Ironhead 3rd gear slipping, transmission & clutch questions

[sevenyears of famine]

1960 XLH. Just got it on the road since a top end rebuild. Weird thing is that it wasn't doing this before.

Little quick history: PO never had it running, Bike sat for bout 10 yrs. I got it started, ran up & down my street a few times (swear I shifted through all the gears) then lost compression. Tore it down & found a broken comp. ring. (now this was 3 years ago, so a bit hazy). Had new rings put on, cylinders honed, & put back together.

Started great, idles great, retorqued the heads. Finally get it driveable and when I went to shift it grinded & stalled (no clutch). Went through the factory procedure of adjusting the clutch and the adjusting screw would go half way into the locking not before getting harder to turn. Backed it out 1/4 turn & tried riding again. This time, while holding the clutch in, it didn't stall but it was really pulling... it wanted to go. So I tinkered with the adjustments at the worm gear and lever until I felt like it was normal clutch operation, only thing is - the adjusting screw is only catching a few threads of the lock nut. If I try backing it out at all, I have no clutch. But this is just a side note (i think).

So I get it going down the road and it runs good, feels good and shifts good. All except 3rd gear, it slips and feels like it's trying to pop out. It does it in all rpm ranges, including low and steady throttle. Say I just shift from 2nd to 3rd, pick up a few mph, and just hold the throttle steady at a low rpm, it slips like clockwork. You can almost call it on every 3 count. (one...two...SLIP...one...two...SLIP...one...two...SLIP) and so on. I can feel it in the shifter too, shifter wants to pull up when this slippage occurs. It doesn't sound like any bad grinding, almost like a quick clutch pull and release.

As I said before, I'm confused because I didn't notice this at all before the top end work.
I pulled the clutch apart, inspected & cleaned plates, hoping for an easy fix but no dice, still doing it.

I guess I'm wanting to know what I could be in for? Does this sound like anything for certain? What could this cost in parts?

I'm sure I'm gonna have to open it up, I do have a service manual. Any tips or threads out there? Fire away

[rivethog]

If it only "slips" in 3rd, and not in 1st, 2nd, or 4th, then I doubt it's your clutch. From your description it sounds more like a gear that's missing a tooth.

[sevenyears of famine]

Oh, one other thing. When I drained the oil from the transmission... or clutch (the rear drain plug) I found this. These metal pieces were packed in gunk in the hollow part of the plug. (they looked like they've been there for a while)

[nikki]

Originally Posted by sevenyears of famine

Oh, one other thing. When I drained the oil from the transmission... or clutch (the rear drain plug) I found this. These metal pieces were packed in gunk in the hollow part of the plug. (they looked like they've been there for a while)

I am afraid to agree with the second poster , when you first posted I thought your third gear was not engaging corectly . the only to check it is to pull the transmission . Nikki

[brucstoudt]

yes you have transmission,damage. also it would be wise not to remove that plug again.it'a,steel,plug in an,aluminum case and it will strip out soon.drain the transmission by,removing the,primary cover.

[brucstoudt]

i,think the damaged pieces,look like,gear dog material,rather than,gear teeth.

[DR DICK]

a 60 with your desc and your picks has 2 maybe 3 probs.

the drag
your clutch is wet you cant 'adjust' to get wet to go away.

my thoughts:
those pieces in the pics are the broken 3-4 shift fork tophat roller.
this is the jumping out of 3rd cause.

52-71 bikes that bust 3-4 top hats and jump out of 4th also (in addn to 3rd), usually will have cracked shift tower.

this must be delt now if your cases are cherry. if you dont your cherry cases will be just like all the other welded back together bikes around.

[sevenyears of famine]

Originally Posted by DR DICK

the drag
your clutch is wet you cant 'adjust' to get wet to go away.

clutch plates smelled burnt, but didn't look warped, possibly some oil in there. I cleaned & sanded them, put it back together with some black rtv (okay ?) but made no difference. clutch works fine now that I found the sweet spot, i just didn't know if it was normal to have the adjustment screw in so far for it to work (see pic)

p.s. I know this is not related to my 3rd gear problem, just trying to get my issues sorted out



also, the cases aren't cherry the primary side has been welded underneath

[Hopper]

Please read Dr Dick's post again. Don't ride your bike even up and down the drive until you have opened the tranny and fixed the gear selector problem before it goes off like a thousand-dollar grenade.

[sevenyears of famine]

Originally Posted by Hopper

Please read Dr Dick's post again. Don't ride your bike even up and down the drive until you have opened the tranny and fixed the gear selector problem before it goes off like a thousand-dollar grenade.

Thanks guys. It's parked.

I plan on opening up the tranny, but this will be the first time I've done anything like this so I'm a little hesitant to start popping things off. I'm having a hard time making sense of the manual & I just want to know what I'm in for.
(I'm gonna go ahead and expose my newbness here) will I be taking the primary cover off & the whole clutch assembly as well as the right side cover too? Or can I get it all from the right side?

Also, the parts that Dr. Dick mentioned, where should I be getting the replacements?

I'm just trying to do my homework before I get in too deep. Kinda mentally preparing you know

I Appreciate the experienced insight