Answer me this.....

[Sagebrush]

I opened up my 80-81 GL1100 engine to perform an autopsy to find out why it wouldn't shift. I found the culprit, its some kind of plug or screw that vibrated forward in its tube and began to interfere with the shifting mechanism causing the shift pawl to pull away from the drum causing no shifts.

The arrow is pointing to the culprit as I found it.



Once I determined that this was in fact the whole problem I put a screw driver on it and thought I would screw it back to where it belonged. Well it seems that it is not threaded but while turning it and applying a little pressure it receded into its hidey hole about an inch.



It won't seat but justs spins in the hole. My question is, what is this thing supposed to do? Is it supposed to seat? The tube that it is in is not threaded. Anxiously awaiting enlightenment on this subject.

[roncar]

I wonder if what you're seeing is the end of #4 below. If so #28 has broken or fell out of position. Hope I'm wrong, looks like case split to fix.

[bhschn]

Well it seems that is the end of the shifting fork shaft that slides through the case and holds the forks in place to shift, I would think that it should not move out of that hole like that, I'll bet there is more internal that is going on.

[Sagebrush]

I wonder if what you're seeing is the end of #4 below. If so #28 has broken or fell out of position. Hope I'm wrong, looks like case split to fix.

I believe you are correct sir. On closer inspection I can see the hole in the case where the cross pin is supposed to go. No pin. I had this engine engine worked on last winter by the local Honda shop, cylinders honed and new rings. Looks to me like the holding pin #28 was never installed. I got 1100 miles out of it before the shifting problem and subsequent engine replacement. The below picture shows the hole. Without splitting the case there is no way that pin fell out. I wonder if I can Dremel a little aluminum from the opposite case to allow me to install that pin without splitting the case.

[BerlinKowgirl]

I would take it back to the Honda shop and have them fix it. Seems the pin cant go anywhere...that means it wasnt there to begin with...

Good luck!

Cheers,
Peewee

[Whiskerfish]

I agree with Peewee. I would at least try to get the cost of the gaskets and such from the dealership. It is pure BS when professionals paid good money screw up something like this.

[Cookie]

If you open the case you may also find the pin in the bottom. I've done a lot of trannies but never one of these, but I have seen a pin fall out of a shifter fork.
Seeing if the folks who did the repair will stand behind at least part of it is a fine idea. I had my Subaru tranny done by a shop a while ago as I've grown old and lazy. It's not right and it's back for the third time, that happens sometimes.

[ElPiloto]

I agree. The shop should stand behind their work.

If they try to wiggle out of repairing their own mistake, tell them "My attorney said I should give you a chance to make it right before I sued you". The best evidence is the set of photos you have posted here.

Good luck.

Off topic:
It looks like they used black silicone to seal the case halves and the round thing that looks like a freeze plug behind number 15. What I'm curious about is the big black "puddle" at the bottom of the first photos. Is that silicone that has oozed out" Or just oil?

[Sagebrush]

Off topic:
It looks like they used black silicone to seal the case halves and the round thing that looks like a freeze plug behinc number 15. What I'm curious about is the big black "puddle" at the bottom of the first photos. Is that silicone that has oozed out" Or just oil?

Its just oil, I hadn't wiped it out yet.

If you open the case you may also find the pin in the bottom. I've done a lot of trannies but never one of these, but I have seen a pin fall out of a shifter fork.

If this pin had broken up and fallen out it would have been inside the transmission cover, not inside the engine case. No evidence of it anywhere so I'm sure it was never installed during reassembly.

I think I'm going to load this engine up onto the pickup and take it in to the dealer to see what kind of reaction I'll get when I politely discuss the problem with them.

[TALLRIDER]

Good luck and keep us posted.
PS. LEAVE THE HANDGUN HOME.

[sodbuster]

Sagebrush -
When you push on the rod is that as far in as it will go ??
It looks like there is a slot on the end of the rod. Do you think if a person machined up a plug with a tang on the end to fit into the slot and either loctite it in or put a knurl on the circumference to press it in if that will prevent splitting the cases ?? 680 Loctite ??

[ElPiloto]

It seems to me that if there were a plug on the end of number 4, it would have been shown in the illustrated parts breakdown. All I see is a slotted end and a hole for the pin.

Could it be that the end of number 4 has broken off?

[Cookie]

Could be but I've never seen that myself. If the whole problem is a missing pin that goes in externally it would be sweet. I never get that lucky but who knows.

[billbmsn]

The end of 4 has a screwdriver slot so it can be turned to align it for the pin (the shop manual shows using a screwdriver). That's the way it should look.

[Cookie]

I'd be tempted to fit a rolled pin from the local hardware store and see if it shifts.
Most trannies I've worked on had the shifting forks pinned individually to the shift rods but maybe this is just a shaft and fork activation comes from some where else. I have seen individual forks activated by other means that just slid on a rod.