Brilliant video, thanks. What a lot of people don't know is that the ingenious semi-automatic clutch mechanism used by Honda for over 40 years was invented by Jawa. Honda acquired the licence in the mid-50's.
Perfect! I have a '76 Chaly that is awkward to shift. I'll start with this setup and go from there. Thank you. EDIT: I just slacked off the nut and the adjustment was already nearly fully clockwise, I don't think it was adjusted correctly. I'm going away for a week in the morning, so I can't test this 'til I get back, the suspense is going to drive me nuts! :)
I cant thank you enough ! I had the exact same problem on my Lifan 50 cc Honda clone. Fixed it 5 minutes ago and spared me a lot of hassle getting the bike to a workshop and probably pay 50 bucks. Thaaaaaaaaaank Youuuuuuuuuu !!!
This is a good idea for a video. The type of flywheel will tell you exactly what type of ignition you have. There are three types, early and late 6v points, and 12v CDI.
hey it ended up being tht the clutch was just a hair too big and was rubbing against the case, I just used a grinder and grinned it down just a little bit, NOW ITS ALL GOOD, THIS VIDEO WAS ALSO HELPFUL THANKYOU!!!!
Just like i said in the video. All the way clockwise, then back to when you feel the slightest resistance counter-clockwise, the back clockwise the tiniest amount, maybe 1/16 of a turn.
If the bike is slipping out of gear then you have a transmission problem. Chances are the shift star bolt is loose. This causes all sorts of wacky problems. Remove the right crankcase cover and tighten the screw. If the screw is tight or tightening it doesn't fix it, chances are you have a bent shift fork or worn pin. Now you get to split the cases.
I've worked on loads of these engines over the last 35 years. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a lawnmower either, as it allows you to kickstart and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches don't. Try one of the modern variator equipped scooters, their centrifugal clutch won't let you push-start.
@donyboy73 If that happens then the clutch is either improperly adjusted, or it needs new plates and springs. The reason it happens is the clutch is slipping and the compression of the engine stops it from cranking easily.
@TheAlexManVideos I ride an 09 Suzuki GSX-R600, previously had a 110cc semi-automatic. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a chainsaw either, as it allows you to kick-start and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches with modern variator equipped scooters won't let you push-start or directly control clutch engagement. However, this "semi-automatic" mini-bike has some sort of wet-plate clutch too! Wtf!
2004 CRF50 w/Tak 88 kit. Stock clutch. I have done this adjustment at least 2 dozen times trying to find the sweet spot. I can feel resistance in the adjuster screw before it's actually doing something to the plates meaning (feel resistance when I shouldn't). I can not get this dialed in. Doesn't matter what I do it's either loose or tight. I can not get that "fake manual clutch" function by holding the shift pedal no matter what I do. Shifting into 2nd is harsh and won't always shift into 3rd.
Hi alex i have a 110cc pitbike with the exact same sort of engine but when i change gear from first into second the clutch will take a second or two to fully engage again and i am losing a bit of speed and power so could you help me out ? Thanks
The clutch adjustment will only cure hard shifting or a slipping clutch. If the engine is bogging down then you have an engine problem, not a clutch problem.
@TheAlexManVideos thanks for a quick response! i just adjusted it and it still slips, it's a 1973 with the original clutch and all. thanks for your advice. do you have any suggestions where to get the parts? i'm in canada
To be honest, I don't think it would even make a noticeable difference. But if it did, you would want to adjust it warm because that's how the bike is most of the time that you are riding it and you want it to be adjusted correctly during that time. After all, it's only cold for the first two or three minutes you are riding.
