85 250SX clutch

[1985BigRed250ES]

i have noticed while riding the 250SX that the clutch doesnt disengage when shifting gears. I have also noticed that I can hold the shift lever 'up' or 'down' and gas it and it pulls strong. anyone ever seen this problem? what causes it? and whats the fix for it?

thanks

Jordan

[tri again]

as far as I remember, if one hold the shifter up or down,
it's almost like slipping a clutch.

In other words, if you hold the shifter up in 2nd gear, the trike will roll
until you let off the shifter...kinda like what you'd do to jump start
anything with a clutch.

Not real sure but I think if you shift inTO a gear and let the shifter go very slowly, it IS like slipping
a manual clutch.

Hopefully someone can correct me or add to this thought.
I've been riding these things every day for years and forget exactly.

I just know it's a very cool, typically unknown feature.

I gotta go look as these sx's for sale but I'll check back in a couple hrs.

[dougspcs]

i have noticed while riding the 250SX that the clutch doesnt disengage when shifting gears. I have also noticed that I can hold the shift lever 'up' or 'down' and gas it and it pulls strong. anyone ever seen this problem? what causes it? and whats the fix for it?

thanks

Jordan

There is an adjustment screw on the side of the engine case..instructions in the service manual. Link here: http://www.oscarmayer.net/atc/manuals/

Download the manual and follow the instructions..problem solved.

[1985BigRed250ES]

thanks for the help guys. to clearify what i said, yes you can hold up or down on the shifter, its kinda like slipping the clutch. the problem is, this one WONT slip it just PULLS even with the shifter held up or down. my dads honda foreman 450S 4x4 is doing the same thing. we tried adjusting the clutch on his foreman 450 and it didnt work. maybe it will on the SX. my question is, what would cause the clutch not to slip when the shifter is held up or down?? bad shift clutch maybe? maybe centrifical clutch??

[dougspcs]

Improper adjustment..read the manual and follow the instructions...

If you do that and it doesn't work then come back..

Also make sure you are using wet-clutch approved oil in the crankcase..

[1985BigRed250ES]

ok. thanks. oil change will be next for sure. it is WAY overful and i dont know what kind of oil was used in it prior to me owning it. the oil isnt black tho, it looks as if it has been changed recently. I tried backing the clutch adjusting nut off earlier and couldnt get it to budge but I didnt try real hard. I will give it another try tomorrow and let you know what I find. thanks for all the help.

Jordan

[tri again]

ok. thanks. oil change will be next for sure. it is WAY overful and i dont know what kind of oil was used in it prior to me owning it. the oil isnt black tho, it looks as if it has been changed recently. I tried backing the clutch adjusting nut off earlier and couldnt get it to budge but I didnt try real hard. I will give it another try tomorrow and let you know what I find. thanks for all the help.

Jordan

so the lock nut on the clutch adjuster is stuck? like it will turn the adjuster screw too?
or not move at all?
Penetrating oil and a rattle gun set on real low and soak it some more.
It may have been adjusted too tight or correctly but the center adj screw tightened when they tightened the lock nut.
Try to use a 6 point socket if you can convince it loose, and then an open box wrench with a FAT blade screwdriver
to adjust. They just get ugly when buggered up.

Overfull may be an oops overfill
OR!!

I've seen carb float valves leak gas into the cylinder and
make the crankcase oil look overfull.

which MAY cause those symptoms, as in oil diluted with gas.

I had one like that today.
It would clunk into gear and no shifter 'let off' slip.
But then it started acting normally.
I didn't buy it because the frame had been rusted real bad.

Of the 15 or 20 I've had, I never really had one do that other than this test drive one today.

altho I did have a 110 that would lock up like it was direct drive when it got hot.

The rear axle bearings fell out of that one before I ever figured it out or fixed it.

