Triumphrat

rigby · 03-31-2007, 06:41 PM

I know we've hit this subject before but I can't find the thread. Can somebody either point me to it or address the problem?

What happens is it acts like the clutch is not disengaging when I shift into gear from neutral - as if I didn't have the clutch lever pulled in - and the engine dies. If I let the engine warm up for about ten minutes first, the problem lessons. I still have to rev up the engine before shifting into gear or it will die. The problem has been getting worse for a couple of months now.

Any advice?

upNorth · 03-31-2007, 07:30 PM

As the master of the obvious, I must ask if the kickstand sensor is sticking.

The sensor will kill the motor if the transmission is put in gear with the kickstand down. If the sensor is munged up, it can stick and when the kickstand comes up, the sensor still thinks it is down.

Get under it and give the sensor and kickstand area a good cleaning.

If that doesn't do it, I'm sure someone smarter will come along with something not so obvious. Good luck getting going.

jimmyj900 · 03-31-2007, 07:50 PM

How does the clutch lever feel? Is it firm or does it feel spongy? Air in the clutch line is a possibility, so is low fluid in the reservoir. Check the level there with the top of the reservoir level. (You might have to loosen the bars to level it.)

Have you been doing drag starts or a lot of heavy clutch use? Somebody here had a clutch fry while trying to get a bike out of the mud. 'Race' starts can wear the discs and warp the plates.

What weight oil are you using and how many miles since the last oil change? Heavy and oxidized oils can cause the clutch discs/plates to stick.

Jim

Thunderbum · 03-31-2007, 09:59 PM

I agree with Jimmyj900. It sure sounds like a clutch issue. If you have ridden the bike with a low oil level, you can damage your clutch, too. Does your bike lurch forward when it happens? Can you easily roll the bike when the engine's off, in gear with the clutch pulled in? A yes and a no respectively would point to a sticking clutch. If you find that your clutch is sticking, and it's not a problem with the hydraulic fluid, try changing the oil and filter, then ride the bike and see if it gets better. If it does, change the oil & filter again while it's hot to flush out any crud buildup (Don't use engine flush products. They aren't intended for wet clutches.) Maybe that will solve your problem. I wouldn't use expensive oil for the first oil change, as it won't be in the engine long enough for viscosity breakdown. If it still doesn't go away, you need to have the clutch checked and repaired. You may find that rolling the bike a short distance as described above (which will wet the part of the clutch plates that isn't in the oil) might reduce the problem enough to last you until you can take it in to the shop.

Tre900 · 04-01-2007, 06:27 PM

I'm going to go with UPNORTH on this one. Happend to me and my Adventurer for good 6 months before I figured it out. Ease fix.

WD40...have someone sit on it...bring up the Kickstand and you will see a little switch that pushes in and out when the kickstand goes up and down. Dirt and grim make it stick so the it doesn't disengage when you kick stand goes up. Push it in with your finger..hose it down with some WD and repeat.

Problem solved.

Let us know if that's solves it.

Tre

idahotb · 04-02-2007, 09:16 PM

Rigby-
Is this only the first shift into gear after you start it? If so it could just be the clutch plates sticking, which is normal for a wet clutch. If not then I would listen to Jimmy! :wink:

Mojoinco · 04-03-2007, 08:06 AM

I'll bet Jimmy is right. But as i learned on my Virago's -- jumper/bypass the sidestand switch and never worry about the unneccesary again. You will however find out who is watching if you ever take off with the side stand down and turn left. Just like most other folks bike's.

jimmyj900 · 04-03-2007, 11:13 AM

Rigby

Quote:

What happens is it acts like the clutch is not disengaging when I shift into gear from neutral - as if I didn't have the clutch lever pulled in - and the engine dies. If I let the engine warm up for about ten minutes first, the problem lessons. I still have to rev up the engine before shifting into gear or it will die. The problem has been getting worse for a couple of months now.

What's going on?

I've been thinking about this a bit and wondering if perhaps you're mis-diagnosing the clutch problem when perhaps you've got an idle/low rpm problem. If the engine is idling poorly the normal clutch and transmission drag could be sufficient to stall the engine when shifted from neutral.

What's your idle rpm? It should be 1000 rpm. If you've got it set low like some folks do it may not be producing sufficient torque to overcome the internal 'stiction.'

Does the bike run better with the choke on? If so, the pilot jets are dirty and need cleaning.

If the idle exhibits misfiring and the carbs are clean, then that could indicate faulty ignition coils.

Jim

rigby · 04-04-2007, 01:17 AM

I haven't had a chance to get back to the bike problem yet...played a huge gig Saturday night and had a birthday party Sunday...partied a little too hard this weekend to do much more than recuperate for the past couple days.
ANYWAY...the kickstand switch is not the problem. I just changed the oil about 200 miles ago (with the Triumph recommended 10-40 Mobil stuff), I don't drag race and I don't ride the clutch. If I don't have the front brake pulled in when I put it in gear, the bike will lurch forward. The idle is right on 1000RPM and smooth as glass. With the bike cold, engine off, if I pull in the clutch and put it in gear (1st or 2nd) and try to roll the bike, the back tire locks up like the brake is applied or like the clutch lever is not pulled in. I have to rock the bike back and forth to loosen it up before it will roll.
It really seems like a clutch problem to me. The clutch lever doesn't feel spongy to me but I intend to flush out and replace the clutch fluid and see how that affects it.
Thanks for the responses. I'll post the results of changing the clutch fluid when I'm done.

jimmyj900 · 04-04-2007, 10:46 AM

Quote:

With the bike cold, engine off, if I pull in the clutch and put it in gear (1st or 2nd) and try to roll the bike, the back tire locks up like the brake is applied or like the clutch lever is not pulled in. I have to rock the bike back and forth to loosen it up before it will roll.

That's normal. The oil in the clutch does a fine job of sticking the plates & discs together and while squeezing the clutch separates them overall, individual plates & discs can still stick together and produce that effect.

When you start the bike (neutral, clutch in) try easing out the clutch in neutral to get the clutch discs unstuck and moving. Then squeeze the clutch and shift to first and see if that reduces or eliminates the lurch.

Jim