3rd gear problems on 1985 250sx!!

[zombie_17]

All other gears shift fine but when I shift it into 3rd and gas it, it grinds and pops and wont put power to the ground. It works good if its just crawling along but as soon as I give it any gas it does that. Any ideas on what this could be??
Thanks

[Dirtcrasher]

I'd look under the left side cover 1st. See if maybe a pin broke or came loose.

The SX along with some others, are notorious for pin failures and or them coming loose. ON an SX, that stuff is on the left side, other models it's under the right or clutch side of the motor. Regardless, there are a ton of moving parts in there. IDK if it was HONDA-HARRY or HONDA-HOMEY but they were certainly one smart prick!

I like to put stuff on stands and have someone else turn the rear wheels while I shift it and I can watch what happens. BUT, in your case, you say it works well but NOT when under power which could be a very bad thing internally. Not expensive, but very time consuming to repair it.

Give us a History lesson:

Have you owned this for years and it just started happening?
Was anything recently worked on?
Did anyone ever remove the countershaft (3 allen head bolts, just in front of the drive shaft......)?
Are you and or other people that ride it in the habit of revving it up with the shifter held up and then released for "wheelie time"?

I know the SX very well, I have allot of parts also that I will let go. But I will say this and anyone can disagree, have a ball; The auto 250CC motors ES/SX are very tough and take allot of abuse. BUT, if you must tear into it, they have ALLOT of parts (similar to any and most and or all automatics) and you better have your game on when repairing this; IF it is an internal issue then be prepared for a large project. Just getting the motor out is a horror show, thats why guys remove those 3 allen bolts. They ought to be labeled, "If you remove these 3 bolts, be prepared for a horror show". lol............. I'll try top help you and if it comes down to it, please just email me with any info/pics. BUT, there are ALLOT of guys on this board that have encountered similar situations/circumstances, so kep the Topic alive fore people to view and or read. I'm no expert, but I do know my way around certain models better than other models :D

A "ONE GEAR ISSUE" frightens me, Isolated issues can be and or are sometimes related to just that gear, that spot in the shift drum or the mating gear dogs/lugs/posts that drive that particular gear.

Give us some more info and we'll roll from there. But remember this, everytime any machine POPS out of gear something gets rounded off or chewed up a bit. The longer you leave it unresolved, the worse it gets and more parts get ruined..

I gotta get back to my flood; Looking forward to more info.............................................. .....

[zombie_17]

Well I've had this trike for about 5 years and yes I do ride it very hard, but I try not to "sport shift" it. Last fall it started to have this exact same problem, but in all 5 gears. I took the right side apart and replaced the clutch plates and springs, and now it is only happening in 3rd gear. For the time that I have had it, the countershaft has not been removed. I guess ill take the left side cover off and see what is going on inside of there

[Dirtcrasher]

Last year you had the "exact same problem" but in all gears and a clutch fixed it??

So it ground and popped in all 5 gears?? I'm trying to understand you......

It cannot be the exact same problem because last year a clutch fixed it and now you are giving me symptoms of a gear engagement issue?????????

Your losing me, lol.............

[zombie_17]

Yes I know that is why I am so confused too. Last year it was having the same problems in every gear, it would grind and pop under a load, and now it only does it in 3rd gear after a clutch replacement.