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bbush44

1985 TRX 250 Shifting issues

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I mentioned this in my intro, but wanted to post in the correct area. A month ago I picked up 1985 Honda TRX 250 that was none running, get it out of my garage, and cheap. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a parts bike are another useable bike.  I don't know how long it had been sitting before I got it, but fuel had been left in the tank long enough  it rusted through a couple pin holes in the front corners, petcock and carb were sludge.  I ordered a carb kit, and starter solenoid relay for it (was missing). Cleaned the gas tank and put couple small dabs of JB weld over the pinholes (seems to work for now). After parts arrived, and I got it all back together, checked fluids, I went to take it on the first test drive. I started it, put it in first, tested I had brakes and drove out of my shop, shifted to second, and 3rd, slowed down, down shifted, turned around, came back up to my shop, thinking it was running/driving as it should, but I only put a little bit of gas in the tank. I went to put it neutral, the light came on, and then off, did this several times as it did not want to go in to neutral.   I was finally able to get it to go into neutral after pushing down on the lever 10 or 15 times in a row. Shut it off, added more fuel checked over everything and took it for a longer test drive, it would shift into all the gears, and then some of the gears it would go into gear and then come back out, put it back in to gear and it would stay. It didn't do this all of the time sometimes I was able to shift just fine and back down to neutral fine. I tried to adjust the clutch, by loosening the lock nut, turning the adjusting screw to the left (counter clockwise) until feeling tension, and then back clockwise a quarter of a a turn and tightening back up the locknut, while holding the adjusting screw.   Which didn't seem to make any difference. I thought maybe because it had sat for so long could be the issue, and it might work itself out on the next few test drives, but it hasn't yet. I wondered if the previous owner used the wrong oil, so I changed the oil and filter to the correct wet clutch oil just to be sure, but still having the same issues. I am not driving it real long or far, but sometimes it doesn't act up at all in any of the other gears, and if it is on more level ground there are no issues getting it back in neutral, other times it is much worse.

I have not removed any of the side covers or investigated any further, I thought it was time to get some more opinions on what might be going on with it before I assume the worse. If it is time to remove a side cover where do I start, and what do I need before hand? Thanks in advance. 

 

 

 

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I would ride it more and keep working it. Once you do dig into it most likely the issue will be found under the left side cover of the machine. Could be a crack in the shift plate/shaft, weak spring for the return or who knows with unknown wear over the years. All the main components are under the left cover though and no special tools needed. If I remember right you might have to take the motor mounts loose so you can pry the motor up just enough for the cover to clear the frame. It's been a day or two since I had one of those covers off.

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On 3/7/2023 at 5:18 PM, toodeep said:

I would ride it more and keep working it. Once you do dig into it most likely the issue will be found under the left side cover of the machine. Could be a crack in the shift plate/shaft, weak spring for the return or who knows with unknown wear over the years. All the main components are under the left cover though and no special tools needed. If I remember right you might have to take the motor mounts loose so you can pry the motor up just enough for the cover to clear the frame. It's been a day or two since I had one of those covers off.

Thanks toodeep for the reply.  What exactly should I be looking at under the left side cover? Never had one off. Thanks

Left.JPG

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53 minutes ago, bbush44 said:

Thanks toodeep for the reply.  What exactly should I be looking at under the left side cover? Never had one off. Thanks

Left.JPG

the clutch is NOT under the left side cover !!..the clutch parts are under the RIGHT side cover. only thing under the left side is the flywheel, stator.

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On 3/7/2023 at 2:54 PM, bbush44 said:

I mentioned this in my intro, but wanted to post in the correct area. A month ago I picked up 1985 Honda TRX 250 that was none running, get it out of my garage, and cheap. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a parts bike are another useable bike.  I don't know how long it had been sitting before I got it, but fuel had been left in the tank long enough  it rusted through a couple pin holes in the front corners, petcock and carb were sludge.  I ordered a carb kit, and starter solenoid relay for it (was missing). Cleaned the gas tank and put couple small dabs of JB weld over the pinholes (seems to work for now). After parts arrived, and I got it all back together, checked fluids, I went to take it on the first test drive. I started it, put it in first, tested I had brakes and drove out of my shop, shifted to second, and 3rd, slowed down, down shifted, turned around, came back up to my shop, thinking it was running/driving as it should, but I only put a little bit of gas in the tank. I went to put it neutral, the light came on, and then off, did this several times as it did not want to go in to neutral.   I was finally able to get it to go into neutral after pushing down on the lever 10 or 15 times in a row. Shut it off, added more fuel checked over everything and took it for a longer test drive, it would shift into all the gears, and then some of the gears it would go into gear and then come back out, put it back in to gear and it would stay. It didn't do this all of the time sometimes I was able to shift just fine and back down to neutral fine. I tried to adjust the clutch, by loosening the lock nut, turning the adjusting screw to the left (counter clockwise) until feeling tension, and then back clockwise a quarter of a a turn and tightening back up the locknut, while holding the adjusting screw.   Which didn't seem to make any difference. I thought maybe because it had sat for so long could be the issue, and it might work itself out on the next few test drives, but it hasn't yet. I wondered if the previous owner used the wrong oil, so I changed the oil and filter to the correct wet clutch oil just to be sure, but still having the same issues. I am not driving it real long or far, but sometimes it doesn't act up at all in any of the other gears, and if it is on more level ground there are no issues getting it back in neutral, other times it is much worse.

