XT Engine troubles,,, Gubbed 5th gear?

[funmonkee]

Not sure exectly what has happened, but my MZ baghira is behaving oddly since yesterday. I overtook another bike at a fair speed, parked up minutes later, noticed a small pool of oil. Also noticed a missing bolt from my engine casing (cover of the starter).... refilled with oil, seems okay till 5th gear

...Bike acts normal until I get to 100 - 120 KPH, I then switch to the 5th gear and I should be able to reach 140- 160 without too much trouble... However, as soon as I hit 5.1k revs in 5th gear the bike judders forward and back. I know this bike has a rev limiter, but that's supposed to be 6.5k... Grrr

Could there is something wrong with 5th gear? Long shot, but it's worth asking if any of the above points to a gearbox problem?

Anyway, off to give it an oil and filter change, just becuase I had to temporarily put some 10w40 in it... the manual says 10w30...which I've now got
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[funmonkee]

Changed oil and filter. No leaks. Engine feels smoother with new oil Still no chance on the judder forwards/backwards at 120KPH/5.1k revs in 5th gear

It's not as If I need over 100KPH for my daily commute; but when I have to hit the bypass I need 120/140 KPH to make good progress through the traffic.

Any ideas

I'm going to replace the spark plug tomorrow- see if it's a spark plugs issue ( grasping at straws)
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**** Don't ride faster than your angel can fly Get this Free Space
The democratically elected Mod of the Scottish Section - The Peoples Choice[b]

[robocog]

Was the emergency top up of oil done with car stuff?

Could it be clutch slipping?
do the revs pick up but bike not speed up when it does the "judder" thing?
Have heard that some clutches don't get on with car oil because of the "friction modifiers", and last oils I got for my bikes was labelled as being for motorcycles due to not wanting to screw things up

Not been into bikes long so only repeating advice given to me when looking at getting oil for the bikes, rather than taking from direct experience

Regards
Rob

[funmonkee]

The emergency top up was with 10w40 halfords cheap stuff. It's not clutch slip as the clutch is fine... it's almost as if there's a stiff bit on the chain,,, but I'd think I'd feel that in all gears

Thanks for the reply though
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[funmonkee]

Didn't get a chance to check the spark plug (clutching at straws...), but did adjust the chain and check the oil. Took the bike out for another test and it's still the same. It pulls fine and smooth (for a single) in 1-4th gears, but when you get to 5th gear and 5.1k revs it starts to judder and fairly regularly pops and bangs too

I've changed the fuel twice since this has started.

Next I'll look at

change the spark plug
check the fuel lines to ensure they are clean/clear
kick it
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**** Don't ride faster than your angel can fly Get this Free Space
The democratically elected Mod of the Scottish Section - The Peoples Choice[b]

[Gawain]

Thats the watercooled 660 engine right? Early air cooled xt's are famous for eating 5th, the scientific test is to drive past a wall in 5th and listen for the sound of a german divebomber.

[Itchy]

XT600 engines from the 3AJ up to the 3TB (the 4PT didn't have this problem) , and derivatives of ie the 660 watercooled jacket version suffer from 5th gear pitting problems around 3-40,000 miles , my XT600 out here in Mongolia has done 23000 , and once Russia it out the way will be sitting on 30,000 miles and may need to be rebuilt on the gear box.

David Lambeth knows how to fix the 5th gear pitting problem costs a couple hundred quid , considering he rips the engine outs the frame and reassembles the gear box its not bad value.

He has however gone on vacation for the next 4 weeks , and thus is uncontactable for a while, though the solution an XT rider I found in Mongolia is to not use 5th. 4th is plenty enough to get you to 70mph obviously costs more fuel , why the hell you would want to go to 100mph is beyond me the vibes at 70mph are quite bad 80 really bad, 90 and your vision goes blurred.
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[funmonkee]

So, I should look for a XT660 gearbox

Thanks dudes, that's what I need to hear. I'm happier taking out the engine of the MZ than I would be any other bike...a single seems so much simple, or am I asking for trouble......

I need to be able to overtake on the bypass therefore any extra MPH above 70 is advantageous ..but I do agree, it vibrates a hell of a lot at 80+
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[funmonkee]

[funmonkee]

YIPPEEEEE

I sprayed the carbs with carb cleaner and also remove the stiopid tarty airfilter I had put on months ago...

...now all is well and the bike operates as it should... easily gets to 160KPH in 5th...and still has more

Moral of the story... check all the shite you put on your bike first; check all the easy stuff
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**** Don't ride faster than your angel can fly Get this Free Space
The democratically elected Mod of the Scottish Section - The Peoples Choice[b]