Ironhead anybodys help

[oldhippie]

got my 74 xlh out today, first ride since sept. when i bought her. anyways when i hit second gear she lurches. got any ideas? only in second. not sure what's going on here. only second gear. it hits second ok then seconds later before third is when she acts up. thanks

[chevelle]

What do you mean lurches? Do you mean it feels like it slips into neutral and then lurches into gear again? Does it rev up when it slips?

[oldhippie]

no it hits second then like slips, still on throttle then releaces an hits again. don't know how to say it for sure... it hits second, engaged, then lurches. it's only in second.

[egarrett]

Hey ya ol hippie, I'd say it sounds like gummed up or glazed clutch plates. Does it screech, howl, chatter, whine, viberate, grind, whistle, thud, clunk, smoke, or stink? I used to take the plates out and rub the fiber ones on concrete, in a circular motion, to break the glaze. If ya don't think your life is in danger, I'd ride it a little and see if it clears up. It has been sitting awhile...

[ChinCactus]

I second egarrett's advice. My 74 Ironhead used to do that sometimes. Usually in the spring. It was like you pulled the clutch briefly while accelerating. Always went away though.

If it had been a car, I would'a turned up the radio! That makes a lotta noises go away.....

[ericfreeman]

This is EXACTLY the same problem I had on my '78. Turned out be a worn shifter fork and some slop in the shifter cam. The wear was causing the countershaft 2nd gear dogs/slots to barely engage, sometimes not enough to hold on acceleration. Only happened in 2nd gear and not all the time either. Would pop out, in, out, etc. until I up shifted into 3rd. To fix it you're going to have to remove the tranny and find out what's wrong inside. Not that big a deal: this was my first time in there and I found it quite interesting to see how everything fit together. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you'll be ahead in the long run. It is sooooo nice now to shift my all-Andrews gearbox: very clean shifts, no more slippage and the knowledge that all the clearances are spot on.

Clutch slippage would likely occur in all gears, especially 3rd and 4th when the load is high, which is why I think you have a similar problem to mine.

Eric

[Wooley]

Primary chain!

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by ericfreeman

This is EXACTLY the same problem I had on my '78. Turned out be a worn shifter fork and some slop in the shifter cam. The wear was causing the countershaft 2nd gear dogs/slots to barely engage, sometimes not enough to hold on acceleration. Only happened in 2nd gear and not all the time either. Would pop out, in, out, etc. until I up shifted into 3rd. To fix it you're going to have to remove the tranny and find out what's wrong inside. Not that big a deal: this was my first time in there and I found it quite interesting to see how everything fit together. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you'll be ahead in the long run. It is sooooo nice now to shift my all-Andrews gearbox: very clean shifts, no more slippage and the knowledge that all the clearances are spot on.

Clutch slippage would likely occur in all gears, especially 3rd and 4th when the load is high, which is why I think you have a similar problem to mine.

Eric

Maybe.......But from the sound of it the bike ran well last summer and then it sits for several months.
Now it 'lurches' (or whatever it does). A worn shifter fork or shifter cam is not going to happen while it sits out the winter.

I too think it is something with the clutch plates getting gummed up. But in any case, he has to look at the clutch before he removes the trans door, so it's not like it's a lot of work for nothing to look at the clutch. All part of the exercise.
pg

[ericfreeman]

Originally Posted by piniongear

Maybe.......But from the sound of it the bike ran well last summer and then it sits for several months.

Hmmmm...I took the original message as he bought the bike in September and this is the first ride he's had since buying it. Didn't see anything about it running fine last summer. In my experience, sticking clutch plates are usually most noticeable when taking off in 1st gear: uneven takeup and lurching from gummy surfaces. Once moving the clutch plates would do their job OK. Still think this is a tranny problem instead.

Eric

[piniongear]

You are most likely correct Eric. I reread his post and he did say Sept was when he bought it. So we can assume he did not ride much before the snow hit.
pg