Forum

[gavin]

Hi can any one help me Iam trouble selecting neutral with the engine running.I can find it when the engine is turned off.also what is the black cylinder beside the battery with oil pipes to it because it is leaking oil. Thanks for any help

[Davie Hall]

The black cylinder is an engine breather that needs cleaning out as it is full. Or you can do as I have done on mine and bin it and fit a pipe from the crankcase breather and route it to the back of the bike and let it breath to atmosphere. The clutch problem, I have never got to the botom of mine dragging so I just select neutral just before I stop

[Thack]

The problem is well known and caused by clutch drag. Make sure the cable is adjusted such that there is just the barest minimum free travel before it starts to operate the clutch release mechanism (you can feel it easily enough).



If the clutch still drags, then it is most likely caused by distorted friction plates in the clutch. Remove them and check each one on a sheet of glass for flatness. Carefully bend by hand until they are as perfectly flat as you can get them.

[ric]

Do you know if you have the optional oversize ball bearings fitted the clutch operating mechanism that were once supplied by Watsonian Squire? These increased the throw and help reduce clutch drag.

[Lee B]

"They all do that Sir". On my Electra X I have cleaned the clutch plates put in ATF and from our Hosts installed stronger clutch springs and the roller bearing. Adjusted it to within an inch of it's life and I still struggle to find neutral however it is slightly better and I have found that I nearly always find neutral if i select it just as I coast to a stop when approaching junctions, lights etc.

[Adam]

Hi Gavin. Same problem on my Electra X turned out to be the release mechanism had partially fractured. No matter how careful you are with clutch assembly adjustment or cable free play you will not overcome a fracture in the mechanism. Adjustments are made with no load on the severely weakened mechanism, as soon as you ask it to perform its job it fails to respond correctly, deforming instead of transmitting lateral force to the clutch operating rod. Go to the Electra X parts book and see Page 24 - End Cover Assembly - 5 Speed. Assembly item no. 29 could be required, £14.00 from our host. The part that fails (the un-numbered lever thingy between items 3 and 5) is what failed for me.. Oil pouring out of the breather can could be due to overfilling the engine oil (please don't ask how I know). Adam

[Thunderdird 2]

Unlike my 350AVL catch can which has a 10mm drainage bolt my 500AVL has a pipe out of the bottom of the can which goes to the back of the top of the timing case, do you not have this?
The 'bolt' type can empties its self conveniently straight into the air box when full, totally buggering up the filter, so I drain mine every week, especially this time of year with the damp atmosphere.
If yours returns back to the timing case all I can suggest is you check all your pipe connection.
I never put more than 200mm in on oil change, seems to work for me.
Terry

[jefrs]

Lack of neutral is clutch not freeing off. It must be completely freed off when pulled in and completely engaged when released. Do try adjusting the cable before pulling it all apart. Check the steering doesn't loosen and tighten the cable, 2-3mm slack. Do you have the rod and ball adjuster on the AVL? I don't have that on the EFi, just the cable. A wet multiple-plate clutch is always going to drag a bit (stiction) but slipping will wear it out. Not finding neutral is a nuisance but slipping is bad.



Engine breather filters can rarely be cleaned successfully, replace it (traditional cleaning was petrol, try carb cleaner spray). It should be filtered because they suck in as well as blow out, we do not want water in there. Modern method is to run pipe from breather to air inlet filter so oil fumes are sent through the engine, I'm not sold on that one for several reasons: sending muck through the cylinder is not good, there's manifold vacuum sucking on the pipe.