[250Eddie]

sounds like the clutch plates are sticking to the steel plates may be gummed up from to much oil or to little oil, also when i adjust the screw on the side of my case it just messes with the shifter it dont really mess with the clutch .
But get the manual and read thru it alot of helpful things there.

[1985BigRed250ES]

ok thanks. I did smell of the oil today, it does not have gas in it. i will try to adjust the clutch tomorrow. thanks

[tri again]

ok, just be careful with the adjuster lock nut.

Not sure why but after wrenching professionally since the 70's
I ran across a locknut on my gf's 84 br es clutch adjuster that would NOT turn
without turning the adjuster screw too.

It's almost like someone put locktite on the threads, or may be a symptom of something else.
IDK.
I just adjusted that one looser by turning the locknut with the screw a couple flats and called it good,
since I knew it would never move anyway.

See, I say this because I couldn't run the screw in to resistance, and back off and lock it down.
Like they say in the book.
It was just a hard grunt guess so I just backed it off a little.

Hopefully yours will wake up and act normally.

Oh, remembering when my 110 clutch got sticky, it would actually die when you slowed to a stop
like stepping on the brakes of a manual shift car without pushing in the clutch.

Does yours act like that?
or will it slow down and keep idling while it's in gear?

[Yamaha Tri-Moto]

So I know this thread is old AF but I'm having the same issue as the original poster.

I just picked up a 250sx runs great, but when I shift gears it lurches forward pretty good mainly in first and second. The increase and decrease adjustment just seems to adjust the freeplay in the lever and not the clutch itself.

When I hold up on the shift lever and give it gas it moves like normal. Shouldn't it just rev and not move with the lever held up?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[MrConcdid]

Adjust the adjuster on the right side of the engine, If that doesn't help, then I think its time for a clutch, while your there, replace the springs and the one way bearing.
change the oil filter as well since you will be loosing half of it hen you open it up, even tilting the bike up on the right side.

MrC.

[Yamaha Tri-Moto]

Adjust the adjuster on the right side of the engine, If that doesn't help, then I think its time for a clutch, while your there, replace the springs and the one way bearing.
change the oil filter as well since you will be loosing half of it hen you open it up, even tilting the bike up on the right side.

MrC.

So would you figure I will just need to buy the clutch plates, springs, one way bearing and new gasket to do the job? Assuming the clutch basket is still in good shape.

Will I also need a clutch puller or can I make it work with some basic tools?

[shortline10]

If the Atv had been sitting for any length of time it’s possible that the plates are just stuck together and not releasing .
Sometimes you can free them up by riding it in the higher gears 4th & 5th by holding and releasing the gear shifter .
If that doesn’t work then you will need to disassemble the clutch and either clean or replace the plates .
If your kick starter still works properly then the one way bearing is fine .

[Yamaha Tri-Moto]

If the Atv had been sitting for any length of time it’s possible that the plates are just stuck together and not releasing .
Sometimes you can free them up by riding it in the higher gears 4th & 5th by holding and releasing the gear shifter .
If that doesn’t work then you will need to disassemble the clutch and either clean or replace the plates .
If your kick starter still works properly then the one way bearing is fine .

Thanks I'll give that a shot. It was sitting for 6 or 7 years in storage.the kick starter works fine so that's good news.

[Yamaha Tri-Moto]

Great news, the clutch plates came loose and work great now.

The only issue I'm having now is that when I get it going pretty fast in 4th or 5th gear and take my finger off the gas it tends to backfire on deceleration and stalls out, but starts right back up again.

It works fine cruising around the house in gears 1-3

I just cleaned the carb, so it shouldn't be a carb issue but I could be wrong.

Any ideas?

[shortline10]

Make sure the pilot jet is perfectly clean after that set the air fuel screw for the highest best idle .
This can be done by setting the idle screw to were the motor is just barely idling and turn the air fuel screw in and out for the best idle .
A fresh spark plug might help .
A large back fire on deacceleration is usually caused by unspent fuel igniting in the exhaust .