffic I cann't shift up from 2nd to 3rd gear. Since the winter is a bit longer than usual, I think tis is a good moment to have a look at that problem.

 

My guess is that the preselector shaft needs to be greased there it goes in the gear box cover. The manual doesn't give any information about that. Anybody has an idea on how to grease and what grease to use?

 

Or shall the problem have another cause?

[grossohc]

I have to ask why you are changing up to 3rd gear in slow moving traffic??? . is the shifting ok when you are out on a fast run? These bikes like to be revved and will not be happy in a highish gear with low revs as you are effectively lugging/ labouring the engine. But it may be the linkages on the gear lever need taken off and lubricated or the bike may need a tune up, valves/throttle bodies etc to smooth things out.

Gary

[vuzzi]

Ok, i should clearify, after riding in slow traffic, say riding on a hot day trough a jammed town in 1st and 2nd gear, then when the road is free, i cann't shift up. The linkage seems OK. Shifting from 1 tot 2 is OK, and that's odd, as the lever makes the same movement as from 2nd to 3rd.

[Tom M]

My guess is that the preselector shaft needs to be greased there it goes in the gear box cover. The manual doesn't give any information about that. Anybody has an idea on how to grease and what grease to use?

 

I too have had the gearshift stick down when downshifting on a very hot day.  I could lift it with my boot so it wasn't a big problem, it just wasn't returning to center on it's own.  Like you I also assumed it was the preselector shaft sticking in it's bore because I had recently cleaned and lubed my shift linkage.  The next time that I had it apart for a pawl spring change I greased that shaft before I reassembled the preselector.  I don't remember the shifter ever sticking since then so that might have helped.  Also it could be that the gearbox just wasn't as hot as when the shifter stuck in the past too. 

[mznyc]

What's you're mileage vuzzi?

These could be the problem.I would try them in this order,

Grease the external linkage as discussed.

Check linkage adjustment.

Clutch MC bleed.

Take off PS cover and inspect pawl spring and arm.

 

If none of those work you could also try to adjust the eccentric adjuster,most have had varying degrees of success with that .

 

After that, clutch plates could be possible cause if they have high mileage on them.

 

I did all the above to cure false neutrals and it turned out to be a bad PS assembly.Don't know what went wrong in there,still haven't figured it out yet,but put another one on and she's shifted perfectly since.

[docc]

Sitting in traffic heats the gearbox as heat rises from the exhaust cross over. Some have found using RedLine ShockProof gear oil to be helpful. 

 

And no dis-assembly required!

[Bjor]

My guess is that on hot days when driving slowly, the engine/cross over gets so hot that the grease on the pivot bolt of the shifter lever floats away, leaving the bolt dry or too thin to work properly.

Remove the lever, clean the parts and grease the bolt with hight quality grease.

Even better is  to drill a hole in the lever and mount a grease nipple so that you later can easily lube the bolt without removing the lever.
 

[fotoguzzi]

What's you're mileage vuzzi?

 

Clutch MC bleed.

 

when did you last flush clutch fluid?

[docc]

Absolutely great advice here: Service the linkage, bleed the clutch fluid, and change the gearbox oil BEFORE you take the gearbox apart or change its adjustments.

 

(OH! make sure the foot lever is not hitting the "pork chop" frame side plate on the up stroke. That hasn't been mentioned lately.)

[mznyc]

 I agree changing the fluid if it hasnt been done in the last few years would be worth a try!

[vuzzi]

The milage is app. 20.000 (32.000 km). The external parts have been greased for this purpose last year. I also changed the fluid last year. The oil is pretty fresh too.

 

The symptoms are prety much as Tom describes: the lever won't go down. I find it strange there is no problem from 1st to 2nd gear. Maybe after selecting 1st gear the the lever is already down and doesn't get up enough after selecting 2nd gear (it's been at least 6 months since the last time it happend). Maybe the spring pussing the lever back down isn't strong enough, maybe there is too much friction.

Since the gasket is leaking a bit too, I think it a good idea to take the cover off and have a look at the springs / excentric adjuster / gease the shaft. Thanks so far, I'll let you know that I'll find.

[gstallons]

Before you do anything...........remove the linkage from the shift lever and make sure it pivots freely....e.g. pull the lever up and it should drop with no resistance. If it hangs or will not move , your problem is in the lever pivot.

[vuzzi]

I still owed you an update:

I took the cover off, cleaned and greased the shaft. I also greased the external joints and refreshed the oil.

 

After a summer with some really hot days and driving in slow traffic I haven't had the problem anymore. So some good maintenance works well. Only I don't know what the real cause was, since I did all the work in one go.

 

cheers

[AndyH]

Sometimes it's not worth doing the forensic analysis when there's some ridin' to be done