XS650 clutch problem

**surfer** · 19th April 2008, 17:18

Hello there,

Can anyone help with this one?

My clutch does not engage. The clutch cable and the push mechanism that the cable attaches to behind the right case cover are fine and work ok. The probelm is that when clutch is pulled in the push mechanism winds out but does not go far enough to push against the push rod to move it in.

I have checked that the ball bearing is still behind the push rod. The engine did have a strip down but the clutch was not touched. The clutch cable is the same one as used before the strip down. There was no problem with the clutch before the engine strip down.

Any ideas on this one?

Cheers

**Subike** · 19th April 2008, 17:46

Originally Posted by surfer

Hello there,

Can anyone help with this one?

My clutch does not engage. The clutch cable and the push mechanism that the cable attaches to behind the right case cover are fine and work ok. The probelm is that when clutch is pulled in the push mechanism winds out but does not go far enough to push against the push rod to move it in.

I have checked that the ball bearing is still behind the push rod. The engine did have a strip down but the clutch was not touched. The clutch cable is the same one as used before the strip down. There was no problem with the clutch before the engine strip down.

Any ideas on this one?

Cheers

Was the clutch pack pulled apart when engine stripped down? Or was the pack left untouched. The plates may be stuck togeather and moving a one plate, just a thought.

**Motu** · 19th April 2008, 17:56

It does not engage? Or do you mean disengage?

**surfer** · 19th April 2008, 18:29

Originally Posted by Motu

It does not engage? Or do you mean disengage?

The push mechanism does not engage the push rod.

**surfer** · 19th April 2008, 19:18

How many balls should there be? And how many push rods are there in the clutch assembly?

Could the problem possibly be that somehow I have lost a 5/16 ball between the first push rod and second push rod. And that the ball I pulled out and checked was between the second and third push rod? This might account for why the push rod does not appear to be long enough to engage the push mechanism in the outer casing.

Alternatively it may be that if I adjust the nut and worm on the outer casing and screw them in far enough to engage the push rod the problem will disappear. However, in that case what caused this problem in the first place and will I be making a bigger problem for myself later, especially if I missing a ball?

What do you reckon?

**T.W.R** · 19th April 2008, 19:25

Try this

It's the Clutch assembly and adjustment methods for a XS-2 (earlier model XS650) but should be basically the same system

**Motu** · 19th April 2008, 19:30

So the clutch is not disengaging because there is something wrong with the release mechanism? Pull the right hand cover off and check the clutch itself.The mechanism being behind the right side cover is a real pain on the XS650....apart from being hard to get at it gets full of crap from the chain.Something is missing....or you are missing something - I'd check the clutch itself,and then you can watch it operate when you pull the lever.

**surfer** · 19th April 2008, 20:39

Originally Posted by Motu

So the clutch is not disengaging because there is something wrong with the release mechanism? Pull the right hand cover off and check the clutch itself.The mechanism being behind the right side cover is a real pain on the XS650....apart from being hard to get at it gets full of crap from the chain.Something is missing....or you are missing something - I'd check the clutch itself,and then you can watch it operate when you pull the lever.

I have checked the clutch mechanism behind the right side cover. Yep, you are right about the chain crap, there is a pile of it. The mechanism itself works fine though, twists out when I pull the cable and the spring pulls it back when the lever is released.

I think you are right, I am missing something. But what?

Originally Posted by T.W.R

Try this

It's the Clutch assembly and adjustment methods for a XS-2 (earlier model XS650) but should be basically the same system

I have one of the pictures in my Clymer manual. I don't have the other picture of the push mechanism behind the right hand side cover though, cheers for that. I spot a ball in there. Maybe I have lost this ball so the push rod isn't being touched when the mechanism winds out when the clutch lever is pulled. I will have a look for it tomorrow in the day light (bike is under a car port and with my slightly different set up for the foot rests it means I have to pull the exhaust pipe off to get at the foot rest to pull them off to get the side cover right off uurrrgghh

mission).

Do you think the ball in the clutch mechanism on the inside of the right casing is held in by grease and pressure from the push rod to stop it falling out? If so it could have fallen out as the casings were moved around a bit when the engine was stripped down.

Cheers guys, I'll let you know what happens

.

**surfer** · 20th April 2008, 15:06

OK, I've looked at the push mechanism and I can't see a ball bearing in there. So I put a 1/4 inch bearing in, it looks a bit small in the space but it seems to work. The clutch has pressure when I pull the lever in so I guess that was it, a missing ball. Good diagnosis Motu re missing part. Cheers for the diagram T.W.R.

Anyone know what size the ball should be?

Won't know for sure how good this fix will be (if the ball is big enough) as I am waiting on the tank which is having a wee coat of paint. My paint spray can job was looking really tatty so I am getting a decent finish put on. When I get the tank back on I'll be firing it up. Hopefully it will all work, can't wait.

Cheers and thanks everyone.