[NvMeIamMatt]

Hello everyone,

For starters I have a 1975 CB360, and I can start up the bike just fine but when I shift it into gear the bike doesn't go anywhere. I hear the clicks when I put the bike in gear. An odd thing is with the clutch all the way out the bike doesn't stall. I have no clue how to approach this so all and any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[doode]

Have you inspected your clutch?
Can you roll it when it's in gear?

 

[Yendor]

Sounds like your clutch is adjusted so tight it's disengaged.

 

[spirograph]

Seconding Yendor - it's a 5 minute job to readjust it anyway, but if you don't wanna pop the left rear cover, put it on the center stand and put it in first, and with the power off, give it a kick with the kickstarter while it's in first. If the back wheel gets anything less than a good spin, your clutch is adjusted too tight to engage. There's a great sticky in the 350/360 engine discussion on how to adjust it (thanks to Sprint66).

 

[mike in idaho]

What does kicking it in gear have to do with the clutch? The kickstarter turns the transmission shaft which turns the engine by rotating the clutch and primary gears. Putting it into gear before you kick it doesn't tell you anything about the clutch.

 

[spirograph]

On the 360, the kicker links to the transmission - if he leaves the bike in first and the clutch fully engaged, kicking the bike should spin the back wheel hard, like he's gassing it in first. If the clutch adjustment is tight enough (like we suspect) that the clutch isn't engaging, the back wheel will barely spin if at all. Honestly if it's as loose as we suspect, he can probably kick it in 1st with the back wheel on the ground and the clutch won't be engaged enough to scoot him (though for the sake of the bike, I'm not advising that ).

Just another way to check, far from the final word.

EDIT: For context, this came to my mind first because of my vacuum leaking difficulties yesterday - I spent all day yesterday kicking mine to start after it pooped out again and again, and wound up tired enough that I forgot to shift it into neutral when kicking on the side stand and nearly launched it off of it

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

When I kicked the bike in first my back tire did spin hard, I had done some online research and found that maybe this can be an oil issue? I used the 10w40 Mobil 1 synthetic oil and I was reading that if its not the right kind of oil it can cause the gears to slip.

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

Yes, I can roll it while it's in gear. I also adjusted my clutch a little bit as well and still have the same results.

 

[spirograph]

You can look at the back of the hug - you definitely need to be using JASO-MA rated oil for wet clutches. If that's standard Autozone car 10w40, it probably isn't rated. If you're looking to go synthetic, a number of people on here, myself included, have great success with Rotella T6.

 

[doode]

While on the centerstand, can you spin the rear wheel while in gear, or is there too much resistance?
Do you have slack/ free play in the clutch lever cable, before you feel it releasing the clutch when you pull the lever?

 

[phil71]

You said the kick starter moved the back wheel. Can you actually start the bike using the kick starter? If you can't, your clutch is way out of adjustment, or the lifter is damaged in some way

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

Yes, on the center stand I can move the rear wheel while in gear. And I've adjusted the clutch following the sticky in this forum

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

I've tried to find Rotella T6 oil 10w40 but I've only been able to find 5w40. Is this the correct one?

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

I have not tried to start my bike with the kick starter in a few days. Later tonight when I get home I'll give this a try. If it doesn't start with it what are some things I can do to fix it?

 

[spirograph]

I've heard rumblings that T6 in weights besides 5w-40 exist, but that's all I've ever seen (I honestly thought that T6 referred specifically 5w-40, but you learn something new every day!). Otherwise, if you've got a motorcycle-specific shop around, pretty much all the oil they'll have will be JASO-MA rated - that said, I know my local auto store has one or two varieties of motorcycle-specific 10w40 just to tick the box, and that should work too.

Some other conversation about T6 in the CB360 here: http://www.hondatwins.net/forums/48-engine-discussion/82018-rotella-question.html

EDIT: Lost this as I was rewriting, but I use the 5w40 in mine, and while she's got plenty of issues, oiling and clutch engagement are excellent

 

[spirograph]

If it starts with the starter, I'd be surprised if it didn't start with the kicker (barring something broken in the kicker itself rather than the engine). We can cross that bridge when we come to it.

It's interesting that you can move the rear wheel even with it in gear. With the clutch engaged and it in gear, you shouldn't be able to do that (because it'd mean that you're turning the engine (which would take as much effort as you put into kick starting it)). That suggests to me that we're going in the right direction with the clutch adjustment and slippage - I would say that getting JASO-MA rated oil in there is step one. Rotella's not terribly expensive - I'd get two jugs and flush one just to wash the clutch plates.

When you pulled the side cover, did you verify that the pushrod is facing the right direction? (e.g., the scooped/concave end facing the left of the bike? The ball bearing needs to fit into that little scoop.) Have you inspected the clutch plates themselves? Other options are that the clutch plates are shot or that your springs are somehow too weak - replacing the clutch springs with beefier ones is a common operation on here too.

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

I looked up the oil I put into it and it is in fact JASO-MA rated here's a link to the oil: https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-4t-motorcycle-oil and I'm not sure about the pushrod or clutch plates or the springs. I'm still very new to having a motorcycle and I'll have to ask one of my buddies to help me out with that

 

[spirograph]

Aha! Didn't realize it was the 4T - that's one possibility ruled out.

They're both pretty easy to check - if you pop the back left engine cover off (should be 4 JIS screws (they look like Philips heads but are slightly different pitch - careful or you'll strip them)), the pushrod is the little round bar that's sticking out of the engine. Just make sure the end you can see dips inward, as if a ball were going to be seated in it. For the clutch, slightly more involved but if you're mechanically inclined you won't have any trouble at all - there are a number of electronic copies of the 360 manual, or I can PM you the sheets from my manual that have the clutch access and inspection procedures, just lemme know.

 

[NvMeIamMatt]

I didn't get to take a look at my bike yesterday after work, but I will today. I'll check on everything you mentioned. What exactly should I be looking for with the clutch plate, and springs? Like any damage to them or being warn out? and I was able to find an electronic copy of the manual so I have that ready to go!

 

[phil71]

Spirograph, a working elec start doesn't mean the kicker will work. The elec start acts directly on the crankshaft, the kicker turns the clutch, clutch turns crankshaft. If the kicker is limp, I really think you've got the clutch adjust way off. either that or all the springs fell out of the clutch, and that's just impossible.