Topic: 550 shifting issue

[carefree]

Hi all, so the 75 550 I've just about finished bring back from the dead is having a weird issue i've never come across before. I start bike, pull in clutch, drop it into first, go through all the gears and then down shift and it just doesn't want to go back into first. Everything feels normal up to that point. Clutch engagement is easy and smooth and all shifts up and down except for first feel completely normal. I shut bike off and it will go into first with or without clutch. Oil is fresh and full, cable is new, I've messed with cable adjuster and case adjuster with no difference. Any thoughts?

[RAFster122s]

What oil are you running?

[TwoTired]

When it doesn't shift down, does the foot lever move, or does it feel blocked from moving down?
 Does it find neutral easily?

Cheers,

[carefree]

Feels blocked from moving down, stays in second gear so no neutral either.  I shut bike off and it goes back to normal function with neutral and first clicking in and out smoothly. Im using bike specific 10-40 oil.

[bryanj]

I have had that when lever onwrong spline and htting casing

[RAFster122s]

Which bike specific oil, Valvoline doesn't shift as well as something like Spectra or Belray Mineral Oil...

[carefree]

Which bike specific oil, Valvoline doesn't shift as well as something like Spectra or Belray Mineral Oil...

Castrol, but oil definatley isn't the issue here

[carefree]

So after taking it apart on the clutch side i think my problem is caused by fatigued springs on the shifter arm not allowing it to return to original position to grab next gear spot on star shaped wheel on shifter drum. I guess after 47 years and 26k miles these little springs are shot.

[dave500]

check the little stopper wheel doesent look like this aswell,i wore a groove in one once.

[carefree]

So after lots of frustration and uncertainty of what the possible problem was I figured it out. The shifter shaft spring was my first thought as it didn't return to original position after changing gears. After taking it apart and pulling spring out I discovered that spring had been put in backwards and wasn't connecting with shifter shaft like it should. Flip it over, put it back together and now if shifts into all gears as it should.  I guess my biggest mistake was not realizing that a 47 year old bike had probably messed with by lots of shade tree mechanics in all those years, now including me.

[dave500]

well done.

[Kenzo1979]

... I guess after 47 years and 26k miles these little springs are shot.

Good to hear you figured it out.  Afterall, 26k miles is not what I would consider a lot for these bikes.


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