Positive Neutral Finder

For all your mechanical queries, or for sharing your mechanical know-how. Also used for arguing about which oil to use...
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ZR468
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Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 13:51
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Positive Neutral Finder

Post by ZR468 »

I have owned 2 other Kawasakis before the current ZR750. All have PNF. May be it is my shifting, but I often shift unintentionally into neutrual instead of second while taking off from first gear. It seems like the bikes lock me out of second. Of course when it happens, I just pull in the clutch again and shift once more to get it into 2nd. It is annoying and sometimes dangerous. I have no issues in shifting between all other gears.
I searched other Kawasaki sites. There are lots of discussions on different shifting issues with PNF. None are simliar to mine.
Anyone here has suggestions to cure my issue? Will changing to a different oil make the shifting more predictable?
Thanks, Kenny
Freddy
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Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by Freddy »

I don't have any problems with mine, so don't think it's the design as such.

The PNF is a pretty simply mechanism, just 3 small steel balls that stop the gear sliding when its not spinning. It's just relies on centrifugal force from rotation to throw the 3 balls outward to allow the gear to then slide.

So could a heavy oil prevent them from moving outward, suppose so. Only one way to find out. What grade oil do you run, and how often do you change it?
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ZR468
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Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by ZR468 »

I have had this issue with all my Kawasakis. I thought it was just me not shifting firm enough. But I don't have that problem with my Honda hence the puzzle. Now that you mentioned about oil change, Freddy, I do notice that I don't have this shifting issue when I have new oil in the engine.
I am kind of embarrassed to say I don't know what kind of oil I use. I just take it to the repair shop and say give me an oil change, use the standard stuff. I am capable of doing my own oil change, but it is tough to dispose the dirty oil around here. I do an oil change once a year on the Kawy, about 5k to 8k.
Kenny
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Richard
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Location: Zeewolde NL
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Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by Richard »

Is your Honda using the same oil?
Your outside temperature is a lot lower then where Freddy lives obviously. I personally don't have the issue using half synthetic 10W40SG.
Freddy
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Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by Freddy »

I also use a semi synthetic 10W-50. It's primarily car oil that is JASO certified so suitable for wet clutch motorcycles. They just about double the price as soon as they stick basically the same stuff in a bottle with a picture of a motorcycle on it.

I change my oil every 5,000 kilometers. Oil only at 5, oil and filter every 10.

To dispose of the old oil, I keep the empty bottles and pour the used oil back into them, and put them in the garbage bin for the weekly collection. So yes it ends up in the land fill. When you see what else end up in the landfill, I don't have a problem with that. My 5 liters of engine oil spread among 1000 tones of stinking toxic garbage aren't the problem.

P.S. On a serious note, I worked for a while for a company that had a landfill division. Modern correctly engineered landfills in the developed world don't 'leak'. They are generally constructed in solid rock e.g. old quarries, lined with clay and geofabric, and have systems to capture and recirculate any leachate that makes its way to the bottom. They are well engineered sealed systems, that are closely monitored. Even the methane is captured and used to generate electricity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leachate
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ZR468
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Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by ZR468 »

Richard wrote:Is your Honda using the same oil?
Your outside temperature is a lot lower then where Freddy lives obviously. I personally don't have the issue using half synthetic 10W40SG.
Richard, I guess my Honda is using the standard stuff oil. It is serviced at the same shop. It remember the Honda had semi synthetic when it was serviced by the dealer. Now not sure. 10W40 is what the shops display on their shelves around here.
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ZR468
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Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 13:51
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by ZR468 »

May be I'll try the semi- synthetic in the Kawasaki next oil change which is coming up soon.
Garbage and recycling are big issues here. Almost everything you buy from TV to tires have a environmental tax attached to it. The tax is supposed to offset the cost of disposal, but it is really a users fee. Then there is a road tax when you buy gas ( petro). The roads never improve, the government just keep puting in more bicycle lanes. Now they are talking about congestion tax. On and on.
So looking forwarto ride on a country back road to get away from the city. Spring is coming soon.
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Richard
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Re: Positive Neutral Finder

Post by Richard »

Can't wait until spring myself, temperature is freezing over here but from 1st of March I can ride my bike again, have a special tax arrangement on the bike not allowing me to ride it from Dec up to end of Feb.

We do have road tax, petrol tax and disposal tax. And if you bring your garbage like oil you have to pay another fee :(
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