The International CBX Owners Association

Hi All

Having rebuilt the engine on my '78 Z I find the gear selector drum will not rotate far enough to select 5th gear, it only goes to a neutral between 4th and 5th.

The selector drum turns easily by hand while simultaneously rocking the rear wheel, bust stops against something solid before it selecting 5th. Very frustrating.

One suggestion I have had is that the oil pick up pipe bolts might be too long where is fit on the pump and are interfering with the drum. I shall investigate this, bit does anyone have any other ideas?

Cheers

Glen.

Another member just had the same problem. Likely the shift fork shaft installed incorrectly.
I don't have any personal experience with it, just read it here recently.

Read this thread: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=10593&p=85154&hili ... rum#p85154

Good Luck!

Steve

Having done this myself in the past gives me thought into looking at accessing the transmission without splitting the cases.

Yesterday I had the oil pan off and I could see the fork and the lock nut. I was able to get a wrench on the lock nut.

Wondering aloud here; can this fork shaft be removed, flipped and inserted working through the oil pan access. One would still have to remove the clutch cover and clutch. You might try this before you split the cases, worst scenario is you end up splitting the cases.

Mike

Yes, your shift fork shaft is backwards. I'd suggest just biting the bullet, remove the engine and split the cases. It will assure you get everything right and you can see what you are doing. When it happened to me, it took about 5 or 6 hours to do the whole job. The manual makes no caution about the shaft orientation, but if you look at the picture on page 11-11 (of either version of the shop manual), you will see that the shaft pictures an exaggerated version of the offset of the threaded hole. To the naked eye, it looks centered on the actual shaft, but measuring reveals it is indeed offset from center, and the pic shows which way the offset goes. You will find that yours is backwards.

Dave

Thank guys, this is a credible explanation. I took a few photos during the strip and build, but can't tell from those whether it's in the wrong way round or not - see link.

I was told you can tell as the hole in the shaft should be visible from the end it's fitted from. It was visible before and still is, so maybe it'd hollow and that is a red herring?

http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/freeb ... t=3&page=1

Glen.

No, it is hollow on both ends, but one end had sort of 'threads' that do nothing, but you can use that as a reference. I don't have one apart just now to tell you which way those 'threads' go, but your shaft protrudes slightly in your 'before' pic, whereas in the 'after' pic, it is recessed. This also assumes you are in the same gear or neutral in both, as the shaft does slide. I can guarantee you it is in backwards. Just use the offset shown in the manual for the correct orientation.

Dave

Thanks Guys

It is definitely in backwards, the end of it is bottoming out in the drilling just under the sprocket. the drilling is half exposed so you can see the shaft won't move far enough to engage 5th.

If I could work out how to add a photo here, I could show you.

This link might work though. See top right where the end of the selector shaft is visible - it needs to move another 1/8" or so.

http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/freeb ... sort=3&o=0

Glen.

Glen,

So at least you know the problem - now just a matter of splitting the cases (again)!

Paul.

I am not sure if this holds true or not but on the 80 the threaded end was on the clutch side. I theorize this so one could attach a puller or slide hammer if the shaft ever seized in the bore .

Maybe others can confirm this and if true then we all know that threaded end should look at you when viewed from the clutch side.

mike

Well guys thanks for all the info, the shaft was indeed "arse about face" as we say in the UK. The threaded end should be on the clutch side. If it's not, it bottoms out in the blind hole on the other side.

Luckily it was quite easy to access it through the sump once the engine was out and upside down in my engine stand so I didn't have to split the cases.

It's all back together now but I found a broken lug on the clutch pressure plate so I need to repair or replace that before I can get it on the road - will it never end?

Glen.

The silver lining to the cloud??!! Albeit, a bit tarnished, eh, Glen. Good luck, friend. Hope you have a great Summer.

Awesome!

Thanks for confirming my thoughts on working through the sump and confirming the direction the threaded end of the shaft faces!

Beats the hell out of splitting cases!

Mike

CopperCollar wrote:Awesome!

Thanks for confirming my thoughts on working through the sump and confirming the direction the threaded end of the shaft faces!

Beats the hell out of splitting cases!

Mike

No problem, it's probably even possible without taking the engine out, but this would mean raising the wheels off the ground far enough to do it laying on your back.

Not my idea of fun.

On Photobucket, it's easy, but not obvious how to share a pic on a forum like ours.

Next to the photo, they give you four links for making the photo appear in different contexts. The one marked IMG is the right one for us. Just copy the whole text of the link in the field labeled IMG, and past it right in line with the rest of your post.



Good show on fixing the shift fork!

OK, let me give it a go.

If it works you should be able to see how I managed to get a spanner onto the bolt securing the centre selector fork to the shaft after carefully knocking the tab washer flat.

Once this is removed using a magnet to avoid dropping it into the crankcase, you can withdraw the shaft. Next just turn it round and re-fit it fiddling with the selector forks to align their bores as you go.