Hi Alex. Thanks for your videos about these semi-automatic engines. My shift lever stucks when downshifting (if I push it down engaging the clutch) it jacks in the down position until I kick it up a bit. Any hint about what the issue might be?. Thanks once more
hola alex te felicito por tus videos , eres el mejor mecanico de dax que conozco , saludos desde chile sudamerica , alex hello congratulations on your videos, you're the best mechanic I know dax, greetings from chile south america
hi thanks for this nice video. i send my zongshen to a shop and now the clutch is engaging when i push the lever down immediately i did it like you showed on the video but it still engages immediately. i rotated the adjustment all the way on the anticlockwise till it have resistance without forcing it out. but still the same. can you help me in what might be the issue. thanks a lot for your videos.
All jacked up doesn't paint a clear picture in my mind of what is wrong. If you follow the instructions in this video and turn the adjusment screw in the correct direction, you should have no issue. If parts are out of place, you should remove the clutch cover and install the parts correctly.
The parts were out of place. I took the cover off and put them back together. I'm pretty sure I did it correctly but the ct70 I have is a Chinese import. I'm not sure what gear it was in when I put the pieces back together. Now when I shift it the lever takes a lot more force to up shift and when I adjust it it will randomly decide which gears it wants to go in and out of. Also it keeps poping back into nuetral.
thanks for the video im hsving issues where my z50 is hard to shift really hard so tomorro ill.oyl the side case and check tje clutch plates n the fork if possible any info?
Hi. I have a 50CC pit bike, 4 stroke, 4 semi-automatic gears. Yesterday the gears started not to get in. I tried to tune the clutch as you showed on the video, but it was already tuned, and made no diference on the gears. Can you help me? Do you have any idea of what it can be? Thank you.
i did the exact same as you did and now the gear shifter is a bit harder to move is this normal? also i had a problem where my gear shifter will go up n down but wont go into gear? i havnt tried it after this vid though
have a 70 cc engine on my honda atv,looks like this one,maches all ur repair videos. sometimes i hold the pedal just enough to release the clutch then i give her a bit of throttle and take off as it were a manual clutch. i don't know why i developed this habbit,but is it okay for the clutch to do this?
Does this fix hard shifting sometimes my shifter is hard to shift but the clutch still disengages , maybe I need to turn it counterclockwise a little ? Any help would be greatly appreciated
The shift pattern does not affect the performance of the clutch. Different years and models had different shift patterns. Your shift pattern is not affecting the clutch performance.
i have a 1981 ct70 everything works fine except the shifting, its really hard to shift through gears do you know the cause of this???? do i need to order new parts like a clutch kit or redo the transmission plz answer back id really appreciate it thanks.
I have a honda 70, 08 and i did it but its still hard as hell to get it into first gear and it still slips sometimes wat can i do besides this to fix it?
i have a problem with my 70cc when im in 2nd gear and i try to shift to 3rd but when i do the motorbike goes back into neautral and revs very high ...any suggestions?
hy i have a honda enduro xl185s 1981 and it turns on and trottle works changes gear but won go some body please reply i need to know what it is so i kan fix it
Does the engine has to be stopped during this procedure?? Reason I am asking is because I did the excact steps with no success. I have to keep turning the adjusting screw untill I find the point that will work and would be easier to do this with the engine start.
what if the center screw is out a lot, i cant screw it in. i mean, i can, but when it stops, its too much outwards. ive never seen that before, every engine ive seen, has the screw tip flush with the nut...
As I watched your video, I saw a difference between your and my bike - On your bike order of gears are:1. neutral 2. first gear 3. Second Gear 4. third gear, and mine is 1. first gear, 2. neutral, 3. Second Gear, 4. Third Gear. What do you think if that's what caused all my problems? Is this a sign that it is not well made gear? I recently bought the bike in this condition and with such gear order.
When I disengage the shift lever just after putting it in gear it should not want to go forward until I give it gas. Mine wants to go forward when its in gear. When I press the shift lever its in a neutral just like it should be. It will not idle in gear because the clutch wants it to go forward. It only wants to idle in neutral, or when the shift lever is pressed down or up. Does anyone know what this could be?
Not really. First of all the bike has about 2 HP so there isn't much wear on the clutch ever. Second it's on a polished concrete floor with wet tires so there isn't a lot of friction. Third I didn't really let the clutch slip, I just dumped it. And because of the first two reasons that's not really a problem.
