The Hodaka Club Forum

Help needed, I have only recently got my restored 250 onto the road, it is going well but I am having some clutch issues which I need to address, in particular it won't release properly, when I pull up I have to snick it into neutral before I stop rolling, otherwise I can't get neutral at stand still.
I had asked the question before about using ATF rather than 30W in case that might improve the matter.
I had the clutch apart at rebuild but the plates, especially the steel ones looked ok, I think I will pull the clutch apart again and totally check that the steel plates are flat.
I carefully filed any ridging out of the clutch basket fingers while the clutch was apart.
And regard the shims under the 'clutch disc', how are they set up to know how much shim should be in there, at the moment I have the clutch cable adjusted so there is no slop, any tighter and the clutch will slip so I am wondering if I need more shim under the 'clutch disc' to get more clutch plate movement and thus release the clutch.
Also wondering about clutch springs and whether the clutch is not releasing squarely and evenly, how do I check the springs, I am sure I measured them at rebuild, maybe I didn't
Any other ideas?

Wayne from Oz

Wayne, I think the hard-to-get neutral is the nature of the beast. The 250SL indicator light panel/nacelle has the neutral light location blanked out from the factory.

However, I find that if the revs are at a high idle (and you're wishing upon a star) you can sometimes find neutral at a standstill.

Using a quality oil formulated for motorcycles with wet clutches makes an amazing difference on small bore Hodies. I'd highly recommend trying that with your 250. It would be exceedingly easy to try, and I'm betting it will help. Do you have Belray products in Oz? If so give their 80wt gear oil a go. (Note: 80wt gear oil is about the same viscosity as 30 at motor oil - different viscosity scales are used for those two types of oils)

Yep, we have Belray in Oz, I'll get some and try it out, I like simple solutions so I hope it works.
The bigger problem than not finding nuetral is that it wants to drive of with the clutch in! Not much fun if one is stuck at a long light cycle.

Wayne from Oz

I need advice on clutch shims as well.

I’m assembling my Ace B motor. I have only one shim & I’m not even sure what it’s thickness is. Are they marked? Or is it something I can reasonably measure with my not very good Harbor Freight measuring tool? (Yes I know Captain Ed doesn’t like this tool).

It appears right now that I can operate the clutch lever on the side case by hand, without resistance. Would this be an indicator that I need to rebuild the clutch even tho it’s extremely low mileage? Does the Blueprint your Clutch in the Resonator cover this issue as well? Thanks! Victor

Vic I'll respond about your 100 clutch when it has its own "thread" - then other folks can "search" for 100cc clutch issues and find the information.
Ed
PS: As I recall, my issue with the Harbor Freight digital caliper was only that it is not the right tool to establish piston/cylinder clearance.

If you can move the lever with no resistance, the push peg in the cover may be missing or fell in the case.

Thrown/Ed. I started a new thread “Ace B Clutch”. Victor

See new thread.....