250ES shifter won't return up on downshifts

[Big G]

This trike runs great, has been maintained, no issues riding for the past few years. Was out riding on the weekend, and all of a sudden when I downshift, the shifter won't pop back up. I have to put my toe under the lever and manually bring the shifter back. Doesn't happen when upshifting, only when downshifting. On top of this, it wouldn't shift out of neutral into first while running. Turned the trike off and kicked the left crankcase with my boot hoping this would free up something as I was in the middle of nowhere. Luckily it did engage into first and I was able to upshift from there and limp it home.

I've done some searching on this issue (seems to happen with the SX as well), but just wanted to clarify one thing...is it best to start with opening the left crankcase cover or the right to inspect what's going on?

[jeswinehart]

Left side. Fairy straight forward repair with perhaps some re-welding + grinding.
Or simpler hopefully,,,, perhaps spring come unhooked.

john

[atc007]

Yep. Remove your stator cover. You will find a loose or broken off stud. Simple fix :)

[Big G]

Alrighty then! Ha ha. Thanks guys...I'll remove the left cover and report back with my findings. atc007 do you know which stud I should be looking for in the diagram jeswinehart posted?

[atc007]

#21
http://fiche.worldofpowersports.com/wps/showmodel.asp?Type=13&make=hondaatv&a=17&b=16&c=0&d=-GEARSHIFT-DRUM

[Big G]

Well, I popped off the left crankcase cover this weekend, and sure enough, the gear shift spring was broken. The broken piece fell out as I pulled the cover off (see picture). I have a new one ordered, as well as gaskets for crankcase cover, starter, and gearshift seal.

You'll notice in the picture that I had to grind down a slight bit of the frame to get the cover off. Not sure why Honda made the clearance so tight there. Can't see why they couldn't have spaced the engine a quarter inch or so from the frame rather than almost no clearance at all! The other tricky part was getting the crankcase cover to come off! That old gasket had her holding on tight! Tapping with a rubber mallet and a lot of persuasion eventually did the trick. I can see now the hardest part of the whole repair is gonna be scraping the old gasket off! Ha ha247092