SuzukiSavage.com - Bike won't move: need advice

Mike650TX

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Bike won't move: need advice
12/04/08 at 16:15:05

We're talking about a 2003 S40.

Been running great since we got it about 2 years ago. Today my son was riding home from school and it stopped. Stopped moving, not stopped running. Engine will start and run fine, but in gear it feels like the clutch never engages. The pull pressure on the clutch lever feels normal. the drive belt is fine. Clutch cable looks good and the push rod is fine. The clutch plates appear normal...it got to dark to do much more than that. You can put it in gear and roll it with the clutch in or out; makes no difference. It doesn't feel like you're moving engine parts, even in the transmission, if you roll it with the clutch out and in gear.

Any ideas as to where I should start with this one? The clutch wasn't slipping before it happened, so I'm inclined to think it's not a clutch problem, but that would be the easiest place to start.

Thanks to any that might have advice.

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rigidchop Serious Thumper Offline don't feed the drama llama Posts: 1105 ravenswood wv Gender:	Re: Bike won't move: need advice Reply #1 - 12/04/08 at 16:21:02 i don't really have an answer, but is it actually going into gear?
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28428 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Bike won't move: need advice Reply #2 - 12/04/08 at 16:55:23 same thought as Chop,...are you sure it's clicking into gear?...
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verslagen1

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Re: Bike won't move: need advice
Reply #3 - 12/04/08 at 17:00:39

"The clutch plates look normal" so you have the clutch cover off and all the gears are intact, nothing out of place?

Does it feel like it shifting at all?

I would concider removing the external shifter.

But 1st check the front pulley, if the nut isn't torqued down the pulley can work back and forth eventually eating the teeth right off.

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Mike650TX

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Re: Bike won't move: need advice
Reply #4 - 12/04/08 at 17:39:59

verslagen1 wrote on 12/04/08 at 17:00:39:

"The clutch plates look normal" so you have the clutch cover off and all the gears are intact, nothing out of place?

Does it feel like it shifting at all?

I would concider removing the external shifter.

But 1st check the front pulley, if the nut isn't torqued down the pulley can work back and forth eventually eating the teeth right off.

Thanks for the responses. Here are the answers: Yes, it is clicking into gear. You can feel the shift from neutral to 1st and to second gear quite distinctly. It feels normal. For reference, I have been repair/restoring big GS suzukis for a while now, and have ridden something by Suzuki for over 30 years. It's the first time I've seen anything like this. I was hoping it was unique to the S40 and someone might have seen it before.

Also, yes, I have the clutch cover off and everything inside there looks very normal.

Another clue: my son added that it bogged down before it 'released' as if something were binding. It was slowing down, he added gas. That helped. He rode like that for a few miles...binding, releasing, binding again. When he got to school it was done.

I'm not thinking this is good.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Bike won't move: need advice Reply #5 - 12/04/08 at 18:05:13 Drain, remove clutch cover, put in gear & roll the bike. Something is moving that shouldnt be, find it. I think thats what I would do. I ho[pe that helps.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28846 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Bike won't move: need advice Reply #6 - 12/04/08 at 18:54:32 sounds bad, gonna need to split the case kinda bad. Never heard this before. Sounds like the drive shaft froze.
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Serowbot

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Re: Bike won't move: need advice
Reply #7 - 12/04/08 at 20:47:45

verslagen1 wrote on 12/04/08 at 18:54:32:

sounds bad, gonna need to split the case kinda bad.

Never heard this before. Sounds like the drive shaft froze.

but would the engine run normally?...engine runs, clutch looks normal, shifter feel is positive,..I'm down to the front belt pulley inner splines....maybe a loose condition has worn them smooth.....

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Rockin_John

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Re: Bike won't move: need advice
Reply #8 - 12/04/08 at 21:08:08

What Verslagen said!

Here's how bad mine got before I finally realized what that "clanking" noise was:

Don't take this "diagnosis" to the bank, but be aware of the possibility, and keep it in mind as things to look into.

The good news? If this is the problem: the pulley is much softer metal than the transmission output shaft, and its splines may be fine. Mine were thankfully. Cheesy

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verslagen1

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Re: Bike won't move: need advice
Reply #9 - 12/04/08 at 22:21:17

Serowbot wrote on 12/04/08 at 20:47:45:

verslagen1 wrote on 12/04/08 at 18:54:32:

sounds bad, gonna need to split the case kinda bad.

Never heard this before. Sounds like the drive shaft froze.

but would the engine run normally?...engine runs, clutch looks normal, shifter feel is positive,..I'm down to the front belt pulley inner splines....maybe a loose condition has worn them smooth.....

He said he didn't have any abnormal noise, just no go (Nova)
None of us has any direct experience with this, but my guess for such a condition is a sheared output shaft. It could be the pulley but there was no clanking, just bogging down, then ok, then bogging again. I think the bearing froze or there was an obstruction in the bearing causing it to jam. Cleared it then jam again. The repeated stress probably caused the output shaft to shear. the part with the bad bearing is next in line with the rear wheel. the part near the engine in free to turn.

betcha dollars to donuts. Grin

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