86 250r clutch problem?????

[ATCeeya]

I hadnt ridden my 86 250r since last year. The clutch cable has always been a very hard pull since I bought the bike but sort of works itself in a bit when you ride it. . I seen it fraying and while in my garage last week I pulled it and the cable ripped by the clutch perch. No biggy as I knew it was on its way out and needed replacing for awhile now. Beats having it rip on the trails. Anyways fast forward to today. I put a new cable on it and the pull is SUPER easy. Too easy infact. So i start the bike up after its long nap, pull the clutch lever in, put it into 1st gear an it lurches forward and stalls. hmmmm....So I disconnect the cable at the bottom there and with the engine off I go from Neutral to 1st gear and manually move that clutch arm and its still "in gear". This is what I get for letting it sit so long I guess. So anyways whats up with it? Why is the "clutch" not engaging when that arm is moved? I posted pics of where it is and how far it moves forward when I move it. Should it go more? Is this internal? Everything was A-OK last time I rode it. So where do I go from here.

[3WW Star-Yamahondaman]

Look's like you need to CLEAN it up some and go with the "89" up date kit ... the ball might be Welded to the Rod ... "comes from sitting TOO Long,Holding the Clutch in while REVING up,Old Cable,............. OLD OIL ? ....

[miajosh]

had that happen to me after i let my 200x sit for a year. the first start i put it in gear and it launched from under me but after that i was good so im thinking the clutch disks dried up and stuck so once it ran and got soaked in oil it relesed and worked right.

[ATCeeya]

well yes it has sat for awhile. I hadnt started it up until today. Its been sitting about a year now. Oil is from last year. Cable brand new as of today. the last cable was who knows how old. Ancient probably. Tell me what to do. Break it down for me I can handle it just dont know where to begin. Like I said, everthing was kosher with it when I parked it. Started today in 3 kicks I was happy about that.

:edit: maybe I should just pop it in gear and try to get it moving and it will "fix itself"...if i can get it to not stall out at first

[squirrel1182]

Id say pull apart all the clutch plates and disks to make sure there not seized. I don't have a 250r so i couldn't tell you exactly how to get to your clutch. But on my kawi i just half to pull the right crankcase cover off and its right there And you pull out the 5 bolts and springs holding your clutch together. Should be the same? Someone please correct me if im wrong. Theres also a little push-rod in the center of the clutch push on that with your finger and pull your clutch lever to see if it moves if it doesn't move in and out then that could be your problem. ( I used a diagram of a clutch on bike bandit so i might not be perfectly right on this)

[KASEY]

hell rev it up,, pull in the clutch and jam it in gear,,, it will break lose ,,, then slip it a little to smooth up the plates and RIDE.... change the oil and RIDE .. i see nothing unusual about this,, it happens,,,

[squirrel1182]

hell rev it up,, pull in the clutch and jam it in gear,,, it will break lose ,,, then slip it a little to smooth up the plates and RIDE.... change the oil and RIDE .. i see nothing unusual about this,, it happens,,,

Just out of curiosity wouldn't that hurt the trans?

[KASEY]

no,,, thats not much of a shock load compared to dropping the full throttle in second gear in a drag race that you do all day long... i have done it alot of times ,, no big thing.. it will pop lose pretty easy... i would NOT tear it apart for that,,UNLESS it had a history of problems....

[miajosh]

put it in gear start it weather push or kick and ride it for a bit 5 10 mins and be easy shifting but rev it up and make it feel the power and then just try to stop and clutch it to see if it works or if its getting better. if not then u might need more of a ride or take the cover off and pull the disks off n oil them and reinsert and re ride to see if that works

[ATCeeya]

ok guys im guna try to get it moving outta first gear without stalling right away and hopefully get it to fix itself. might be a couple days til I can get to it, my schedule is full until late at night and by then its too late to fire up and do such things. I'll update as soon as I can do it. Also, i took cover off the left side but looks like stator is there so clutch on other side? Im familiar with clutch plates and all that i just put a clutch in my streetbike it was cake but gotta know where to take apart if it comes to that. but like i said ill try to ride out the problem first

[NINJA]

Your friction plates have experienced the "pancake effect". The top half of your clutch dried out while your R sat there that long with the springs squeezing the oil out of them. Now, 50% of the clutch pack grabs instantly. Take the right side case cover (opposite of the flywheel) off and remove the pressure plate from off the clutch. Be sure to use a criss-cross pattern on the clutch spring bolts at 4 turn intervals to avoid warping or cracking the pressure plate. Remove all of your friction disks and soak them in a bucket of 10W30 oil overnight. Take all your steel disks and clean them and scuff them in a radiating pattern (think rays of the sun) with 60-80 grit emery cloth. If the friction disks appear glazed or shiny, scuff them up too before soaking them. When it's time to reinstall them, make sure they are all facing smooth edge out or all facing sharp edge out, either way doesn't really matter. Retighten the clutch springs in the same criss-cross pattern. If this doesn't solve your problem, then the friction plates need to be replaced with new ones.

[johnborthayre]

It does not look to me like your arm is travelling for enough (in your finger picture). The first quarter inch should be easy and then the rest will be tough to do without leverage of the handle.
I just replace the clutch cable on my 250r and it seemed to have over an inch more of internal cable. In other words, I had to back out out all of my cable adjusters at the handle and the crankcase so it would operate like it did before the replacement. I wonder if manufactures a building these cable to fit a broad number of vehicle. If I ever get any stretch in this cable I am out of luck since there is no more adjustment. I could have cut the ball and some cable off and somehow attached another one on but that seemed like a broken cable waiting to happen.

[ATCeeya]

Johnborthayre you nailed it on the head. I just adjusted the cable all the way out on BOTH ends and it finally got some feel in the lever. I was most definately not pulling it as far with my finger as I am able to now at the lever. However, like your cable, mine is adjusted all the way out too. It works again and I was able to rip around on it now but I am going to buy another cable. I got a motion pro on ebay for like 12.99 shipped. A tad bit too long it is. says it was for my bike but it should be a bit shorter. Atleast the mystery is solved now. Glad I didnt have to take it apart. But I will be ordering a different cable now.

[johnborthayre]

Great news. Sorry for all of the typos. Let me know if the new cable fits better. I will pick one up too.

[johnborthayre]

Great news! I am surprised anyone could understand it with all of the typos (was I drunk?). Let me know if the new cable fits better.