Engine dies after dropping in first gear

[SoleX]

Hi y'all ... first time on the forum since aquiring a 1978 SE. Bought it running fine and spent the last 5 months transforming it into a brat style (kick only) bike. After redoing the wiring got it to start after 2 kicks and it seemed as nothing had changed for the worse, it was purring like a kitten. However ... after warming up for a few minutes and canceling the choke the engine died after dropping it into first gear (clutch totaly disengaged) !!! Kicked it again and it starts right up, revved the engine and selected first gear again and this time te bike continued to run. Drove it around for about half an hour and returning home shifted back to first gear (low speed, throttle idle) and engine died again. Carbs? Igniton? Here are the specs:

Vape powerdynamo 12V 180W for XS650 (runs without a battery but needs battery to start)
12V 0.8Ah Lead/Acid battery
Boyer Bransden micro digital ignition for XS650
BS34 carbs with stock jets (132.5 mains, 42.5 pilots and idle screws 3 turns out). Float levels checked

The bike came equiped with the above but unknown by the last owner. It seems one of the previous owners did a bunch of upgrades including the nonstandard carbs ... but hey, the bike runs just fine with this setup except for the little hickup at idle and dropping into first gear. Somewhere during the rebuilt I cleanded and inspected the carbs and besides some rubber parts everythings looked just fine. The only thing not accomplished is a new set op plugs. So any suggestions on where to start looking?

 

[Jan_P]

Clutch adjusted ?

 

[SoleX]

Yup ...

 

[Its been a long time]

Idle speed set too low? Try 1100, 1200rpm idle.

 

[SoleX]

will give that a try tomorrow ... thanx

 

[SoleX]

Took me awhile to figure this one out. Increasing rpm did not work. Put it on a stand and rear wheel would not stop spinning when clutch was disengaged. So on to the next fix ... starter gear. In order to acces the gear I had to remove the clutch basket and lo and behold ... a bend clutch spring (see photo). So even with the clutch handle fully pulled part of the clutch would not disengage. Ordered new ones plus new improved allen bolts (old ones were almost totally stripped) and problem fixed.

 

[bosco659]

Took me awhile to figure this one out. Increasing rpm did not work. Put it on a stand and rear wheel would not stop spinning when clutch was disengaged. So on to the next fix ... starter gear. In order to acces the gear I had to remove the clutch basket and lo and behold ... a bend clutch spring (see photo). So even with the clutch handle fully pulled part of the clutch would not disengage. Ordered new ones plus new improved allen bolts (old ones were almost totally stripped) and problem fixed.

Great you found the cause but wonder how that spring got bent like that?

 

[SoleX]

Great you found the cause but wonder how that spring got bent like that?

We'll never know ... the PO was a young woman who did not do any maintenance ... so I'm thinking the PO before that or somewhere in the last 30 years or so