2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Mechanical problems discussed for Dirt Bikes and Dual Sport Bikes
Qsixteen
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Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Qsixteen » Mon May 27, 2013 2:44 am

Sandblaster wrote:Just remember Yodarad, it takes me longer than 5 minutes just to find my stinking glasses :geek:

I think I may just have found the problem.
The kick idler gear has approximately 1/16" of play in it, that's rocking on the shaft :shock:
The shaft measures approx 19.94mm and the ID of the gear measures 20.02mm
I think the shift pawl was grinding on the gear although it doesn't show it.
Then again it happened only a few times and I didn't force the issue.
If this is correct that would explain why the bike went into gear even though I heard a grinding sound..
It would also explain why my clutch seemed to work just fine when starting and stopping...
I'll know when I locate another kick ider gear.
I can't seem to find the specs for the ID measurement...

More later.
The best one out of my stock is 19.96mm. Most of the other 12 I have measure from 19.98-20.60mm

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Sandblaster
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Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Sandblaster » Mon May 27, 2013 2:09 pm

Thanks!
Today I will go down to the shop and put a new bend on the lever.
It's raining so I might as well...
If bikes are for kids I'll never grow up.

Friar-Tuck
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Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:48 am

Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Friar-Tuck » Wed May 29, 2013 5:34 am

Sorry SB, What am I missing here... a 14t is smaller than the 15t right? you should have had more clearance no..???
I could understand not putting the shifter back on the same spline on the shiftshaft... I.E. raising the shifter closer to the chain and sprocket...
or am I all wet... Putting a bend in the shifter has been a tad more complex than just putting it in a vice last time I tried it. :mrgreen: A little Turbo torch goes a long way!
Tuck\o/

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Sandblaster
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Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Sandblaster » Wed May 29, 2013 5:56 am

Friar-Tuck wrote:Sorry SB, What am I missing here... a 14t is smaller than the 15t right? you should have had more clearance no..???
I could understand not putting the shifter back on the same spline on the shiftshaft... I.E. raising the shifter closer to the chain and sprocket...
or am I all wet... Putting a bend in the shifter has been a tad more complex than just putting it in a vice last time I tried it. :mrgreen: A little Turbo torch goes a long way!
Tuck\o/
Hey Tuck.
I had a 14T on it and then put a 15T on it, but didn't try to ride it till a week later.... :(
With the 15T there was less clearance.
So, as I attempted to up shift, the lever was grinding on the counter sprocket.
It ground so hard my big toe still hurts :D

Yes, if you want to bend a shift lever you better have a torch :)
I put it back together today with the shift lever 1 spline lower.
I have not bent it yet as I want to see if I can ride it comfortably the way it is.
If I don't like it I'll fire up the torch :D
If bikes are for kids I'll never grow up.

Friar-Tuck
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:48 am

Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Friar-Tuck » Wed May 29, 2013 8:53 pm

I apologize SB, I swore I read you replaced the 15 with a 14, (not the other way round :roll: )
All these little annoyances seem never-ending, however look at how much you /(we) have learned from all the work you've done!
Thanks to the other guys sharing their insights, and your willingness to document it all, this stuff is very hard to dig-up (at least for me) anywhere.

Tuck\o/

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Sandblaster
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Re: 2001 KX500 Kawasaki won't up shift without grinding

Post by Sandblaster » Wed May 29, 2013 9:49 pm

No problem Tuck.
The more we document the easier it should get over time.
Theoretically :?
If bikes are for kids I'll never grow up.

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