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Downshifting Problem - POSSIBLE SOLUTION
3
I've since sold my ninja, but before I did, I wanted to solve the downshifting problem I mentioned in this post awhile back: http://www.ex-500.com/archive/index.php/t-45232.html
I listened to everyone's advice and tried to get the shift lever to be exactly 90 degrees so that the shift throw would be equal for upshifts and downshifts. This didn't help, and I still had the same problem. I tried changing oil too, to no avail. I started looking at the parts diagrams to find out if it could be something internal here: http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b2754f8700223e4791a77/gear-change-mechanism
The feeling of pushing the lever down was like you're turning anything through its detents, and you feel a slight resistance, then nothing once it passes over. The problem was intermittent. From this, and looking at the diagrams, I had a hunch that spring #92801 could be the problem since its responsibility is to keep the change lever pawl firmly pressed against the shift drum crown. Thanks to Urbane's help and his garage, we were able to pull the engine to get the gear change mechanism cover off and dive in. (Don't mind the stator off and flywheel gone, I was just replacing the start clutch springs)
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After pulling the suspect spring off, I compared it to the new one.. You can see that one end of the old spring is stretched maybe 2mm past the new one on one side only.
![]()
I replaced that spring, put the bike back together, and now the problem is gone! Downshifts perfectly! I got really used to dealing with it, and never actually got around to fixing it until I sold it.
We tried to get to the spring without removing the engine, but we couldn't get one bolt out since the frame was in the way.. I'm sure it could be done with some clever combination of wrenches or universal joints. Either way, removing the engine from the bike is easy overall.
Hopefully this helps someone who may have the same problem. Ask me any questions if you have some. I have a few more pictures of the mechanism if people are interested.
I listened to everyone's advice and tried to get the shift lever to be exactly 90 degrees so that the shift throw would be equal for upshifts and downshifts. This didn't help, and I still had the same problem. I tried changing oil too, to no avail. I started looking at the parts diagrams to find out if it could be something internal here: http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b2754f8700223e4791a77/gear-change-mechanism
The feeling of pushing the lever down was like you're turning anything through its detents, and you feel a slight resistance, then nothing once it passes over. The problem was intermittent. From this, and looking at the diagrams, I had a hunch that spring #92801 could be the problem since its responsibility is to keep the change lever pawl firmly pressed against the shift drum crown. Thanks to Urbane's help and his garage, we were able to pull the engine to get the gear change mechanism cover off and dive in. (Don't mind the stator off and flywheel gone, I was just replacing the start clutch springs)
After pulling the suspect spring off, I compared it to the new one.. You can see that one end of the old spring is stretched maybe 2mm past the new one on one side only.
I replaced that spring, put the bike back together, and now the problem is gone! Downshifts perfectly! I got really used to dealing with it, and never actually got around to fixing it until I sold it.
We tried to get to the spring without removing the engine, but we couldn't get one bolt out since the frame was in the way.. I'm sure it could be done with some clever combination of wrenches or universal joints. Either way, removing the engine from the bike is easy overall.
Hopefully this helps someone who may have the same problem. Ask me any questions if you have some. I have a few more pictures of the mechanism if people are interested.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Interesting, I wonder if that spring does the same job it does on the Ninja 250?
In the Ninja 250 some owners have changed spring #92144 shown below, to a heavier/stiffer one from another Kawasaki bike, I did the research on this and did a, write-up as well over @.Ninjette.org
Possible alternative for Factory Pro Blue Magic Shift Spring
![]()
So I wonder if Kawasaki offers the same spring in a stiffer range from another model?
Another question is will this help prevent 2nd gear problems that 1st Gen has?
In the Ninja 250 some owners have changed spring #92144 shown below, to a heavier/stiffer one from another Kawasaki bike, I did the research on this and did a, write-up as well over @.Ninjette.org
Possible alternative for Factory Pro Blue Magic Shift Spring
So I wonder if Kawasaki offers the same spring in a stiffer range from another model?
Another question is will this help prevent 2nd gear problems that 1st Gen has?
So, I am very grateful for the discovery made by user “meadeball” , I doubt I would have solved this problem without a pathfinder. His original post here.
Downshifting Problem - POSSIBLE SOLUTION
Here are my 50 cents on the downshift problem – even though this is an old thread.
When I bought my GPZ, EX500D2, 1995, it had done just over 70,000 km or 43,500 miles. Almost immediately I noticed that it sometimes took several tries to downshift from 6th to 5th gear. The gear lever would move/spring down, but there was no engaging “klonk”.
Very optimistic, I thought the operation would last one or two cups of coffee, with the engine in the frame. I was wrong, the engine had to come out ☹, so it turned out to be a twenty cup job.
I changed the spring with partno.. 92081-1785 SPRING,CHANGE LEVER.
Since the spring in my bike was pretty much identical with the new spring I didn’t want to assemble the whole bike just to find the problem still there.
So I did as user “lazy cackle” and filed both the oblong slits in the pawl about 1,5mm deeper. After the filing it seams the pawl engaged fully, but it was still hard to tell if it would works as the shift mechanisn is quite “stiff” when the engine is not running.
One last thing I noticed, was that the pawl had some burrs and a little deformation from when it was punched out, meaning that the flat side was sliding with noticable friction. I flattened the burrs on the pawl with an oilstone.
Many cups of coffee later the whole bike was assembled and ready for a test ride – and it worked. I have ridden about 250km since the operation and have not had one single downshift malfunction. Every up and downshift engages fully - very satisfying.
Cheers
Kedde_DK
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Downshifting Problem - POSSIBLE SOLUTION
Here are my 50 cents on the downshift problem – even though this is an old thread.
When I bought my GPZ, EX500D2, 1995, it had done just over 70,000 km or 43,500 miles. Almost immediately I noticed that it sometimes took several tries to downshift from 6th to 5th gear. The gear lever would move/spring down, but there was no engaging “klonk”.
Very optimistic, I thought the operation would last one or two cups of coffee, with the engine in the frame. I was wrong, the engine had to come out ☹, so it turned out to be a twenty cup job.
I changed the spring with partno.. 92081-1785 SPRING,CHANGE LEVER.
Since the spring in my bike was pretty much identical with the new spring I didn’t want to assemble the whole bike just to find the problem still there.
So I did as user “lazy cackle” and filed both the oblong slits in the pawl about 1,5mm deeper. After the filing it seams the pawl engaged fully, but it was still hard to tell if it would works as the shift mechanisn is quite “stiff” when the engine is not running.
One last thing I noticed, was that the pawl had some burrs and a little deformation from when it was punched out, meaning that the flat side was sliding with noticable friction. I flattened the burrs on the pawl with an oilstone.
Many cups of coffee later the whole bike was assembled and ready for a test ride – and it worked. I have ridden about 250km since the operation and have not had one single downshift malfunction. Every up and downshift engages fully - very satisfying.
Cheers
Kedde_DK
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
