hard to select neutral

having trouble selecting neutral on my mk3 unless im rolling or engine stopped,any ideas where to look?

Have the clutch plates been cleaned recently.
Oil on plates can cause some sticking when clutch pulled which can cause problem of selecting neutral.

Usually flick into neutral just before pulling up . HOPE YOU DONT ' Hold the clutch in ' whilst stationary . its for getting underway .

Prolonged engagement ( Disengagement really :wink: Lever IN to bar ) cooks the pushrod end & it goes all soggy .

So if thats what your up to , thatd explain it . maybe . PRIMARY adjustment affects effort at selector , too .

SEE how the levers acting , in gear - Stationary - for starters . as in does it drag where at what engagement point .

CRIKEY , its only five bolts to flick the diaphram & check if the plates ears are doggy or the drums notched . :idea:

Mine does that whenever the primary chain tightens up.

ed.lazda said:

Mine does that whenever the primary chain tightens up.

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Or when the belt gets tight from hubs swelling.

Hi,

I have the same symptoms at mine. But everything is ok. When I stop while the engine is running it is hard to find neutral. So I try to switch to neutral as long as I'm rolling. But I don't worry much about it, because my Triumph does the same. Next year I will change the gearbox oil, but I have not much hope for an improvement.

Ralf

Yes, it's all about a free primary and a clean well adjusted clutch.

One other thing to check might be a grooved up clutch center.

If your clutch is operating properly, you should be able to select/de-select neutral at a standstill, no problem. Sounds like you're dragging.
It's good to read all this.. it matters: http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm

and this: http://atlanticgreen.com/clutchpak.htm

thanks Dave!

Besides oil clogged plates and over tight warm primary drive, I've had this N annoyance come from 1st gear paper thin bush going away and also the pawl spring somehow age out and not spring well. There's a number of things to keep spares on hand and 1st gear bushes and pawl spring are some of I do now.

Matt Spencer said:

PRIMARY adjustment affects effort at selector , too .

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As it's a Mk3, the primary chain is tensioned automatically-there is no provision for adjustment..

Knactually ; IF you make a habit of slipping / slideing the CLUTCH , the sintered plates produce a gummy coppery paste - so you dont get a firm ( clutch ) engagement ( it should feel IN or OUT across the engagement -
has a fairly narrow ' take up ' , which is further out at higer RPMs . :lol: )

the debri from wear from rideing the clutch will cause Clutch Drag - and cushion take up (take OFF ) as the ' Bite ' isnt .

So can just be grubby 7 need plates washing .

Naw I do ALOT of clutch slipping to creep around before getting to terra firma on all my cycles w/o an issue - years at a time w/o bothering clutch pack or primary drive, so keep looking and ignore Matt's seemingly appropriate operational advice that implies you don't know enough to deserve a Commando. Main issue with stuck up pack is the excitement on snicking in gear suddenly committed to a launch ya can't control normally. If not dragster power plant can put front on a wall and engage, other wise can leap off and try NAILING throttle to break free in time before wheelie in close quarters or worse a stoppie w/o brake use into something.

Just checked the primary chain tension (cold). It is according to manual (9,5mm), but I need to push a bit, which should be done while checking through the hole (IMO). That might be a bit too tight. But could this cause the neutral issue ?
The gearbox has been overhauled last year. I can switch into neutral while stillstand, but I need some attempts. The clutch disengage very well. Clutch plates have been
cleaned 5000 miles before.

Edit: Sorry, not my thread, but maybe helpfull as well.

(It's a MK2)

Ralf

I had the same problem with my Mk3.
When the engine was running, it was really hard to engage the Neutral.
But when the engine was off, it was no issue.

My dealer changed the clutch-centre, because there were some scratches on the clutch centre.
Afterwards it was much better to select Neutral

rx7171 said:

Have the clutch plates been cleaned recently.
Oil on plates can cause some sticking when clutch pulled which can cause problem of selecting neutral.

Click to expand...

This would be my first thought too. Even though you said the plates were cleaned 5000 mi ago, could gum up. My Mk3 needed this done at the beginning of each season a few years back, so I added clutch plate cleaning to my season opener maintenance. Tranny would snick back and forth from first to neutral at at standstill with as much drama as a light switch. Also since I started using a motorcycle specific oil in the primary (approved for wet clutches) I've had better cluch action as well. Being a MK3, if you do decide to go with motocycle specific oil in the primary, I would recommend 20w50 or 15w50 because of the needs of the self adjusting primary chain tensioner.

