Ok, I finally got the bike together and it started after about 50 kicks. I was so thrilled to bring the '72 GT380 back to life. That sound took me back almost 40 years. So, I decided to put her in gear and take her up the street, but when I did the shifter wouldn't shift. I was really disappointed at that moment. I thought that the shifter shaft might have jumped out from the gear shifting cam dive and I was correct after a disassembly of the clutch cover. Glad to find out that I do not need to pull the engine and split the cases.
It looks like the shifting shaft might have jumped prior to putting on the clutch cover. It appears that the shaft actually would rest against the clutch cover once the cover is installed and thus should not jump out from the cam gear. I had been having a problem with a slight oil leak at the bottom of the clutch cover and could not figure out why it kept leaking. I think that the shifter shaft was too far out and was actually not letting the clutch cover go on flush and thus the slight oil leak at the bottom of the clutch cover. Am I correct in my assumptions and has anyone else had this problem? Please enlighten me. All comments are greatly appreciated as I will be ready to reassemble in a few days.
Another issue, I put on a new plastic points cam gear and upon disassemly discovered that the gear was already starting to wear & break. These things are about $50 each and I don't know what to think. I did not turn the cam gear on the cam gear side, but only on the altenator side as the manual said to do. Any insight as to how to keep the gear from disintegrating? Unfortunately I think I need to replace it again while I have it apart.
Thanks,
John Hood
Weiner, Arkansas
1972 GT380 Gear Shift Shaft & pints cam gear Questions
Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan
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jhood
- On the street
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:59 pm
- Location: Weiner, Arkansas
-
jhood
- On the street
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:59 pm
- Location: Weiner, Arkansas
Re: 1972 GT380 Gear Shift Shaft & pints cam gear Questions
First, please excuse my spelling in the subject line.
I am almost certain that I have fixed the shifter problem and hopefully the slight oil leak at the bottom of the clutch cover will take care of itself once the cover goes on flush because the shifter shaft is now is its correct position.
Regarding the plastic points cam gear, I just discovered what the problem is. The side of the plastic points cam gear that is closest to the clutch cover is made solid as to where the spaces between the teeth are filled in and not open. The crank gear that meshes with the plastic gear is solid gear that is about 1/2 an inch thick. I looked at the gear on my next project bike and it is shaved down to where there is about an 1/8 of an inch slot to allow the the solid portion of the plastic gear. Problem should be solved. I guess they made 2 different cam gears and 2 different points cam gears. I have only seem the points cam gear that has the solid side on it. Maybe the other one can be found on e-bay. Mixing and matching doesn't work here. I hope this helps someone who might run across this problem as the little plastic cam gears are about $50 each.
I am almost certain that I have fixed the shifter problem and hopefully the slight oil leak at the bottom of the clutch cover will take care of itself once the cover goes on flush because the shifter shaft is now is its correct position.
Regarding the plastic points cam gear, I just discovered what the problem is. The side of the plastic points cam gear that is closest to the clutch cover is made solid as to where the spaces between the teeth are filled in and not open. The crank gear that meshes with the plastic gear is solid gear that is about 1/2 an inch thick. I looked at the gear on my next project bike and it is shaved down to where there is about an 1/8 of an inch slot to allow the the solid portion of the plastic gear. Problem should be solved. I guess they made 2 different cam gears and 2 different points cam gears. I have only seem the points cam gear that has the solid side on it. Maybe the other one can be found on e-bay. Mixing and matching doesn't work here. I hope this helps someone who might run across this problem as the little plastic cam gears are about $50 each.