I have a 2000 xr 70, there is a loud clicking in 1st gear, it still rides ok (just intensifies with acceleration ), so we ride in 2nd and 3rd only. do you have any ideas what the problem is? thanks
I had an issue just like that on one of my Z50's. It was either first or second gear. I let it run like that for the longest time but eventually I pulled the engine apart for another reason and found one tooth missing off one of the gears. Since I had it apart and I had a replacement part available, I replaced it. Unless it causes an issue for you I'd leave it alone.
Alex, I have a chinese copy of one of these engines, its a 90cc three speed with reverse. The problem I'm having is that when it's in gear the revolutions drop a lot and it wants to go forward. When in neutral, the revs are too high because if I turn down it's idle speed, it will shut off when in gear. It seems to shift fine. What could this problem be?
@TheAlexManVideos Hi. How the fuck does this bike's transmission work? Is it semi-automatic? WHen you pressed your foot down on the gear-lever, you opened the throttle, and the bike was not moving, so how's that possible? Is the gear-lever controlling the centrifugal clutch? Or does the bike have two clutches: one for the final drive (centrifugal), one for the gearbox (friction discs+plates).
@TheAlexManVideos I ride an 09 Suzuki GSX-R600, previously had a 110cc semi-automatic. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a chainsaw either, as it allows you to kick-start and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches with modern variator equipped scooters won't let you push-start or directly control clutch engagement. However, this "semi-automatic" mini-bike has some sort of wet-plate clutch too! Wtf!
Finally a correct clutch adjustment video. Hooray man
Brilliant video, thanks. What a lot of people don't know is that the ingenious semi-automatic clutch mechanism used by Honda for over 40 years was invented by Jawa. Honda acquired the licence in the mid-50's.
Perfect! I have a '76 Chaly that is awkward to shift. I'll start with this setup and go from there. Thank you. EDIT: I just slacked off the nut and the adjustment was already nearly fully clockwise, I don't think it was adjusted correctly. I'm going away for a week in the morning, so I can't test this 'til I get back, the suspense is going to drive me nuts! :)
Alex, thanks for your videos you have saved my 1970 CT 70 from an early death!
You are the man!
I cant thank you enough !
I had the exact same problem on my Lifan 50 cc Honda clone. Fixed it 5 minutes ago and spared me a lot of hassle getting the bike to a workshop and probably pay 50 bucks.
Thaaaaaaaaaank Youuuuuuuuuu !!!
Well, that took me just about 30 seconds to fix. Thanks!
This is a good idea for a video. The type of flywheel will tell you exactly what type of ignition you have. There are three types, early and late 6v points, and 12v CDI.
GR8 Vid.
I love the nature sounds. I could listen to those birds all day.
Thanks for the video...I did not realise that the clutch could not properly disengage... good tip.
Holy shit! This helped me big time! The fucking manual is confusing as shit, you just made it so much easier. Thank you.
hey it ended up being tht the clutch was just a hair too big and was rubbing against the case, I just used a grinder and grinned it down just a little bit, NOW ITS ALL GOOD, THIS VIDEO WAS ALSO HELPFUL THANKYOU!!!!
Just like i said in the video. All the way clockwise, then back to when you feel the slightest resistance counter-clockwise, the back clockwise the tiniest amount, maybe 1/16 of a turn.
Thank you for this vid! The service manual didn't help me out one bit.
Also lit a fire to get my z50 restoration project going!
Ahhhh now I remember, 40yrs ago or so 🤔 thanks for the vid!
My dad and I were doing the major service. Replacing all fuel lines and coolant hoses. Also new timing belts. Radiator was re-cored.
Thanks for posting this video. It helped when adjusting my CT110.
