Ok so I rebuilt my GS500E from the bottom up due to the front sprocket and transmission splined shaft destroying each other. Everything is back together. Problem my clutch is very loose and the shifter is very loose as well. Any ideas? I am thinking I may have to pull the motor apart again down to the shifter and see if everything is put together right. The bike will shift into first, but no other gear.

Sounds like you may have left something out or put in wrong. Sucks to have to tear it down. Did you fill it with oil yet?

You don't have to split the cases to inspect the shifter and clutch. You should be fine by removing the sprocket and clutch covers.

Yes added oil already. I pulled the cover on tbecshifter side went through it. Everything looks good. There is a small rectangular opening on the bottom side of the clutch lever. What is it. The little cover and screws aremisding. Not sure if there are supposed to be any springs etc in there. Do I need to pull the cover on the clutch sidecwhere the clutch plates are at?

I looked at a tutorial on the gstwin site. It showed me how to adjust the push rod to accommodate for new clutch rings. It is good to go now. For some reason there it play in the foot shifter plus shifting is difficult. No grinding but because of the play it it hard to shift while riding. Any ideas.

Take a look at the pic below.  Note the stock angle of the shifter.  If this shift lever is at a higher angle, it will be tough to get enough leverage to fully shift into gear.



You mention play in the lever... are the splines stripped? lever not tightened enough?... or is the play not actually the lever itself, but what it is attached to?

- Bboy

The play is actually in thecshift rod that goes all the way through the bottom half of the motor. I

Any thoughts or ideas on why the shift shaft that goes throught the bottom 1/2 of the engine would have some play in it?

Yep the foot shifter is in that exact position, except I have about 1/4 inch of up and down play from the shift rod. I am thinking I am going to pull the other side this weekend. Almost feels like a spring came loose. There are only two on it on the right side. Who knows it may be just that simple. "knock on wood"

Which direction is there play? Laterally through the engine (along the shaft) or what? Have you confirmed that you put all the washers inside the clutch in the right place?

I am taking the right side off this weekend. The play is up and down on the shifter. When the shifter is attached to the rod and tight i have 1/4 inch or so play up and down.

Isn't that little bit of play normal?  I think all mine have at least 1/8" play, maybe more.

So, the play is in the shift lever, not the clutch rod?

Is this in neutral, or in all gears? Have you checked your neutral detent spring?

All gears. Where is the neutral detent spring?

It's the 'bolt' on top of the engine just over the transmission shafts. It should only impact neutral however. The job of the spring is to push a ball bearing into an indent in the transmission. The spring is responsible for helping you to find and hold neutral.

I'm having a hard time trying to imagine what would cause this problem. Any chance you left something important out of the transmission? Possible you installed one of the retaining rings or pins incorrectly when re-assembling the engine?

The transmission is good. Cheked it about 5 times before reassembly. I think mabye the large main spring on the shig=fting rod may have slipped out place during reassembly.

Possible, or some other issue with the shift mechanism. Correct assembly procedure isn't super obvious, but it's kind of hard to put it together wrong without noticing.

I see they issue.the main spring on the shift mechanisms looks likeut has to go left or right of the small guide nub. I had it dead center. Gotta figure it out.

I am an idiot. I have attached two pics. #1 is the wrong way to attach the the main spring to the shifting mechanism.  #2 is the correct way. I put this up to help anyone to avoid my mistake.

[attachment deleted by admin]

Makes sense. Glad you didn't have to split the cases to fix it.