SuzukiSavage.com - RESULTS R IN! Will not shift into 3rd!

Paula71

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RESULTS R IN! Will not shift into 3rd!
07/23/05 at 13:48:47

Dang! like this is what you need in the middle of riding season! And on a weekend all the stealerships be closed and those who are available service is backed up for weeks! I am still under warranty so probably should let them fix it , but this royally bites! ???Any thoughts from you all so when I do take it in I understand their lingo? If I down shift and bring it back up a time or two it will finally hit third but it is pretty consistent not wanting to go to third on the first try. Thanks all.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #1 - 07/23/05 at 20:51:21

Paula71 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Dang! like this is what you need in the middle of riding season! And on a weekend all the stealerships be closed and those who are available service is backed up for weeks! I am still under warranty so probably should let them fix it , but this royally bites! ???Any thoughts from you all so when I do take it in I understand their lingo? If I down shift and bring it back up a time or two it will finally hit third but it is pretty consistent not wanting to go to third on the first try. Thanks all.

Hi Paula. Me again

This is usually a mechanical issue...I would check the shifter linkage to see if the pedal is bent or if you need to have the "turnbuckle rod" adjusted. I doubt that it is serious. Might be that your foot and the pedal haven't been set for eachother.

Check it out....before you go to the dealer...

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Paula71 Full Member 2005 No Login Offline Ohio Rider 'N Luvn every minute! Posts: 161 Troy, Ohio Gender:	Re: Will not shift into 3rd! Reply #2 - 07/24/05 at 07:59:37 Well the external mechanics seem to be in place. I have been riding this bike for 1400 miles and have had no problems until now. It will go into 4th and 5th no problem once I finally manage to hit 3rd. And the one time I tried with the bike not running it slipped into 3rd no problem. 3rd gear is the only problem
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WD

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #3 - 07/24/05 at 11:20:48

Very common. Adjust the clutch cable and go up 1 weight on the oil. If you've been running 10W40, go to 15W40. It's hot out, so the oil should be a thicker grade anyway. The factory cables should stop stretching somewhere around 3500 miles. Wouldn't hurt to get a can of Cable Life and a lube injector block and service the cable as well.

10W40 is used to wring out maximum mileage. When I switched my Savage to 20W50, the mileage stayed the same, but the bike ran and shifted much smoother/easier. Just one of the tricks you pick up over the years.
-WD

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Paula71

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #4 - 07/24/05 at 19:12:21

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Very common. Adjust the clutch cable and go up 1 weight on the oil. If you've been running 10W40, go to 15W40. It's hot out, so the oil should be a thicker grade anyway. The factory cables should stop stretching somewhere around 3500 miles. Wouldn't hurt to get a can of Cable Life and a lube injector block and service the cable as well.

10W40 is used to wring out maximum mileage. When I switched my Savage to 20W50, the mileage stayed the same, but the bike ran and shifted much smoother/easier. Just one of the tricks you pick up over the years.
-WD

I do understand all of what you say and I was just getting ready to change to heavier weight oil, just to see about the down shift issue. When this upshift to 3rd gear became a problem. If this is oil weight related would it only affect the one gear? That is the part that puzzles me. All other gears are fine? BTW , one reason I am here in the first place is for "the tricks" you all have picked up along the way. Thanks again. Cheesy

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #5 - 07/24/05 at 20:48:42

Paula71 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

I do understand all of what you say and I was just getting ready to change to heavier weight oil, just to see about the down shift issue. When this upshift to 3rd gear became a problem. If this is oil weight related would it only affect the one gear? That is the part that puzzles me. All other gears are fine? BTW , one reason I am here in the first place is for "the tricks" you all have picked up along the way. Thanks again. Cheesy

Just think about what you said....why would oil weight affect only 3rd gear? Good point.

So what else could be possible? Have you sat in the driveway and looked at your shifter while you changed gears? You don't have to be moving.

Hey, advice here is free, but it's contingent on the idea that someone will learn something and do some troubleshooting, too.

Am I right?

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #6 - 07/24/05 at 21:18:57

Paula71 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

.... If this is oil weight related would it only affect the one gear? That is the part that puzzles me. ....

Logically, if the problem is related to the viscosity of the oil whatever parts that affect each gear will have slightly different tolerances. One gear will, logically, fail first.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #7 - 07/24/05 at 21:23:50

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Logically, if the problem is related to the viscosity of the oil whatever parts that affect each gear will have slightly different tolerances. One gear will, logically, fail first.

Paula hasn't even told us what she has found by her troubleshooting or adjusting, and you mention fail? Her bike has only 1400 miles on it. It's still under warranty too.

What logic is anyone using here? When Her bike was burning her jeans, oil became the suspect. Now it won't shift and we think it's oil again?

Come on guys. Next thing ya know, we'll be checking the oil in our tires.

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Paula71

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #8 - 07/25/05 at 07:05:39

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Logically, if the problem is related to the viscosity of the oil whatever parts that affect each gear will have slightly different tolerances. One gear will, logically, fail first.

Thank you very much Paladin, that is what I wanted to know, wether it is the actual problem or not, I just wanted to know the answer. I am new to the mechancis of bikes and will never know if I do not ask questions, wether it is related to my problem or not.