If the bike is slipping out of gear then you have a transmission problem. Chances are the shift star bolt is loose. This causes all sorts of wacky problems. Remove the right crankcase cover and tighten the screw. If the screw is tight or tightening it doesn't fix it, chances are you have a bent shift fork or worn pin. Now you get to split the cases.
thank you so much i thought i needed a new clutch, it was way hard to shift and it was knocking into gears but its fixed now :)
I've worked on loads of these engines over the last 35 years. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a lawnmower either, as it allows you to kickstart and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches don't. Try one of the modern variator equipped scooters, their centrifugal clutch won't let you push-start.
@donyboy73 If that happens then the clutch is either improperly adjusted, or it needs new plates and springs. The reason it happens is the clutch is slipping and the compression of the engine stops it from cranking easily.
AWESOME just made my postie ride so much better! Thanks!
Thanks, Just adjusted mine based on that. Save my money.
Sick little bike! i never heard one or saw one running
@TheAlexManVideos I ride an 09 Suzuki GSX-R600, previously had a 110cc semi-automatic. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a chainsaw either, as it allows you to kick-start and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches with modern variator equipped scooters won't let you push-start or directly control clutch engagement. However, this "semi-automatic" mini-bike has some sort of wet-plate clutch too! Wtf!
It worked!! Thanks dude!
2004 CRF50 w/Tak 88 kit. Stock clutch. I have done this adjustment at least 2 dozen times trying to find the sweet spot. I can feel resistance in the adjuster screw before it's actually doing something to the plates meaning (feel resistance when I shouldn't). I can not get this dialed in. Doesn't matter what I do it's either loose or tight. I can not get that "fake manual clutch" function by holding the shift pedal no matter what I do. Shifting into 2nd is harsh and won't always shift into 3rd.
DJFireUSA Something might be messed up inside the case there by where you adjust the bold
Have tried this on a some sort of Chinese clone, haven't started it yet but if this works I'm gonna be in your debt man.
Hi alex i have a 110cc pitbike with the exact same sort of engine but when i change gear from first into second the clutch will take a second or two to fully engage again and i am losing a bit of speed and power so could you help me out ? Thanks
The clutch adjustment will only cure hard shifting or a slipping clutch. If the engine is bogging down then you have an engine problem, not a clutch problem.
Thanks! This was a big help.
Thank you, always woundered waht the heck that thing was for oh and nice car!
thank you very much... i can adjust the clutch now. do you have an idea how the clutch mechanism looks like or a video? thnx
The most I ever spent on a Z50 was $350. It came with an 88 kit, spare motor, a big box of spare parts.
@TheAlexManVideos thanks for a quick response! i just adjusted it and it still slips, it's a 1973 with the original clutch and all. thanks for your advice. do you have any suggestions where to get the parts? i'm in canada
To be honest, I don't think it would even make a noticeable difference. But if it did, you would want to adjust it warm because that's how the bike is most of the time that you are riding it and you want it to be adjusted correctly during that time. After all, it's only cold for the first two or three minutes you are riding.
thanks i have honda dax and this helped me alot :D
Hey do you know if that will work for a 110atc? Its got the same adjustment screw and all. Thanks..
have you ever had your engine not turn when you crank it over even after adjusting the screw?
Hi Alex. Thanks for your videos about these semi-automatic engines. My shift lever stucks when downshifting (if I push it down engaging the clutch) it jacks in the down position until I kick it up a bit. Any hint about what the issue might be?. Thanks once more
hola alex te felicito por tus videos , eres el mejor mecanico de dax que conozco , saludos desde chile sudamerica ,
alex hello congratulations on your videos, you're the best mechanic I know dax, greetings from chile south america
hi thanks for this nice video. i send my zongshen to a shop and now the clutch is engaging when i push the lever down immediately i did it like you showed on the video but it still engages immediately. i rotated the adjustment all the way on the anticlockwise till it have resistance without forcing it out. but still the same. can you help me in what might be the issue.
thanks a lot for your videos.
Thank you, always woundered waht the heck that thing was for
is this bike SEMI-AUTOMATIC? as in you manually change the gears with the gear selector, but use no manual clutch?
