16646.1
On a short ride today my 2000 Drifter 23000 miles made a horrible screech followed by grinding at which point I shut her down and inspected for damage on side of road, chain was very loose and bike would not go into neutral. Started back up and limped back home and let her cool. I removed inspection cover over front sprocket after observing oil leaking from location (approx. 1 tablespoon or less). After cleaning sprocket and chain I can move the sprocket and shaft about 1/4 -1/2 inch front to back and chain appears very loose. Any suggestions, this is my down and dirty drifter and I would like to fix her myself, I have a 2001 in showroom shape that sleeps next to my runner.
This does not sound good. I have never been inside this part of the engine so I am of no help really but someone soon will come along and have an answer for you.
"I can move the sprocket and shaft about 1/4 -1/2 inch front to back"
By this do you mean the countershaft (the shaft on which the front drive sprocket is mounted) has more than 1/4" of play side-to-side? If so, that's pretty catastrophic. Probably at the very least you've got a bad bearing on the countershaft, but the event you described where it locked everything up perhaps caused some major damage to your gearbox internally (possibly even the motor cases). Bottom line: You've got to split the cases and check out everything inside. Not good news, I know, but it's probably near the mark. :o (This is all predicated on the notion that your countershaft has so much excessive play). Let us know what you learn.
any update on this?