Ace 100 B+ won't go into 4th gear

[Antique 1]

I recently acquired a 1972 Ace 100 B+ from the daughter of a family friend who passed away. The bike had sat for a dozen years or so, and after doing the usual, tank and petcock cleaning, fuel lines, filter, crankcase oil, etc., it fired on the 2nd kick. After several runs up the street, I could not get 4th gear to engage. Adjustment, lubrication, shifter case maintenance ? I have accumulated 3 Hodaka's over the last dozen years now, but I'm just finding time to play with them due to Covid. Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks,
Doug

[wildzebra]

Someone’s going to say it so, if you don’t have a manual buy one. There is a procedure for gear engagement adjustment in there.

If you’re not going to make the investment, which you should, because you have 3 hodakas. Pm me and I will send you a pic of the page.

First one is free.

[Bullfrog]

Any other shifting symptoms? Goes into fifth?
Ed

[Antique 1]

A manual is on the way. And like I said, it's the first chance I've had to ever even look at them. They were purchased and stored as possible resto projects if I ever retire. I haven't had more than a week off in 30 years except for surgery. Anyway, I've got the transmission shifting into all gears, but noticing the shifter is very slow to return to a neutral position. I was probably trying to shift when it hadn't returned all the way.

[Bullfrog]

Ah-ha. Slow return of the shift lever to its center position suggests a need for cleaning lubing of the shift mechanism.
Ed

[taber hodaka]

I have had old grease completely solidify and I would have thought it couldn't happen. --------------Clarence

[thrownchain]

I’ve had a couple that I had to heat the grease with propane torch to loosen it up enough to scrape it out

[viclioce]

Clarence. I had one with hardened up grease as well! Took almost 2 hours with heat & carb cleaner to get all the hard grease out. But, once cleaned, it shifted like a normal bike again! Victor