[Jrsharp72]

New member here i appreciate any and all help i may receive here, thanks in advance I just purchased a 1994 timberwolf 250. All plastics in excellent shape, no tears or wear in seat, no rust on frame, pretty exceptional condition for its age. Got it for $800.00. My question is why does it only have 3 gears? Aren't these supposed to be a 5 speed? The gears change perfectly. No problems with them but after 3rd gear that's it.

 

[Mech]

Yeah it should be five speed.
It may have a problem in the side case where the shifter mechanism is, or it may have blown a gear deeper inside.

You could drain the oil and remove the sieve if it has one looking for metal chunks or flakes, or you could pull the side case off and check for linkage problems. I don't think there is any way to tell what it is without pulling it to bits at least a little.

What happens when you try for forth gear ? Does the lever lock up, move as normal with a bit of spring pressure against it, of move completely freely as though there's nothing moving inside ?

 

[Jrsharp72]

It just stops after 3rd, same as if it was all the way to 5th. No noise, spring, grind nothing just stops.

 

[Mech]

If it was in fifth and you tried to upshift, the lever would be solid.. right ?

I'm not familiar with yamaha.. Do you have the model code, or YMF, YFB.. something like that.. or the full frame number..

 

[Mech]

And by "stops" do you mean the lever doesn't move ? It feels like it's up against something solid ?

 

[Jrsharp72]

YFB250 I have the vin # from frame. And yes when I try to go into 4th gear, it won't go. 3rd as far as it will go. The lever will move just won't go into 3rd gear.

 

[Mech]

Ok.. Back to draining the oil looking for metal flakes or chunks then.. That's the easiest first thing to do.

 

[Jrsharp72]

Ok I'll check that first

 

[Jrsharp72]

might have figured it out. Think someone may have messed with with the clutch adjustment screw. Because it will actually go into 4th and 5th now when the RPM's are high. It has to be reved up pretty high to be able to engage into 4th gear.

 

[Mech]

Haha.. Ok.. Glad you found that without pulling anything apart then..

Most bikes are like that to change gears, you need to give them a little throttle just before you change up, then as your toe is lifting the shift lever you throttle off sharply for a fraction of second to take the load off the gears..

 

[Jrsharp72]

Thanks for your help Mech. Much appreciated.

 

[Mech]

No trouble.. Glad it didn't end up me having sent you off on a wild goose chase.. That wouldn't have been so helpful.

 

[Jrsharp72]

But I did notice too when it's not running if you try and shift up, it will still only go to 3rd.

 

[Mech]

That's pretty normal unless you rock the bike back and forwards.

The two parts that lock together to engage the gears have to rotate to line up and slip together. Sometimes it takes a few turns of one shaft before they align.

Once they are engaged they get a load on them and it makes sliding them apart again hard as well.. This is probaby the trouble you were having when riding.. It's important to use the throttle to take the load off the gears as we change up or down. Changing up we give it a little throttle just before the change to have the bike surging slightly, then as we lift the lever we close the throttle for a fraction of a second. Changing down the loading up on the gears is not so serious but we do need to get the lower gear up to speed so it slips into mesh nicely. Changing down we normally already have the throttle shut or nearly shut, so just as we press the shift lever we give the throttle a bit of a blip.. the higher the revs the bigger blip we need to give it.