Hi I'd like to ask you folk some advice as I know you know what you're talking about.

A few days ago the gears on my FZ600s started to feel (for want of a better word) "crunchy" - then, about 14 miles away from anywhere the oil-light came on and the clutched just ceased to function. I was in a no-signal area for my mobile so had to get back. (I cant tell you how freaked I was having to go that far with an oil-light on and no way of changing gears).

Manage to get the bike back home, got some more oil, topped it up.

Switching the ignition on; lots of oil sprayed out the bottom but it was hard to determine where.

Got a mate round and we took various bits of the bike apart and switched on the ignition till we found the source.

We removed the front sproket cover and located the culprit. I hope I'm using the right terminology here as I am going from a Haynes manual - It looks as though the "Pushrod" is missing from near the front sprocket and oil is just pumping out of the hole. (the manual also refers to this as the "Clutch Pushrod").

My concern:

Does anyone know if this "Pushrod" is part of a larger mechanism or can it be purchased and simply replaced? Also, if I put this into a garage - as I fear I might have to - Is this going to be way more expensive than it looks?

Any advice / help would be appreciated.

Thanks Guys n Gals

PS I can try to get a photo up if nobody knows what the heck I'm going on about

I would be very worried about what further damage you may have done riding it with no oil. I was always under the impression that usually by the time an oil pressure light comes on the engine is usually already f*cked.

I would reckon it would need at least to be stripped and inspected before being run again, otherwise it may go catastrophically

Yeah mate, I am.

I freaked when the oil light came on a previous bike for 30 seconds as I was pulling to a stop before.... you can imagine my anxiety with this one :S

I'm just having one of those years so far - if something's gonna go wrong, it is - twice.

This dumbass cold weather is not helping either.

Any thoughts on that Pushrod? Being un-techy on the bike front, I'm not too sure on it.

I know the thundercat has a similar system from working on a mates but I didnt pull the rod out to find out what it was like, some of the thundercat owners might be able to offer insight though.

Thing is there is presumably a mechanism over the pushrod, on the cat it was like a wheel on a spiral axle that as you pulled the clutch wire it turned the wheel forcing the pushrod in. was that machanism gone or still there? if still there how did the pushrod end up past it?

Otherwise I guess its possible the clutch itself went and the pushrod went in rather than coming out.

Unf the haynes manual is less than helpful in that regard - if there is a mechanism of any sort over it, it doesnt picture it - the picture litterally shows it "sticking out" of the engine, but then again thats a picture with the front sprocket cover off.... looking at the cover itself I cant see anything that the pushrod actually connects TO, but I cant rule out that anything it might have connected too might also be missing.

I'll have to attack someone else's fazer and look under the cover, lol.

You're thought about the pushrod goin in rather than falling out also makes sense... I'll see if I can have a look.

Cheers Finn.

I believe it is possible to purchase a push rod - cos when they thought mine was bent, my mech said "Don't worry, we can scavenge another one" but mine turned out to be ok anyway.

Good luck, sounds nasty

Thanks Faz - I might be getting the (shudders in panic) 'Train' to work for the rest of the month If I cant sort this...

Mmhh..

The pushrod is missing?
The pushrod is long and goes from one side of the engine to the other.. If it's missing, he might have fell into the gearbox???
Cant see that happening though, unless it snaped somewhere? But if it snapped and went in the gearbox, then I would imagine the damage is quite big…

I believe the engine is very similar to the thundercat and to get to the gear box you can turn the engine upside down and go through the sump..
This would allow you to look at the gearbox, but to actually change stuff there… it's a complete engine strip and you have to split the casing and that means taking pistons, etc, the lot out…

I'm at work now so don't have any pics here, but once I get home I'll dig out the pics I took when I opened my thundercat engine and will show what I mean..

Oooo errr, sounds like your clutch operating mech has fallen to bits.

This pic is of an FZR600 gearbox but your's should be very similar



The pushrod #14 goes through the centre of the gear shaft. It's operated by a big 'worm' screw #16 - #19 that is bolted to the inside of the sprocket cover #1 and adjusted by removing the rubber bung #2

When you pull the lever in the cable pulls on #16 and this pushes against the pushrod to open the plates up.


The pushrod is shown 'broken' in this pic but it's one piece in real life. Pushrods sometimes get damaged by a loose or broken chin bashing against them. If this is the case with ours most of it will probably still be inside the shaft and the broken off piece has dropped out somewhere.

You might be able to get the remaining bit out by leaning the bike over to the left. If not you'll have to take the clutch cover off and remove the pressure plate #6 and pull out cap #9 which has an 'o' ring #10 on it. #15 is a ball bearing that just spins between the cap and the pushrod to prevent wear - don't lose it

Yams I think have an oil level light rather than an oil pressure warning. In this case you might be lucky and find there's no damage inside.