Bike stalls when 1st gear selected - help please!

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4StringBass
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Bike stalls when 1st gear selected - help please!

Post by 4StringBass » Sat May 05, 2018 9:30 pm

Hello! My first post here, so sorry for asking for help.

We have recently bought a 1992 GSXR 400. We have a problem with it, when we put it into a gear when the back tyre is on the floor, it stalls. If it is on the paddock stand, it will select all gears without issue. The bike was bought without being able to ride it, but the bike is MOT'd for 6 months so this issue must be recent, and I do not believe the seller knowingly knew this to be a problem.

I have replaced the clutch worm drive as it really did look like it had seen better days as it rocked in all directions. I have also replaced the clutch cable with a genuine Suzuki one.

Following the instructions in the Bandit 400 manual, I have wound the clutch lever adjuster as close to the lever as I can get it. I'm not sure where the other end of the cable needs be adjusted to, but I have set it so it is wound out quite far for maximum lift. I have also set the worm drive adjuster as tight as I dare but still the bike stalls when I select first gear. The tighter the adjuster, the less ferocious the bike lurches when clicked into gear.

I took the clutch cover off and it looks like the whole clutch pack moves as one when the clutch lever is pulled, but I don't know how much movement is to be expected between the plates. It does not look like the plates separate, they just move as one.

Any help on what to set, adjust or replace would be very much appreciated. I do not think there is an issue with the gearbox as it selects all gears correctly on the paddock stand, but there is drive to the back wheel, even with the clutch lever pulled.

Thank you in advance, and apologies if I've missed a similar thread, but I could not find one.

Cheers

Andrew :mrgreen:

moforockband
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Re: Bike stalls when 1st gear selected - help please!

Post by moforockband » Sun May 06, 2018 4:02 pm

Hi Andrew,
If the clutch is mechanically stalling the bike, it will be trying to drag you down the road with the clutch fully in.
It can any of the following:
- old engine oil
- Coarse adjuster incorrectly set on sprocket housing - this adjusts the clutch with the bar adjuster also.
- warped clutch plates
- Warped pressure plate
- collapsed release bearing in pressure plate.

The good thing about clutches is, if you take your time they are relatively easy to troubleshoot.
The coolant for your bike btw can be any ready mixed coolant from the bike shop. I use 2 year aluminium friendly concentrate from GSF car parts as it's cheaper and works a treat.

4StringBass
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Re: Bike stalls when 1st gear selected - help please!

Post by 4StringBass » Tue May 08, 2018 8:02 pm

Thank you for your reply. I will get the clutch stripped next week and see what's what.

The oil has been changed but looked clean. The clutch cable has been replaced out but the old one did look OK. The worm drive was goosed and had far too much side-to-side play. The clutch was replaced last year and the bike hasn't been used much so could well have been incorrectly installed.

Thanks for the coolant tip too. I've got Halfords blue silicate coolant so will try and work out if that's aluminium friendly.

8-)


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