Topic: Cb550 rebuild and mod- gsxr front/engine mods/harley backend

[work9to5]

Hi guys, I'm nearing completion on a bike rebuild and need a little help brainstorming a clutch issue. Bike is a 74' cb550. I bought it as a non runner, only frame, engine and rear wheel 6 months ago. Started the rebuild 3 months ago. It's been a fun build for the most part. Did a few interesting mods to it including a GXSR front end conversion, cb650 cam, 605 jug over bore, and modified a harley bobtail fender into a "cafe" type seat. I'm in the final stages; was able to start her up yesterday for the first time. I do have a clutch issue which I'd like some input on. Here's the symptoms-

-bike starts and idles fine, but sprocket does not move (Chain is not installed yet)
-clutch lever moves freely and "correctly", but doesn't seem to be doing anything as far as moving the basket. Have tried adjusting by adjusting outer screw on clutch cover with no positive result. Tightening does nothing, loosening results in clutch not moving through gears
-when bike is on or off I can move the foot lever through what I believe to be 1st, neutral and 2end. So I know that the clutch cam is doing it's job. But moving through these "gears" does not have afect on clutch/drive (i.e.- chain sprocket does not move)
-kickstart does not work. When I actuate kick lever, it doesn't give much pressure back except a one point and then pushes past that point easliy. At this point I can hear it scrape by something inside on the clutch cover. Sounds as if it is contacting with the clutch cover somehow. Same result in all "gears"

Tomorrow I'm gonna go back into the clucth and see if I can adjust out the problem and install new springs in her I forgot I had when assembling. I'd appreciate any pointers or ideas on where to start or ideas on whats gone wrong.

I'm attaching a before and after pic. Will post another after pic tomorrow as I made slight cosmetic changes as far as paint and how I mounted the fender to bring the bike's "line" together a bit better. Also when I finished I think this one may be worthy of a bike of the month nomination, if you feel the same way throw up a nomination. Thanks, will report back with findings and pics

[work9to5]

Ok so got into the clutch today. After removing the cover I immediately saw what could be causing some of the problem. One of the four screws which holds in the spring plates was dislodged to the point that it was just hanging in the spring adjuster plate (pic attached). So I'm thinking the clutch was not compressed enough to cause friction between the the fiber plates and metal clutch plates, resulting in no drive= false neutral. The sound I described as a scraping seems to have been coming from the rotation of the basket. When the kicker is actuated it turns the basket, making a light "turn" sound from the plates lightly touching either but not pressed tight enough to cause the crank to rotate, which I thought was the scraping. So hopefully the kicker is fine, it's just because the bike was in a "neutral" position caused by the plates not being pushed together. I'm removing the basket now to see if I can figure out why I cant shift the foot lever above 2end. I can't find any reference in manuals or online as to how tight I should tighten the adjuster plate down? If any one can give some sort of reference I would appreciate it. Upon pulling the springs, I'm finding them all to be at about 35mm (honda says replace if less than 30.5mm) so as long as I can tighten them evenly I'm going to stick with them instead of replacing with new. Will follow up in my next post with pics of what shifting results in.

[work9to5]

Ok, removed basket to inspect why I can get it to go it 3erd. Pic1 is in what I believe to be neutral. Pic2 is it in 2end. Pic3 is where it gets hung up. As you can see from the pic the gear selector get stuck on the top of the star just before it should naturally slide into 3erd gear. If I give the foot lever more pressure, no affect. It doesn't move. So I nudged the gear selector with my finger lightly and it falls right into place. But then can't get into 4th without the same results or even back to first. It seems to only be able to progress through two movements. I next remove the "star thingy" and the cam which sits below it to inspect. Star seems ok and the cam below has all of its pins. If I nudge the gear selector underneath the cam it seems to move freely into 4th an 5th. Which make me hopeful that I don't have to split the cases for this. So maybe the problem is right in front of me? In pic4 of the arm of the gear selector does everthing look normal? Could it be that the gear selector arm is worn or possibly that the springs on the gear changer arms are shot? Anyone have a guess?

Any insight appreciated. I've got another 550 engine sitting behind me (for my next build) so my next step I think will be to open that one and see if I can see where the difference is.

[work9to5]

I think I may have figured it out. I opened my upcoming projects clutch to compare and found the same thing? The gear selector gets caught on the top of the star in that engine aswell! So this is what I'm thinking both engines probably don't have the same issue. So the bike must have to be running to help it find gears 3, 4 and 5. This kind of makes sense to me.

The main crank has to be spinning so that it can transfer power the transmission so that the gears can get the "push" that they need to find their place within their notches? Without having the bike running or at least having the chain on the rear wheel sprocket (and gliding forward) it doesn't get this nudge of help. The engine has a hard time getting to the next gear?

Also from taking the basket out of the upcoming project I realized I had not tightened the spring plate to at all near where it should have been. It's was pretty tight in there compared to where I had mine. Will adjust accordingly on reassembly.

If anyone can confirm this or deny it would help a ton! I'm going to wait for a reply before buttoning her back up. I know the last three posts where allot to read but it helped me think out the problem and hopefully it will help someone in the future.