Subject: GT clutch frozen?
Author: Zebee Johnstone
Date: Jul 11, 2004, 3:35 AM
Post ID: 1717134959
Well... we have vroom!
I took the heads off the GT to check all was OK, and I'm glad I did.
The bod what put the new barrels in a few years back must have been
blind or something as he used the wrong bloody head gaskets! And he
glued them down with something impressive.
So after finally persuading the heads to come off by pretty much prying
the headgaskets apart, I spent about 4 hours cleaning the incredibly
lumpy gasket remains off. And whimpering about the definitely worn but
still straight pushrods. The barrels were fine, no marks, no rust
traces, nothing.
So now it's all back, a new coil (GT40, which seems to work OK) and
vrooom! Started instantly, ran beautifully!
Now, to connect up all the other bits and... hmm. The clutch arm is
hard up against the frame, and it takes a fair bit of persuasion to move
it. Oh Dear.
So I feel about behind the gearbox, blessing my small hands, and remove
the locknut from the clutch adjuster. Now the one on my T I can turn by
hand although needlenose pliers are usually better.
But this one... not a hope! after many contortions and curses, I
remove the back wheel and try and come at it that way. Lying under the
bike (courtesy of my expensive but utterly cool bike lift) I try again
with the pliers. After much grunting, I manage about 30deg of turn.
Methinks that something ain't right.
As far as I know, the clutch is OK, as that was one of the reasons it
was taken off the road lo these many years ago, for new clutch and ring
gear.
So... any clues as to why the adjuster doesn't want to? There's as much
locknut thread proud of the arm as the half-height nut will cover, but
that's all. There should be more adjustment available but it doesn't
want to turn.
Could the plates be frozen, and need to be freed somehow?
Zebee