I have not removed any of the side covers or investigated any further, I thought it was time to get some more opinions on what might be going on with it before I assume the worse. If it is time to remove a side cover where do I start, and what do I need before hand? Thanks in advance. 

 

 

 

under RIGHT side cover, ( as i said above ) ^^..is the clutch parts. the neutral light works off the neutral switch, which is also under the RIGHT side cover, it makes contact with the reverse lever, once you shift from neutral to say..1st ?, the lever moves off the contact switch, this contact switch is always '' hot '' * 12vdc too the switch, when you move from neutral to 1st, you '' unground '' it so to speak, this turns the neutral light off on the dash. when you go back  to neutral, it grounds the switch, which makes the neutral light on the dash come back on. these contact switch wear over the years, once the end wears down ?, they no longer make contact with the lever that rest inside the right hand side cover, which in this case, does not allow your neutral light to light up on the dash, and it keeps the electric starter from working. YOU MUST HAVE A NEUTRAL LIGHT ON THE DASH IN ORDER TO START THE ATV !. if you do not have a neutrla light ?, it will not ele start, and it will not let the c.d.i. fire the spark plug. this is a safety feature honda built into the atv's to keep you ( or small kids ) from starting it while in gear ?!.

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On 3/7/2023 at 5:18 PM, toodeep said:

I would ride it more and keep working it. Once you do dig into it most likely the issue will be found under the left side cover of the machine. Could be a crack in the shift plate/shaft, weak spring for the return or who knows with unknown wear over the years. All the main components are under the left cover though and no special tools needed. If I remember right you might have to take the motor mounts loose so you can pry the motor up just enough for the cover to clear the frame. It's been a day or two since I had one of those covers off.

clutch parts are under right side cover, not the left, left side is flywheel and stator :-).

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@shadetree he is having shifting issues, not clutch issues. Almost all the shifting components are under the left side cover.

 

@bbush44 18, 19, 20 and 21 are all common issues. My guess would be #19 possibly has a crack letting it open just enough to not complete the shift. This diagram is under the gearshift drum on the parts finders.

 

 

250gearshift.png

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1 hour ago, toodeep said:

@shadetree he is having shifting issues, not clutch issues. Almost all the shifting components are under the left side cover.

 

@bbush44 18, 19, 20 and 21 are all common issues. My guess would be #19 possibly has a crack letting it open just enough to not complete the shift. This diagram is under the gearshift drum on the parts finders.

 

 

250gearshift.png

oh..ok.my bad..then you are correct :-).

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10 minutes ago, shadetree said:

oh..ok.my bad..then you are correct :-).

 

I figured you was speed reading and missed the part of it messing up in the other gears and not just going to neutral. The long post not broke up into paragraphs can be hard to follow sometimes, especially when the topic jumps around.

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9 minutes ago, toodeep said:

 

I figured you was speed reading and missed the part of it messing up in the other gears and not just going to neutral. The long post not broke up into paragraphs can be hard to follow sometimes, especially when the topic jumps around.

and the text was small too !..lol.

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4 hours ago, toodeep said:

@shadetree he is having shifting issues, not clutch issues. Almost all the shifting components are under the left side cover.

 

@bbush44 18, 19, 20 and 21 are all common issues. My guess would be #19 possibly has a crack letting it open just enough to not complete the shift. This diagram is under the gearshift drum on the parts finders.

 

 

250gearshift.png

@toodeep

Thank you for the diagram and parts to look for, I think I will probably try to round up a gasket and some replacement parts before I will tear into it. 

 

@shadetree

Thank you for your input also, I appreciate the feedback. 

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