Hi all,

Although a bike rider for 19 years now i'm not much of a mechanic.

I encountered a small (lol) problem a little while ago whilst on my way to work and wondered if anyone can give me any pointers.

I'll set the scene, it was a beautiful sunny day and I was on my way to work, a nice empty stretch of road ahead so I opened her up a little and was cruising along at around 70mph, I changed up a gear as I was still accelerating gently (not thrashing at the time) onlt to be met by a lot of revs and no go, a missed gear change i thought, false nuetral or something, I tried again and nothing, the engine was still running and would rev fine but no gears, as I gradually slowed down I tried up and down the box (the lever clicked as normal) but there was no drive. I came to a stop on the hard shoulder and checked the chain, it was still there, the bike was still running ok what was wrong?

On swithching the engine off she puked all her oil into the roadside and I knew all was not well.

She's sat on my drive for a couple of months since but I just can't face another day on the tube.

Any pointers on where to look first? I have a workshop manual but as I said i'm not the most advanced of mechanics. Alternatively if anyone can reccomend a fairly priced and honest mechanic in the london area i'd appreciate it.

Thankyou.

Well i was goner say clutch as i was reading it

because you had lost drive but if its put its oil

all out of engine i'd be saying there's a hole in

the caseing or on those lines.

Hard to say until you look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well i was goner say clutch as i was reading it

because you had lost drive but if its put its oil

all out of engine i'd be saying there's a hole in

the caseing or on those lines.

Hard to say until you look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I know I should take a look really, was just wondering if anyone had experienced a similar problem and say it was gearbox knackered or theres some small part that often gives way and sometimes it exits through the casing or something.

I'll get off my arse........ eventually. lol.

If it will help at all to put your mind at ease, these engines are really easy to work on and the best it is that your crank and barrells [exoensive bit] seem OK from your description.

QUICK QUESTION M8 WAZ THE OIL EMULSIFIED? AND IS THERE ANY COOLANT IN THE EXPANSION BOTTLE I HAD A LC DO THE SAME BUT MINE STUCK IN 5TH

If it will help at all to put your mind at ease, these engines are really easy to work on and the best it is that your crank and barrells [exoensive bit] seem OK from your description.

Yeah I have recently had the crank reconditioned and all the bottom end re-done, new bearings and all.

Took it into my local garage for that, but don't have the cash to do that again.

QUICK QUESTION M8 WAZ THE OIL EMULSIFIED? AND IS THERE ANY COOLANT IN THE EXPANSION BOTTLE I HAD A LC DO THE SAME BUT MINE STUCK IN 5TH

No, oil was black(ish) as normal and there is still water in the right places.

I really should take a look, but it's raining and I have no garage. I'm not really one for getting my hands dirty, I prefer wires or computers. lol.

As Sheeny7 says, sounds like the clutch but the oil leak is worrying. On the YPVS the clutch/ oil pump cover is much more accessible than the gears because the engine splits horizontally. You need to get into that side anyway to start the investigation. If there was a total loss of power and the crank has been rebuilt recently it may be the primary gear on the crank that drives the oil pump and the clutch basket that has come adrift. I think that the nut needs to be swaged to retain it.

Still can't explain the oil unless the shrapnel did the damage. (Are you sure it is transmission oil and not 2T oil drained from the 2 stroke oil pump.)

Gonna have to start stripping it.

As Sheeny7 says, sounds like the clutch but the oil leak is worrying. On the YPVS the clutch/ oil pump cover is much more accessible than the gears because the engine splits horizontally. You need to get into that side anyway to start the investigation. If there was a total loss of power and the crank has been rebuilt recently it may be the primary gear on the crank that drives the oil pump and the clutch basket that has come adrift. I think that the nut needs to be swaged to retain it.

Still can't explain the oil unless the shrapnel did the damage. (Are you sure it is transmission oil and not 2T oil drained from the 2 stroke oil pump.)

Gonna have to start stripping it.

Thanks Glenview09, I didn't have a loss of power, just drive, it was as if all gears i seceted were nuetral.

I'm pretty sure the oil was gearbox and not 2 stroke, the weathers getting a bit cold without a garage to have a look, perhaps i'll ask the ex wife if i can use 'my old garage'. lol

I will check the oil levels to see which has come out, i was thinking shrapnel damage too, then start my stripping around the clutch area and see what i can find.

I think it does still start but i don't want to risk it with no oil in her.

Thanks again to all who've replied. i'll just have to get my hands dirty now i guess.

London transport is really p***ing me off now.

sounds to me like the sprocket nut has come adrift not many mechanics today will know they need

around 60ft lbs of torque the tighten them and also the lock washer has to go on a certain way

if the sprocket comes loose then it also stops sealing the gearbox oil and it will come out

this may well have punched through a casing

if the gear box has failed then they usually lock up

a primary gear or clutch centre nut could have come adrift to

but check the sprocket first

you can safely run the engine without gearbox oil

for a short time

sounds to me like the sprocket nut has come adrift not many mechanics today will know they need

around 60ft lbs of torque the tighten them and also the lock washer has to go on a certain way

if the sprocket comes loose then it also stops sealing the gearbox oil and it will come out

this may well have punched through a casing

if the gear box has failed then they usually lock up

a primary gear or clutch centre nut could have come adrift to

but check the sprocket first

you can safely run the engine without gearbox oil

for a short time

Wow, you're name surely befits you, that sounds exactly like it could be the problem, I really must strip it down and take a look, the bikes been sitting as I've had a lot on my plate lately, but I will certainly be taking a look as soon as I can find a m8 with a garage I can use. (I don't mind riding in the british weather, but working on my bike in it is a whole other matter)

Thx guys for all your replies.