I back it off all the way and now it is all jacked up!! Do I just need to crack the case and re-position some things? Please help!!
All jacked up doesn't paint a clear picture in my mind of what is wrong. If you follow the instructions in this video and turn the adjusment screw in the correct direction, you should have no issue. If parts are out of place, you should remove the clutch cover and install the parts correctly.
The parts were out of place. I took the cover off and put them back together. I'm pretty sure I did it correctly but the ct70 I have is a Chinese import. I'm not sure what gear it was in when I put the pieces back together. Now when I shift it the lever takes a lot more force to up shift and when I adjust it it will randomly decide which gears it wants to go in and out of. Also it keeps poping back into nuetral.
Yeah. Adjust the free play at the lever until there is about 1/8 inch of free play.
thanks for the video im hsving issues where my z50 is hard to shift really hard so tomorro ill.oyl the side case and check tje clutch plates n the fork if possible
any info?
Hi.
I have a 50CC pit bike, 4 stroke, 4 semi-automatic gears.
Yesterday the gears started not to get in.
I tried to tune the clutch as you showed on the video, but it was already tuned, and made no diference on the gears.
Can you help me?
Do you have any idea of what it can be?
Thank you.
Ty so much!
i did the exact same as you did and now the gear shifter is a bit harder to move is this normal? also i had a problem where my gear shifter will go up n down but wont go into gear? i havnt tried it after this vid though
Nice video, My clutch i think is hitting on my case bc its constantly making a clicking noise, could that even be possible?
have a 70 cc engine on my honda atv,looks like this one,maches all ur repair videos. sometimes i hold the pedal just enough to release the clutch then i give her a bit of throttle and take off as it were a manual clutch. i don't know why i developed this habbit,but is it okay for the clutch to do this?
Does this fix hard shifting sometimes my shifter is hard to shift but the clutch still disengages , maybe I need to turn it counterclockwise a little ? Any help would be greatly appreciated
nice vid, keep em up
The shift pattern does not affect the performance of the clutch. Different years and models had different shift patterns. Your shift pattern is not affecting the clutch performance.
1:40 all you need to know. Thanks Alex
Great video - works perfectly!
Im siked to get mine today at 12:00, im getting a great deal for 75$!!! its a mint bike
i have a 1981 ct70 everything works fine except the shifting, its really hard to shift through gears do you know the cause of this???? do i need to order new parts like a clutch kit or redo the transmission plz answer back id really appreciate it thanks.
I have a honda 70, 08 and i did it but its still hard as hell to get it into first gear and it still slips sometimes wat can i do besides this to fix it?
how much did you buy the z50 for i ride a honda cr85 but i think it would be cool to have a few hondas in the garage!
i have a problem with my 70cc when im in 2nd gear and i try to shift to 3rd but when i do the motorbike goes back into neautral and revs very high ...any suggestions?
hy i have a honda enduro xl185s 1981 and it turns on and trottle works changes gear but won go some body please reply i need to know what it is so i kan fix it
I ment to leave my clutch adjustment comment on this video lol 2nd gear bogs down and i didnt feel any tension when turning the screw
Does the engine has to be stopped during this procedure??
Reason I am asking is because I did the excact steps with no success. I have to keep turning the adjusting screw untill I find the point that will work and would be easier to do this with the engine start.
This procedure should work with the engine off unless there are damaged/worn parts or the clutch linkage was assembled incorrectly.
do you have a 4speed transmision in there?
because my z50 from 1987 has n123
and you have 1n234?richt?
what if the center screw is out a lot, i cant screw it in. i mean, i can, but when it stops, its too much outwards.
ive never seen that before, every engine ive seen, has the screw tip flush with the nut...
Thank You!
As I watched your video, I saw a difference between your and my bike - On your bike order of gears are:1. neutral 2. first gear 3. Second Gear 4. third gear, and mine is 1. first gear, 2. neutral, 3. Second Gear, 4. Third Gear. What do you think if that's what caused all my problems? Is this a sign that it is not well made gear? I recently bought the bike in this condition and with such gear order.
