Downshifting Issue 4th to 3rd Advice
 

Hey,

I recently purchased a Magician and so far so good. It runs very lean, but I'm about to do the stock carb chop job up to a 110 that has been recommended.

I've been commuting to work with it and twice now I've been shifting down to 3rd from 4th and the digital gear indicator just went dead. The shifter felt like it was in neutral (but between 3rd and 4th), sort of nothing engaged with the shifter foot lever free floating.

This has been with the clutch engaged (clutch cable as been adjusted I don't think its an clutch lever issue) since the engine was running. I was downshifting when coming to a light in both instances. It took a bit of back and forth and hard pushes down to get into second but it DID eventually go both times.

So a couple of thoughts:

1. I have been running the idle high since its lean and wants to shut off if I don't, until it gets hot

2. I may have overfilled the oil a bit too much (Rotella 15-40) to the top of the sight glass

3. Could this be bits of metal shavings making its way into the transmission case and blocking things? I have since drained changed the oil again and did see some light debris. This time I got it halfway up the sight glass.

Thanks

I would recommend cleaning out the centrifigal oil cleaner...ARH

thanks for the reply, I did that and found a little bit more debris, again just a little, nothing too concerning.

I also have not adjusted the valves yet, which could be part of the issue with needing a high idle at first start up.

Could the bike running too hot cause my shifting issue?

The engine running lean will make it run hotter than normal. When hot the clutch disk will expand and let the clutch drag a little. You really need to tune the carb. Running too lean will eventually do some damage.

I agree with Jerry. I'd also set the valves right away, but after it has been allowed to cool over night.

To add. Filling to the top of the sight glass is a little bit over filled. With the bike vertical, you want it to be around the middle. This isn't likely causing your issue, but it can potentially lead to more oil than normal coming out of the breather hose into your air box.

While my gear indicator never wen't dead, I randomly get the same downshift issue you do, where it feels like there is nothing there between the gears. If I take my foot away from the shifter for a second, or even just let out the clutch a tad, it comes back. Mine doesn't happen in any particular gear though, nor does it happen very often. Just kind of like a weird false neutral.

Yeah, I've put 45 ish miles on it (still very confused on the accuracy of the speedo and odo) and I've decided not to run it again until I set the valves and upjet to a 110.

But I'm still confused on why it felt like it was in neutral between 4th and 3rd, and why the digital readout just turned off. Even with the clutch in you're still in gear your just not engaged with the transmission right?

Once you get some miles on it the shifting will get much better.