You're not going to believe this...

I've had my bike for about 3 years now... '85 Maxim X (Canadian 750, eh!). She's been good to me, until a recent little road trip that left me having intermittent problems shifting gears - sometimes it worked just fine, other times it wouldn't go up or down.

I consulted the threads and feared the worst - plastic bits from the chain guide disintegrating and randomly locking up my shift mechanism. Seemed like the popular answer around here to explain the exact symptoms I was getting.

I parked the bike for 2 weeks, afraid of opening the left cover to see what was inside...

Today I drained the oil and decided to have a peak... But what I found was not what I was looking for.

Apologies for the crude descriptions...

That circular piece with little nubs on it and a phillips head screw in the middle, that rotates to shift gears? The screw was almost completely backed off.... Might explain shifting problems!

But that wasn't what was strange. Looking around with flashlight just above that part, there's a hole that lets you look deeper into the engine. Somehow, a 1" metal screw-type hose clamp found it's way in there... Just floating around!

So, 2 questions I have...

1. What do I have to do to properly tighten that phillips head screw? Can I loctite it?

2. Is there any reason, other than negligence and poor maintenance practices, that a 1" hose clamp would be inside the transmission?

 

I couldn't get a decent photo in the lighting conditions in the garage right now, but attached is the service manual... Unfortunately it doesn't say much to help me.

 

I don't know how you'll tighten that screw myself, but I'm sure someone will.

The clamp?!?! OBVIOUSLY someone had at least the top off and it had to have fallen down the chain hole, if nothing else.

HOPEFULLY you can do the "guidectomy" procedure and turn it into a 'clampectomy'. IF you can get hold of it, just mangle it....twist it, flatten it to get it through the hole. They're cheap enough, don't even try to save it. Just get it out.

Let us know how it goes.....

Dave F

Good luck

 

Take some Brake Cleaner and shoot the screw hole, and the screw. Apply some Blue Loctite and use an hand impact driver (with the proper size bit) to make sure it's tight.

Like Dave said, someone dropped the clamp down the hole, probably when doing a valve adjustment or some other repair with the valve cover off. Sounds like the clamp is one that fits on the hose going to the thermostat housing.

Do whatever is necessary to extract it, then give it some fresh oil and a new filter. Hopefully the combination of both repairs will cure your clunking and shifting issues.

Tony

 

You don't happen to know where the previous owner lives, do you? If so, you might want to send his hose clamp back to him, with a note of thanks..........or something.

 

Chacal, you mean I can't return it to XJForever for a refund, without a receipt!? It was preserved in oil... What kind of customer service is this!?

I'm going to fish it out and tighten that screw. Fingers crossed!

 

Warranties only apply to original purchaser..........

 

Of course this wasn't going to go smoothly

Turns out that screw was not loose, it was busted. There WAS red loctite on it though!

Do I need to do anything special to remove the shift cam to extract the remainder of the screw? Or reinstalling it? The manual doesn't tell me a whole lot...

 

try using a left hand drill bit to extract the rest of the screw first. might even heat it up to loosen the locktight.

CN

 

Good call - I'll give it a shot, but there is less than 1/4 of the screw in the shift drum, meaning it's pretty deep in there.

 

if you can center punch it, that will help.

CN