Apeiron doo it’s just a different shifting pattern.. there’s nothing wrong with your.. this engine is a US Honda 50 engine
When I disengage the shift lever just after putting it in gear it should not want to go forward until I give it gas. Mine wants to go forward when its in gear. When I press the shift lever its in a neutral just like it should be. It will not idle in gear because the clutch wants it to go forward. It only wants to idle in neutral, or when the shift lever is pressed down or up. Does anyone know what this could be?
Adjust it when warm then it should only be a problem when it's cold.
Thank You
Do you adjust the clutch in neutral or in gear?
I'm leaking oil from the adjuster nut. on crf70 2005. why? how do I fix?
what wrong do i do, when i can´t get the second gear in?
oh okay,just bought one with a 140 cc engine in it but im getting the stock engine back cuz 140 just spoils it
should the bike be in neutral or does it matter.
I did this and it didn't work and when I start it now oil leaks out where I adjusted it and it still goes when I push shifter down please help??
Not really. First of all the bike has about 2 HP so there isn't much wear on the clutch ever. Second it's on a polished concrete floor with wet tires so there isn't a lot of friction. Third I didn't really let the clutch slip, I just dumped it. And because of the first two reasons that's not really a problem.
I have a 2000 xr 70, there is a loud clicking in 1st gear, it still rides ok (just intensifies with acceleration ), so we ride in 2nd and 3rd only. do you have any ideas what the problem is? thanks
I had an issue just like that on one of my Z50's. It was either first or second gear. I let it run like that for the longest time but eventually I pulled the engine apart for another reason and found one tooth missing off one of the gears. Since I had it apart and I had a replacement part available, I replaced it. Unless it causes an issue for you I'd leave it alone.
Alex, I have a chinese copy of one of these engines, its a 90cc three speed with reverse. The problem I'm having is that when it's in gear the revolutions drop a lot and it wants to go forward. When in neutral, the revs are too high because if I turn down it's idle speed, it will shut off when in gear. It seems to shift fine. What could this problem be?
awesome ! 5/5
Im new to bikes and basically it feels like 2nd grabs then slips out so i thought it may be the clutch but like i said im new to this lol
Sweet
out of my personal experience, try playing with the throttle a bit while u shift.
@TheAlexManVideos Hi. How the fuck does this bike's transmission work? Is it semi-automatic? WHen you pressed your foot down on the gear-lever, you opened the throttle, and the bike was not moving, so how's that possible? Is the gear-lever controlling the centrifugal clutch? Or does the bike have two clutches: one for the final drive (centrifugal), one for the gearbox (friction discs+plates).
okay thanks! i know im a noob at honda 4-stroke engines
is that a old ferrari 308 gt
@vic485 OH NO WAIT. I saw its semi-auto. nevermind.
your chain tension looks a bit low.
It makes no difference. I don't know why you'd ask. I always do it in neutral just because...
Nope. I've never worked on a QA50. Honestly, I've never even seen one in person.
My 1st minibike was a QA50
wanna sell the 140?
I honestly do not know.
How The fuck do you expect us to pay attention to what you're doing with a Ferrari in the back ground?
Birds suck...
You didn't even turn it clockwise but a 1/2 a turn then you went counter clockwise a bunch.
@TheAlexManVideos I ride an 09 Suzuki GSX-R600, previously had a 110cc semi-automatic. I still can't figure out exactly how that clutch works. It's very clever and not just a centrifugal mechanism like a chainsaw either, as it allows you to kick-start and to push-start the bike. Normal centrifugal clutches with modern variator equipped scooters won't let you push-start or directly control clutch engagement. However, this "semi-automatic" mini-bike has some sort of wet-plate clutch too! Wtf!
Thank you
I'm leaking oil from the adjuster nut. on crf70 2005. why? how do I fix?
Replace the o-Ring behind the washer and nut