Shift lever locking up (intermittently)

TonyA said:

How long or many miles has it been since you checked the tranny oil ? Also remember you can check the oil through the fill to spill hole in a variety of ways. If none comes out , lean the bike slightly and watch for oil coming out. If none after leaning , then using a small allen wrench with the bike straight upright , insert a 2.5mm allen wrench and probe into the fill to spill hole with the short end of the wrench . If no oil at ~ 1 cm below the fill to spill , time to add some. Britfan , either the oil evaporated , or you are leaking some here and there over time and the level drops.

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Tony. My last oil change was at my dealership last year when they fixed it up after my accident. I didn't check the tranny oil, because, hey, they said they changed it. about 1500 miles. The engine oil was clean and clear and to the level, so why think otherwise. Anyway, it was very low and dirty. I changed it the other day. Richard07, I have your tranny vent on the bike. No pooling or leaks anywhere and my airbox and filter are still very clean. I'm wondering if my dealership neglected to actually change the oil. There was barely 8 oz. in there.

Wow , what if ? If they’re used to Japanese bikes with one oil supply ! Yikes. Do your own from now on.

Britfan60 said:

Tony. My last oil change was at my dealership last year when they fixed it up after my accident. I didn't check the tranny oil, because, hey, they said they changed it. about 1500 miles. The engine oil was clean and clear and to the level, so why think otherwise. Anyway, it was very low and dirty. I changed it the other day. Richard07, I have your tranny vent on the bike. No pooling or leaks anywhere and my airbox and filter are still very clean. I'm wondering if my dealership neglected to actually change the oil. There was barely 8 oz. in there.

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Similar issue on my 2012 CR 961. I am sure Egli filled with oil, but twice after 2‘000 mi only 2 dl left and no leaks visible... Mki though no fill to spill hole. Now I have a level plug and the vent and I check every 300 mi and still have to fill up around 1 to 2 dl after 300 mi! I will see if after 600 mi it will be more or if it stays level then. Be careful, I had to change my tranny cause the old one was getting too hot! May be with the vent it is better now, but I am not sure. Possible that there is a gasket towards the engine and tranny oil fills up the engine oil???

This is 20 cc right ? 2dl. There are two seals , 1 crankshaft seal and 1 balance shaft seal . If you lose 20cc per 300miles the you would have lost only 140cc in 2100 miles correct ?

Well, that would be 1.4 liters if cc is same as cl.
1 liter=1000 ml=100 cl=10 dl
The tranny should hold 1.2 liters. If loss is between 1 and 2 dl per 300 miles, this could be correct...

I thought 1 centiliter =100ml/cc , and 1deciliter = 10 ml/cc ? Maybe you should specify in cc's lost would be easier for me. So in 300miles you lose 200cc , in 600 miles lose 400cc total and so on ?

Ok , so 1 deciliter = 1/10 of a liter so 100ml/cc and 1 centiliter = 1/100 of a liter so 10ml/cc. If its not leaking out ,where else can it go either volatizing/evaporating or being drawn in to the crankcase during the low pressure period in the crankcase ?

TonyA said:

I thought 1 centiliter =100ml/cc , and 1deciliter = 10 ml/cc ? Maybe you should specify in cc's lost would be easier for me. So in 300miles you lose 200cc , in 600 miles lose 400cc total and so on ?

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Yes, that is correct. Got it now cc=cm3=ml.
I have no idea where the tranny oil goes...

I still have to check if loss is increasing with mileage. May be initially there is too much oil in the tranny and there is a balance at lower level...

TonyA said:

Wow , what if ? If they’re used to Japanese bikes with one oil supply ! Yikes. Do your own from now on.

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Actually, they don't sell any Japanese bikes. They only sell European. Ducs, beemers, Thaiumphs, Aprilia, Guzzis..etc.

Hi Raphi , Does the tranny OIl get lower only when you are driving it ? I was looking back through the rebuild pictures and noticed the seam between the crankcase halves as being another entry or exit point for the tranny oil into the crankcase.

Hi Britfan , any more news on the tranny/clutch issue ?

I do not think that oil flows when bike is not running... But cannot say for sure yet, must check in winter. Too good weather now to leave the bike in the garage;-)

TonyA said:

Hi Raphi , Does the tranny OIl get lower only when you are driving it ? I was looking back through the rebuild pictures and noticed the seam between the crankcase halves as being another entry or exit point for the tranny oil into the crankcase.

Hi Britfan , any more news on the tranny/clutch issue ?

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No. Going to try a reverse bleed with a syringe. After that, I'm going to search for an independent general bike mechanic. Could be the master, the clutch push rod, the tranny. I've been caring for a buddy and his pets while he's in the hospital, so I haven't really had time this past week. I'm not equipped to do anything much more that the hydraulics. Anything beyond that has to be done by a qualified mechanic.

SURE LOOKS PRETTY AT LEAST.



COULD BE WHERE MY AIR IS GETTING IN.

Did the reverse bleed with a syringe. Also, since the Oberon doesn't have an O ring like most and the Brembo slave had, I didn't originally grease it. Even came with directions that didn't specify to do so, but I took it off and greased it anyway.

Took a quarter mile or so to build up some pressure and the bike shifted great even btw 5 and 6K. Then after a few miles on twisties, it locked up again and a few times had hardly any pressure in the clutch until I pumped it up again. Repeat with the shifter locking up.

As I kept pumping the clutch, I noticed a very small bubble coming from under the reservoir lid. If air can exit, I guess it can get in too. Also, after my ride, I noticed it was wet from that exact spot although it was thoroughly dry at the time I started my ride.

I guess I'm going to order a new reservoir and master now. I don't love throwing money away with process of elimination but these parts don't really cost small fortunes. Not great loss. Also, when the pressure is built up, the Oberon performs well.

Any suggestions. Should I go with the clear bottles, a fancy assed Italian job in gold? (Rizoma) Or stay stock where the paint erodes and it looks ugly? OR can I just reseal the one I have with a new diaphragm?

If you can get a rebuild kit it is worth a try ; Ask Norton if they can sell a rebuild kit. Also while you are asking get a price for a whole clutch master cylinder. While on the highway have you tried shifting WITHOUT the clutch ? I was asking this because you may have two different problems.

The clear ones are fitted to the dominator and look fine, a number of members also have them fitted to the sport model - check the pictures thread - and they fit the look of the bike quite well. The expensive rizoma ones look great but do you want to pay that much for such a simple part?

You may also try Brembo directly ?

I've seen the rebuild kits. Looks easy enough. I don't think it has anything to do with the plunger rather than simply the lid on the reservoir. That said, even before the problems, I've liked the rizoma. I'll start simple first and upgrade later. And Tony, yes, I've shifted without the clutch at low rpm. 3k to 3400. Above that and it doesn't mesh well.

This is where your shifting "lockup" problem may be. Item C must roll freely on Item B. If the shoulder bolt B is too tight , C cannot rotate freely . Also , the arm in RED should not be worn or indented where it works against the pins on the shift drum star E . Some of the older bikes had soft arms and need to be replaced with new hardened arm . My bike had a hardened arm a late 2014 . But it doesn't mean they all did. I was shown soft ones and what can happen. The problem you are describing sounds like this area. So , get your clutch master working good first and if you still have shifting issues , look here.