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[dalgrae]

Hi thanks for all these replies,I have been through everything thing ,mainshaft nut tight ,clutch overhauled with as new drum ,new lay shaft complete with a full set of new gears ,back lash checks ok ,cable renewed clutch push rods ok ,but will not engage neutral if bike stationary ,with engine running,goes into neutral if engine stopped ,thats why I suspect clutch drag,with the bike on centre stand and engine running ,put in first gear back wheel rotates with clutch pulled right in, apply rear brake engine falteres and stalls,that why I suspect clutch drag ,and no matter what I do/try cannot get rid of this,with all the other classic bikes I have or have had ,I have never had clutch drag like this

[OldBoy67]

Have you checked that the driving plate part of the clutch centre runs absolutely true, and that the splines on the centre are good? The clutch centre plate can often be out of true caused by cack handed previous owners trying to remove the clutch centre before realizing that a puller is required. I also assume that the plain dish plates are true, assembled in the correct sequence and with the dished part of the plate oriented in the correct direction? The oil is unlikely to be the issue if you are using 10/40 (preferably 20/50).

[OldBoy67]

Also it would not hurt to check the thickness of the cork clutch plates and that they are all a consistent size (around 5mm). Coincidentally there is currently a discussion on the clutch on the Royal Enfield 250cc Owners Technical Facebook Group at the moment.

[dalgrae]

Hi thanks for this,clutch centre as new ,no grooves,new steel plates, friction plates all the same size,I even spent an hour,with a needle file removing all the sharp edges ,burrs from all the steel plate tangs and the same on the friction plates so that they moved up and down the clutch centre and clutch drum smoothly ,all parts also concentric ,10/40 oil used.I have considered making an ally front pressure plate similar to one you can buy for the Triumph Tiger Cub ,even though the steel one fitted is flat

Regards. Colin

[trophyvase]

The more of this I read the less I think it is clutch drag.

I see no need at all to remake any clutch parts for this engine - as the design is good and has served well for many mnay years.

If the only symptom of clutch drag is inability to find neutral then I'd say that that is not enough to prove clutch drag. After all this attention to the clutch I'd look elsewhere.

But maybe there are other indicators that it is clutch drag - it'd help to hear what they are.

[dalgrae]

Hi ,thanks for this ,my main issue is I cannot get the clutch to completely disengage as I previously said,,with the bike stopped it goes into all the gears easy by just rocking the back wheel ,it goes up and down the gears and netrual very easy and evertime.But start the engine the back wheel is stationary , engage first gear and with the bike on the centre stand back wheel rotates very quickly with clutch pulled in,if you try to stop the wheel rotation by applying rear brake it falters and stalls within seconds,touch the gear lever and easily goes into neutral.I guess what I am trying to achieve is the ability to be able to come to a halt on the road with clutch pulled in and in gear so I can then pull away,but what is happening is I have to try and anticipate every scenario in the road so that I came to a halt in neutral,if as happens now and I have to stop and I cannot get to neutral then it sticks in that gear and stalls ,so change back to neutral ,kick start it and off I go again ,hardly confidence building on such a nice motorcycle.My next course of action us to progressively reduce the clutch pushrod clearance and also the clutch lever free play to see if that helps.

Thanks again

Colin

[OldBoy67]

...and is the plate sequence is corrrect, namely (starting from the clutch centre):
Plain (dished centre outwards)
Friction
Plain (no dish)
Friction
Plain (dish centre inwards)
Friction

And if you are using new friction plates did you check their overall thickness? In the discussion that I mentioned on the Facebook page there is talk about the variability in thickness of "new" plates. Maybe irrelevant but you seem to have tried most everything else.

[dalgrae]

Hi thanks for this,I have a service manual that I bought that as you say correctly lists the assembly sequence of the plates,the only thing I wondered about was the thin circlip that retains the outer drum I was advised that this keeps the drum in place to help the clutch separation when the handle bar lever is pulled ,so I fitted it ,my next action will be as previous ,gradually reduce running clearance on the centre adjuster and also handlebar blade clearance.

I will get it sorted somehow

Colin

[OldBoy67]

If you are referring to the large clutch retaining circlip (part 39305), I believe that is only required if you are using an earlier clutch basket which uses ball bearings on the clutch centre. Later baskets use a plain centre bearing without the circlip.

[trophyvase]

That large circlip has no functioning purpose - it only retains the clutch while re-building. Once rebuilt it has no further role.

Certainly that is the case with the Bullet clutch and I would suspect the same it the case with the 250 unit engine.