1987 Venture Royale Jumps Out of Gear Under Load

[GuardsmanUSA]

Greetings, my new to me 1987 Venture Royale with 100k miles, jumps out of 2nd gear under heavy load. The motor appears to be well cared for as it is much cleaner than my 1984 VR which only has 33k miles on it. And the oil level sight glass is very clean.

 

In searching the archives it appears that the transmission's shifting pins can come loose and/or bend and cause problems shifting, could this also cause insufficient gear engagement such that the transmission would jump out of gear under load?

 

Incidently the reason that I had to buy another VR is that my significant other, had been riding my Suzuki GS 850L, she took my 84 VR for a ride and now won't give it up. Anybody want a GS 850:

 

GuardsmanUSA

 

1988 Goldwing, 1987 VR , 1984 VR, 1984 VR project Bike, plus several Suzukis 1100 and 850s

[StarFan]

Well, if Skydoc_17 (Earl Harrell) does not chime in, then send him a PM. Rest assure that he will know what is wrong and how to fix it.

[Venturous Randy]

I recently encountered a problem with the spring that holds the detent linkage breaking and I had a problem with it coming out of gear, but it was usually 1st or 5th. When you shift, do feel the positive notching into gear?

It is rare that the MKII transmissions have many problems other than the pin problem and that is not the same thing that the earlier 1st gens had with 2nd gear.

RandyA

[GuardsmanUSA]

I just got it this weekend, and I haven't been able to ride it much as I have a serious carb problem one or more of the carb's are not functioning runs very rough and oil smells like gas. It has been sitting for most of a year and the PO (who suffered heart attach) told me about the problem and I noticed it on the one short drive that i took with it. I have given it a heavy seafoam treament and we will see what that does. But I am resigned to pulling the carbs and going through them.

 

GuardsmanUSA

[Venturous Randy]

If you have gas in the oil, you need to change it very soon.

RandyA

[GuardsmanUSA]

Understood, have a gallon of 15-40 Shell Rotella ready, just need to get a filter.

 

GuardsmanUSA

[GuardsmanUSA]

Well after an oil change took her for a ride, she seems to "buck" in any gear when put under very heavy load, if you let up on the throttle she remains in gear.

 

Is it possible that the universl joint could be so worn that wen heavily loaded it locks up?

 

 

GuardsmanUSA

[mbrood]

The first thing I would do is pull and check the condition of the plugs. It's the start and end point of diagnostics.

[GuardsmanUSA]

Perhaps I should have stated that the bucking is defineately drive train not an engine issue. The event is violent and jaring but backing off on the gas stops it and you are still in the same gear. The more i think of it the more suspect is the universal joint.

 

Has anyone experienced a similar problem

 

 

GuardsmanUSA

Edited January 18, 2013 by GuardsmanUSA

[Flyinfool]

Could this be an indication of the stud breaking off of the pinion?

From what I read it is most noticed on decel and is fine under load. But it is a thought.

 

Its not that tough to pull the drive shaft and check it out.

[Condor]

Perhaps I should have stated that the bucking is defineately drive train not an engine issue. The event is violent and jaring but backing off on the gas stops it and you are still in the same gear. The more i think of it the more suspect is the universal joint.

 

Has anyone experienced a similar problem

 

 

GuardsmanUSA

 

With a 100 thousand on the odo you may never know how it was ridden from the git go, but if the previous owner(s) baby'd the trans gear engagement it's very possible that the dogs have been rounded off over time. You might try shifting aggressively through the gears and see if that might clean up the dog edges. I had an '83 that jumped in and out of gear when I first rode it. Figured what the heck and really hammered the shifting. After 100 miles it stopped jumping and clattering...

[Squidley]

I worked on a MKII probaly 5 or 6 years ago when I lived in Michigan that had a similar deal. It turned out that the output shaft, where the fwd u joint connected on to was broken. The spring in the driveshaft kept it pushed fwd and it would still engage, but would make a hell of a racket and buck when rolling the power on.

It's located inside the rubber boot at the fwd part of the shaft on the swingarm where the driveshaft goes through. Might want to check that, I haven't heard of many MKII transmissions jumping out of gear, just the MKi's with the 2nd gear issue...

[GuardsmanUSA]

Thanks all for your responses I will be pulling it apart next week and I will report back.

 

GuardsmanUSA

[GuardsmanUSA]

I rode the bike again a few days ago. The Seafoam has helped somewhat to the point where it is rideable but backfires like mad upon deceleration. I will be redoing the carbs.

 

But unless you really put it under load there is no indication of a problem.

 

So Squid I think your assessment is correct. When you repaired the bike with the broken output shaft were you forced to source it as a used part or was it still available from Yamaha or the usual "new old stock" sources.

[Squidley]

So Squid I think your assessment is correct. When you repaired the bike with the broken output shaft were you forced to source it as a used part or was it still available from Yamaha or the usual "new old stock" sources.

 

I didn't pull the shaft apart, the owner brought it to me to help diagnose it. He and another friend pulled it apart and replaced it. I'm not sure if he was able to find it new or had to get a used one. If you do need one, I know there are several here on the site with parts motors and bikes so it really shouldn't be an issue to find one.

[GuardsmanUSA]

Thanks I will pull it apart as soon as the temperature here (Earlysville VA) gets out of the low 20s and confirm that it is the problem.

 

[GuardsmanUSA]

After much research and email conversations with several of you and a phone consultation with Venturous, I went ahead and buought an entire gear set and output shaft from a low mileage 09 RSV. And thanks to some of your posts I ensured that ALL the bits needed to make it work were in the package.

 

Since I have to pull the motor I am going to freshen it up with VMAX heads and Cams which I was going to put on my 84 project bike. I will be adding a VMAX rear end also. I picked up this high mileage bike cheaply enough to make spending a few buck worthwhile.

 

While I am at it I was impressed with PINWALLS responsivness.

 

I will be reaching out I am certain for some hand-holding when the weather finally warms up enought that I can start using my detached garage, which is not insulated and has no heater.

 

Howard

[Squidley]

So it was the output shaft that was broke?

It's good to know that the 2nd gens will work in it's place, good luck with the fix.

[GuardsmanUSA]

No Squidly I don't think so, it has been too cold here to pull the bike apart but based on the way it misbehaves I am almost certain that the big spring has some of it's coils broken, beecause the bike will drive acceptably until you really put a load on it or get it up above 4500 rpm and then it will shudder and scare you half to death. Backing off on the throttle instantly stops the problem. Given that I wanted to try Venturous' idea of putting in the late RSV gears in conjunction with a VMAX rear end, when I saw the parts availble at PINWALL for only $125 I just went ahead and bought the entire gear set with all the parts to make the shift mechanism work.

 

I expect in 30 days or so to be able to get to work.

 

Howard

[Venturous Randy]

Hey Howard, what ever happened on this bike?

RandyA