75 xs650 clutch problem

[cmccall]

I have a 75 xs650 and the clutch doesn't engage where I can roll bike in gear. I took the alternator cover side of and I can pull the long rod out and push it in and it appears to just bottom out. It doesn't have any resistance going in it just bottoms out and can not be pushed any further. It appears to me that when you pull the clutch a mechanism pushes into this rod and it would seem to me that it should push this rod to disengage something. The former owner did put a different clutch lever and cable so don't know if that had anything to do with problem. The lever does pull the cable and it is pretty hard to pull. Any help would be very much appreciated.

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[cmccall]

Still stumped. Help.

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[fullercameron]

Was the clutch ever working? did the bike run?

If it has been sitting for any length of time, there is the possibility that the clutch plates are stuck together. You may be able to put the bike in second gear and rock it back and forth until the clutch pops loose.

I let my bike sit dry for a few months after I put the engine back together, and the clutch plates were stuck together enough that I couldn't free them. I had to take the clutch cover off and physically remove the plates from one another. If you have to take it apart, its probably worth looking at the basket for wear and giving the metal plates a good scrub as well. Soak the fiber plates in oil overnight before you reassemble.