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #9 - 07/25/05 at 07:07:53

Of course, you do check the oil level in your tires, sort of. Sidewall or tread block cracks are caused by the oils outgassing from the tire. Courtesy of heat, ozone, etc. Same reason you get dry skin, lack of moisture in the chemical compounds forming it.

Back to the shifting issue. I've got a few scrap shifter drums at work. If I'm reading them right, 2-3 tends to have a longer throw than the other gears. Seems to also have the most "slop" in the machining. Even on the high dollar bikes.

I use 20W50 dino juice because the motor runs cooler, the clutch feels tighter, and the bike shifts more readily. I'd assume because 20W50 fills the "slop" in the shifter drum better than 10W40 does. I made the mistake of putting 10W40 full synthetic in the Intruder the last oil change. (Normally run blend, thought the bottle color had changed, oops) Bike is unhappy, wife is unhappy, I'm mad. Lifter ticking, missing shifts, running hot...worked beautifully before the last oil change. ???

Close as I can give to a "learned or reasoned" opinion.
-WD

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Paula71

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #10 - 07/25/05 at 07:15:44

Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Paula hasn't even told us what she has found by her troubleshooting or adjusting, and you mention fail? Her bike has only 1400 miles on it. It's still under warranty too.

What logic is anyone using here? When Her bike was burning her jeans, oil became the suspect. Now it won't shift and we think it's oil again?

Come on guys. Next thing ya know, we'll be checking the oil in our tires.

Okay now wait a minute here, give me a chance to do trouble shooting and get back here before I get slammed would ya? Cheesy

Yes Greg I have done everything that you have said, checked the shifter - "turnbuckle rod" have sat on the bike with no movement and played with that too. Infact previous posts suggest just that.

Taking to the dealer in about 1 hour, so I will let you know what they find. As you know I am new to learning the mechanics here and if I have misunderstood any instructions or you think I have not followed them let me know I certaintly do want to try all the trouble shooting first that is the fun part when you are learning. But as you state it is under warranty, the service guy is also very surprised that a Savage/S40 would have shifting issues.

I find it very sad that my bike has given me fits for several weeks now and each time it is something more severe. It is not rider error , it is bike malfunction and with bike being so new and my riding vacation coming up this weekend I will let the dealer take over. Thanks again

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #11 - 07/25/05 at 07:39:59

Paula, mine was an absolute clunker when I first got it. Bike got wet, bike wouldn't run. Adjust the slop out of the clutch cable every other ride. Both fuses kept popping at the same time. Front brake didn't work. Paint faded within two months (bad enough to NEED repainting). My first post on the Heise forum was about how bad the bike was. I planned to blow it up the day I paid it off.

I kept it. I fixed it. I flogged it. And then I gave it away. The kid flogs it. He loves it. Plans to continue with my start on turning it into a high bar Crocker single. 1930s muscle bike for those who don't know.
-WD

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Paula71

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #12 - 07/25/05 at 07:53:24

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Paula, mine was an absolute clunker when I first got it. Bike got wet, bike wouldn't run. Adjust the slop out of the clutch cable every other ride. Both fuses kept popping at the same time. Front brake didn't work. Paint faded within two months (bad enough to NEED repainting). My first post on the Heise forum was about how bad the bike was. I planned to blow it up the day I paid it off.

I kept it. I fixed it. I flogged it. And then I gave it away. The kid flogs it. He loves it. Plans to continue with my start on turning it into a high bar Crocker single. 1930s muscle bike for those who don't know.
-WD

Let the flogging begin!! Cheesy

I adjust the sloppy clutch about every 10-15 days, front brake squealed fixed it for about 3 weeks, now it squeals and makes a horrible "honking or groaning" sound when slowing(the dealer is looking at that today too)Hopefully with pearl white paint fade will pass me by. Fuses are next!! Shocked

Can't wait Grin

Maybe I can send her your way for a few months and you can whip her into shape for me! LOL Grin

Do not get me wrong I love this bike and I love learning what makes it tick.

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Paula71

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #13 - 07/25/05 at 12:01:43

Well she is with the service tech now. and on the way there 5th gear started giving us fits, too. I guess I never mentioned that the shifter will not move when this happens, it is just frozen in place except to downshift. It is not that the shifter will go up and nothing happens, it just is locked in place, like when you are in 5th and want another gear but you aint got one!

Any how, I certainly hope that my newbie status has caused me to overlook or not properly set an adjustment because if it is a true transmission problem I will be out of a bike for a minimum of 3-4 weeks. You know warranty work gets put on the shelf until things slow down. thanks all.

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Re: Will not shift into 3rd!
Reply #14 - 07/25/05 at 20:02:55

Paula71 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Let the flogging begin!! Cheesy

I adjust the sloppy clutch about every 10-15 days, front brake squealed fixed it for about 3 weeks, now it squeals and makes a horrible "honking or groaning" sound when slowing(the dealer is looking at that today too)Hopefully with pearl white paint fade will pass me by. Fuses are next!! Shocked

Can't wait Grin

Maybe I can send her your way for a few months and you can whip her into shape for me! LOL Grin

Do not get me wrong I love this bike and I love learning what makes it tick.

Instead of PMs you can use my offline address for more discussions on this if you need too. Feel free, and I'll be glad to.

I have a web site to build and little forum time now. So send questions to me direct if you want.

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