Mk 111 model has awkward arm going right through primary too factor ,the inner primary bush for it wears and should be checked too for play. Pull the cover (screwed on) and use special clutch tool to pull diaphram and inspect clutch center for probable notchings. Clean all plates/basket of gearbox oil contamination (wearing plastic gloves) and fit the mainshaft seal kit to prevent that nonsense happening again. Refill with fresh slightly lighter oil. Check sleeve gear bushes whilst in there by grabbing basket with both hands pushing backwards and forthwards. Chain drop or rise = gearbox factor.

Biscuit said:

rx7171 said:

Have the clutch plates been cleaned recently.
Oil on plates can cause some sticking when clutch pulled which can cause problem of selecting neutral.

Click to expand...

This would be my first thought too. Even though you said the plates were cleaned 5000 mi ago, could gum up. My Mk3 needed this done at the beginning of each season a few years back, so I added clutch plate cleaning to my season opener maintenance. Tranny would snick back and forth from first to neutral at at standstill with as much drama as a light switch. Also since I started using a motorcycle specific oil in the primary (approved for wet clutches) I've had better cluch action as well. Being a MK3, if you do decide to go with motocycle specific oil in the primary, I would recommend 20w50 or 15w50 because of the needs of the self adjusting primary chain tensioner.

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Biscuit, I had to comment on your reference to a "wet clutch".
The Norton clutch is a dry clutch in a chaincase with oil for the chain and clutch bearing.
In fact when oil gets into the clutch pack you get slippage which is solved with a good solvent clean.
This why the amount of oil added to the case should never exceed the 200 cc (7 fl/oz) called for in the maintenance manual.
A pushrod end seal is also highly recommeneded to prevent gearbox oil entering the clutch basket.
When I hear ATF being suggested as an alternative to the 20/50 W oil I'm not sure if it is more likeley to penetrate the basket and cause slippage and to leak from chaincase because of its weight.

I'm with Hobot, a doggie clutch can make a for an exciting stoplight. A clean clutch is a happy clutch.

I have often wondered if one of these, properly fitted, would help.



Anyone use one of these?

Thoughts

Diablouph said:

I'm with Hobot, a doggie clutch can make a for an exciting stoplight. A clean clutch is a happy clutch.

I have often wondered if one of these, properly fitted, would help.

Anyone use one of these?

Thoughts

Click to expand...

There was one on my postie bike years ago but I would be a little concerned on the norton that the pillion might want to shift gears unexpectedly

The crossover shaft on the MK3 makes selecting neutral a challenge sometimes it will sometimes it won't so I got used to selecting before stopping
One day I will install a Barnett clutch and revisit the issue

Hm Herman toe-heel would be tricky-troublesome d/t to where the AMC shift pivot is located. Now on a really cool chopper a foot forward like that would be the cat's meow 8) I've had my share of no N on Suzuki too so know the skill set trying to get it just right - most the time, then trying to understand what it was I did do right, till corrected. I'm going to make a type of toe cup for Peel as I've had toe snatched out trying to snick lower at max lean with clutch squeezed so no chance of engine drag slip up, though the missed shift ruined that turns fun. One thing about my Cdo's when I find the issue that sent me in, I often find others caught in time that could do same thing or something else bad too soon. Heck I think one time shifting to N or some other combo I forget turned out to be the dog faces smeared to interfere - which I eventually found to be slightly bend shafts in very loose bearing bores. I ended up bashing the main shaft bearing right out the back side of the shell, shocked at how thin a shell it was too. Ughly AMC behavior can go clear to the bone.

Btw I have habit of reving up into lower gears somewhat before I ease clutch out, if in any doubt about surface traction, so when clutch let out I speed up some not down right away. After being so intimate with AMC's and their lack of lube to sleeve bushes I spend least amount of time in lower gears, gritting me teeth any time I'm in lower gears, feeling 1st cog bush evaporating and the sleeves melting and galling away. I mean really, think about it, at rest sleeve'ies are way above oil level, when run they sling it out not let oil in, so only time they get some leak down to weep back inside some is steady cruise in top. Correct me if I'm wrong please. I've lost a lot of riding life over AMC and drive train issues so my rant.