adjusting clutch on an xj650

hey guys, I just want to make you aware that i did use the search function before i posted this, but i didnt see anything relevant.

Anyways, I tried to adjust my clutch, and now it stalls, I move it out some and it doesn't stall when I go in gear but it "clicks" hard so I dont think that's right either. I then go further the other way and it stalls, so I take it where it "clicks" and doesnt stall is in the right place, but how do I make it shift smooth instead of clicking into gear so hard...since that's the reason I tried to adjust the clutch in the first place

thanks

 

Because of the viscosity of the oil the clutch will have some drag. What this means is that when you are in neutral everything will be spinning even if you're disengaging the clutch. When you shift the inertia of those parts make a clunk.

So long as it's not pulling much with the clutch disengaged it's ok.

**EDIT**

I assumed you meant "slips" rather than "stalls". If it's really stalling when you put it in gear you're adjusting it the wrong direction.

 

both directions it "stalls". There is one happy place in the middle that it doesn't stall, but it makes quite a noise and doesn't shift in there as smooth as I thought

 

Like Carl said, there will be some internal drag on the clutch, and so it will "clunk" going into gear. Especially "cold."

That being said, once the bike is warmed up fully, the drag will be minimized and the "clunk" less drastic.

Proper adjustment is so that you have 1mm~3mm "free" play at the lever perch.

What oil did you use when you changed the oil?

 

I used 20w50 oil.....

i put the clutch in the only place that the bike wouldn't stall

 

I've tried leaving 1~3mm of Freeplay at the Clutch Lever.
Frankly, leaving slack makes riding these Bikes miserable.
1st Gear Clunk.
Red-light Creep.
And the one I really hate, ...
NEUTRAL Fight.

The Engineers made Fine-Tuning the Throw-out, ... Eazy!

There's a Cable Slack "Knurl & Lock Wheel" ... right on the Perch.

Set the Knurl so you can Adjust it, ... BOTH ways.
50~50
May be tightened.
May be loosened.

With the Knurl set to give you what you need, ...
Adjust the BOTTOM End.

Its tricky; because the Cable Bracket at the Lower-end is not user friendly.
Modify it.
Drill two holes through the Lower Bracket.
Secure the Lower Adjustment Barrel in the Adjuster with a pair of Plastic Ties close to the ends of the bracket.
So you can loosen the Cable Adjusters and not have the Cable fall-out.

Get the Freeplay out of the Case Rod.
Get a Looong throw at the Arm.
Check to see that the Upper Cable Sheath is seated TIGHT in the Knurl.

Use the Lower Cable Adjusters to take-out ALL the slack in the cable.
Adjust the Cable to ZERO-LASH.
Get all the throw your Bike has to give.

Fine tune by adjusting the Knurl on the Clutch Perch.

No Clunk ... No Creep ... and, ...

You can get the damn thing into Neutral without risking damage to the Dogs on the Shift Drum or Bending the Forks.

Now, ... you Adjust the Clutch with your Thumb and Index Finger.

 

I agree. Almost no free play was the only way my 650 clutch was acceptable.

When I ran 20W50 I couldn't get an acceptable adjustment. If I adjusted it to where I didn't have to fight it cold I got slipping under power when hot. I went back to 10W40 where I could get acceptable clutch engagement both hot and cold.

 

Hmmm. Maybe it's because I run 20W40 then; but I set both 550s at 1mm~3mm free play at the perch and the clutches are fine; only "clunks" into first cold; shifts fine, no slippage or red light creep and neutral is always available.

One bike has a full Barnett including springs; one has (original/Scotchbrited) OEM plain plates, K&L friction plates, and OEM springs. Both have OEM clutch cables (750 Seca cable for the shorter bars.)

 

***Belay the comment re: 20W40.

I just remembered I ran 20W50 all last summer in the 83 (the OEM/K&L clutch) with no issues whatsoever either.

Maybe it has to do with "fine tuning" the starting point of the throwout lever to gain as much movement as possible.

Or maybe the 550's clutches, because of the goofy "clutch boss spring" and tabbed plain plates, just behave differently. I won't be able to speak to that until I get my 650 up and running.

 

So what everyone said about having that heavy "clunk" (or however you'd describe it) from neutral to first is normal especially if cold.. what about if it still happens from 1st to 2nd? Would tightening the clutch cable help that?

I dropped my bike on the the left side and did some minor damage to the clutch handle but it still works. Ever since then however I get the "clunk" sound even though I don't recall getting it before I dropped it... either from neutral to 1st, or ever..

 

In answer to your question: maybe.

How much "play" is there at the lever now?

 

..as you can see under my name... wannabe. "play"? I pull the clutch handle as tight as I can (all the way to the handlebars), so none I would say. I don't know how to adjust it though...

 

Having a well adjusted Clutch makes it a pleasure to ride these bikes.

Look down below my signature and read the LINK about replacing Clutch Cables and Adjusting a Clutch.

Once the Clutch is adjusted right.
You'll enjoy riding the thing a whole lot more.

 

Thanks much. As always, you're a great help. I'm a newcomer still but I've learned that pretty quickly

 

By "play" I mean how much free movement is there at the lever BEFORE you pull the clutch in?

 

I recommend this procedure.

The trick is to rotate the Activating Rod which sticks-out from the Clutch Case all the way Clockwise and hold it while all other adjustments are being made.

A Shoelace wound around the Rod and Pulled ... rotating the Rod until it stops and taping it to keep it tightly rotated will do.

<+>+<+>

Start by setting-up with the Clutch Lever Perch Knurl Adjustment having some room to fine-tune the cable tension, when done, is key.
Mid-way and locked for doing the preliminary adjustment is best.

Down at the Clutch end is where you make the critical adjustment.
You need to establish the "Angle" that the Throw-out Arm has with "Contact" on the Pressure Plate.
If you look ... theirs is often a mark on the Case and a mark on the “Removable and re-position-able~Throw-out connecting arm"
Take-off the Clip and add a spline or two. Lined-up is baseline for All New Clutches.

The trick is to:
Establish the line with the ThrowOut Lever hooked onto the Cable and the Cable "Pulled-up TIGHT" applying contact pressure on the pressure plate.

This photo illustrates how the Mechanism will look when done.


Back-off the Hex Nuts on where the Cable Sheath fits into the lower Cable Sheath Mount and ADJUST the whole fit.

Pull-up on just the cable ... keeping "The Line and Pressure on the Throw-Out.
Hold the Cable tight.
Push the Cable Sheath UP ... Until the Upper End is SNUG in the Knurl.
Tighten the Nuts holding the cable in that position at the lower mount.

Once it's all in and "Close" ...
You need to find the spot ... by adjusting the KNURL ... where the cable has enough tension so that when the LEVER is pulled and the cable is moved ... it's pulling on the Throw-Out and working the Clutch; too.

If it means you have to reset the angle at the Throw-Out Arm on the Throw-Out ROD another spline at a time ... until you find the spot where the whole works is tight ... it might take a few minutes to get it just right.

Your done when you have the Bullet in the Clutch Lever and the Bullet at the Throw-Out Arm moving together.
The final adjustment is at the Knurl.
I adjust that until the free play is disappears just before tension is added.
Zero Play.
Zero Lash.
No Neutral fight.
No “Red Light Creep”
No “Clunking into Gear”