350x Help Needed

[MrConcdid]

Hey guys I need some advice.
My 85 350x has a problem (has always had) with either the kicker assembly / bearings, the idle gear or bearings or the transmission.
I have stated before it is hard to kick, now that it has a new top end it's even harder.
Here is the set up and what it does.

No plug installed, in neutral, decomp working = extremely hard to kick over
No plug installed, in gear, decomp working = is easy to kick over and the bike moves forward like you would expect.

No strange noises or clunks, I feel something is in a bind, and when the trans is in gear whatever is in a bind can no longer bind and is easy to kick over. I have ruled out the needle bearing on the kicker, just
due to that pressure point is the same whether in gear or not, so that leads me to a trans/syncro/shifter issue?

The only thing I haven't tried yet is to put it in gear and pull in the clutch and see how hard it is to kick over.

Thanks for your help.
MrC.

[shortline10]

I would pull the clutch cover off and remove the clutch and kicker idler gears , inspecting them closely , that will rule out any issues on the clutch side .
Then pull the stator cover off and inspect the shift Mechanism , finally turn the shift drum manually from neutral to in gear and see if the issue continues , if it does then it’s in the transmission .
Could be a bent shift fork or an incorrectly installed tranny shim causing the binding .

[MrConcdid]

Thanks shortline, I was hoping you would reply.
I have been trying to whittle down the options.
I too am thinking clutch, first I was thinking kicker assembly, but shifting gear would not effect that.
I will pull the cover tonight and inspect the clutch/idler as you suggest.
Thanks

[ATC200X4716]

Tricky symptom but agree with pulling the clutch. That will disconnect the engine from the transmission. Maybe take off the chain too. Ever pick up an fine metal in the oil filter? Does it run? Curious on what you find.

[MrConcdid]

Yes ATC200x4716, the oil screen was completely coated with debris: like RTV and filings, the oil had fine specks in it and a lot of clutch material. No gear teeth or chunks.
Here is the right side with no cover or clutch.

I have sourced another bottom end, I hope to have it by the end of the week, I will pull it down and inspect it, then the task of swapping over all my new parts (my case has a repair on it from chain bind by the PO), I still would like to know what was wrong with this one.

Thanks for your help

[MrConcdid]

I would pull the clutch cover off and remove the clutch and kicker idler gears , inspecting them closely , that will rule out any issues on the clutch side .
Then pull the stator cover off and inspect the shift Mechanism , finally turn the shift drum manually from neutral to in gear and see if the issue continues , if it does then it’s in the transmission .
Could be a bent shift fork or an incorrectly installed tranny shim causing the binding .

have you heard of a 350x trans issue? is that common?

[shortline10]

Not a binding problem, just the typical bent shift forks and broken shift shaft spring boss .
Did you pull the left / stator side apart yet and inspect all the shift mechanisms ?
The shift drum is on that side and can be shifted manually .

[MrConcdid]

No sir, I will inspect tonight and post a picture. can that bent shift fork be serviced without splitting the case?
thanks again,
MrC.

[shortline10]

Nope , shift forks ride on the tranny gears so the center cases have to be split .
If theirs a problem with the shift Mechanism it could cause it to be half way into a gear causing the binding .