Random ball bearing found!???

[Fernando]

I pulled the motor to change the front cam chain guide, buttoned it back up and was cleaning the outside, pulled the oil pan and drain plugs to get all the plastic bits out and I found a ball bearing at the bottom stuck to the magnet! Where could this ball bearing have from from????!!!!! Is this a ball bearing from the clutch push rod? How can I check if it is? Its about 1/4 inch or 5/16th big. If it is can I just pull the rod out and push the ball bearing into the seal and push it down with the rod again? Trying to get a picture up soon

79 xs650

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

1/4" balls would be found in the steering races.
5/16" balls would be part of the clutch pushrod system.
If the clutch pushrod protrudes less than 1-15/16" (like 1-5/8") from the seal, a ball may be missing in there.
It's not unusual for the 5/16" ball to slip out of the clutch worm when its peened edges are worn.
Most folks stick a blob of grease in the worm to retain the ball...

 

[5twins]

...... but, I don't see how that ball would/could end up INSIDE the motor. The worm gear and its "captive" ball are outside the motor. However, there is another 5/16" ball at the other end of the pushrod assembly, just under the little pusher part that presses the pressure plate open when you pull in the clutch lever. If someone had the clutch disassembled and removed that pusher, I suppose the ball behind it could have come out and fallen down into the case area below the clutch.

 

[Fernando]

The ball bearing in the worm gear is still there, that is on the left hand side cover, this ball was found stuck to the drain plug, inside the motor.

The PO did have issues with clutch and had to take it apart several times. So it may be from when he had it apart, but that was almost a year ago.

How can I get this ball back where it needs to go? Can I just it through the push rod seal and follow it up with the push rod itself?

How can the clutch work without this ball bearing? Since I have owned the bike I never took anything with the clutch or push road apart, and have driven it hundreds of miles. Is it possible that I do not need this ball bearing?

 

[5twins]

If a ball is missing from the assembly, the extra 5/16" of play can be adjusted out with the worm gear adjusting screw. It's not correct or right because a ball is missing, but it will work. It's also possible the P.O. replaced the missing ball and never found the one he dropped (but you did, lol).

Do as twomany suggested, measure the length of pushrod protruding from the left case. That will tell you if a ball is missing from the assembly. Since you're not sure what's going on and what, if any, part (ball) may be missing, it's probably best to pull the entire pushrod assembly out and see. There should be 2 pushrods and 2 balls in there, plus the pusher piece on the clutch side.

 

[Fernando]

So this may or may not help but since my main concern was getting everything buttoned up while I had the motor cracked open, but now it wont go in gear, it will click down to first gear but nothing catches, I cant get it to click into any other gear, just down to first and up to neutral.

How is it possible that the ball bearing could fall to the bottom of the motor?

Do the pushrods and bearings not go into some sort of tube?

Are they just floating in a straight line with no surrounding support?

I will measure the distance of the rod outside the enginge later on tonight when I have some time

 

[doctavee]

So this may or may not help but since my main concern was getting everything buttoned up while I had the motor cracked open, but now it wont go in gear, it will click down to first gear but nothing catches, I cant get it to click into any other gear, just down to first and up to neutral.

How is it possible that the ball bearing could fall to the bottom of the motor?

Do the pushrods and bearings not go into some sort of tube?

Are they just floating in a straight line with no surrounding support?

I will measure the distance of the rod outside the enginge later on tonight when I have some time

https://www.shopyamaha.com/parts-ca...E)/CLUTCH_XS650D_E_E006501~_F_(XS650D_-_1977)

 

[whynot2]

The PO may have converted to one long push rod that Mike's sell/sold. There would be one less ball, but I don't know how that effects the total measurement.
whynot2