Craig Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 On my way to work this morning on my 2004 Ballabio I downshifted into first and the shifter stuck full down. I mean STUCK. I could not budge the shifter. I assumed it was the broken return spring issue i have read about. I decided to not attempt a roadside repair and waited for a tow truck. While sitting on the side of the road staring at the bike I noticed that the transmission fluid appeared low, the site glass was clear, which was strange because I know that I specifically checked it a month ago and there has been nothing on the ground. Anyway, by the time the tow truck arrived back at my house with the bike on the back, the transmission shifted normally. Clearly there was not a broken spring involved, last I checked springs don't spontaneously heal! In reading the spring failure description more closely it looks like when they go the shifter will move, but the transmission won't shift. I added about about a cup of fluid to get it back in the center of the site glass, so the trans was low, but not dry, and I felt and heard nothing strange from the transmission that would make me think I was running the gears dry. So, here are my questions: 1. Are the 2004 models subject to the spring flaw? If so, I will preemptively change out the springs. 2. Could running the gearbox 25% low explain this problem? 3. Think I did any permanent damage to the box? I coasted to a stop and shut down within 20 seconds of the problem occurring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 If it were me I would drain the trans in a clean container and check the drain plug magnet, look at the old fluid and plug for metal. I think a cup low is a lot, need to find out where it went. May not be a problem at all, Have you taken apart and cleaned the shift linkage? Maybe its been a cup low from the last change if no leaks have been detected. I would clean the linkage and refill the trans and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 If it were me I would drain the trans in a clean container and check the drain plug magnet, look at the old fluid and plug for metal. I think a cup low is a lot, need to find out where it went. May not be a problem at all, Have you taken apart and cleaned the shift linkage? Maybe its been a cup low from the last change if no leaks have been detected. I would clean the linkage and refill the trans and see how it goes. Linkage was spotless. I rebuilt it a few months ago when I replaced the shift lever with a billet unit from Harper's (tripped coming out of my garage and dropped the bike resulting in a broken shift lever , occupational hazard of being really short ) I think a drain and fill is prudent. I refilled it just to get an idea of how low it really was since it was below the site glass. Do you know if the 2004s suffer the spring failure commonly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I don't know what years the spring is a issue, I changed my 2000 at 20,000 mi. It never broke. From what you say something got hot and expanded causing it to seize when you downshifted then when it cooled all was fine. May not be a problem at all, check the fluid and the plug refill I would not worry to much about it till I drained and checked, It may all just be a one time thing and no problem exists. These bikes are a bit funny and sometimes do what they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grossohc Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I have a 2004 bike, changed the spring at 20000 miles ish!!!!. Nothing wrong with the original but i was beginning to get paranoid. (original is now a good spare). There has certainly been 2004 bikes had the spring go but dont know if it is common. The gearbox is just splash lubricated. So how big is the cup!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp838 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 The problem wasn't with the spring but with pawl arm boss being the wrong diameter which would cause the springs to break, just fyi. If you're going to bother changing the springs, what you really should do is check the pawl arm boss to make sure it is the correct diameter, and replace that. 2004 bikes should all have the corrected pawl arm part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 This used to happen on my last V11, an 02 Rosso Mandello, the lever would stick in the down position usually when coming to a halt, if I let out the clutch gently it would return up, never knew what caused it, as it only happened a few times it never bothered me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 R&Rd the trans fluid, didn't see anything concerning. I did realize why I thought the fluid was low. When I checked last, I had the bike up on a service stand so it was vertical. When I refilled it today (on the stand) I put it to the middle of the site glass then took it off the stand. I was surprised to find that the fluid went low out-of-sight with the bike on the side stand. Where is the right level? I will default with centered in the site glass while on the side stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Bike vertical. Fluid centered or above. Using a volume refill, mine covers the glass completely. What are you using for fluid? EDIT: pawl spring failures appear most common in 2002 (that could mean 2001-2003 worldwide), but later years have reported it as well. This looks like something else - (pawl spring failures, the lever goes limp). Interesting that this is an aftermarket lever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Bike vertical. Fluid centered or above. Using a volume refill, mine covers the glass completely. What are you using for fluid? EDIT: pawl spring failures appear most common in 2002 (that could mean 2001-2003 worldwide), but later years have reported it as well. This looks like something else - (pawl spring failures, the lever goes limp). Interesting that this is an aftermarket lever? So MG assumes you will have a stand to check the level? Strange, but I can see it. Castrol Synthetic Gear 75W90 this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Or its a 2 person job, one to hold the bike up and level, and one to check the level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 So, I rode in to work today without incident. I will chalk this up to the MG gremlins. The Trans was not low on fluid, I was checking it incorrectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 No need to send my assistant by after all, then? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 No need to send my assistant by after all, then? Let's not be hasty. I am certain I could use some help with something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pilgrim Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I had this problem a while back and sorted it by slight adjustment of the height of the lever! I found the lever got stuck down as it hit the 'pork chop' this seems to have worked for me so far but ill keep ye all posted if that changes. Bike is '02 V11 Sport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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