Going into gear CLUNK

[wakdady]

I bought my FJ with a faulty clutch master cylinder so I never go to ride it.
Once i rebuilt the MC and was able to put it into gear WHILE it was on the rear stand.
it went CLUUUUNK! not the usual clunk you get, but a very violent nasty clunk. even with a little grind to boot.

this is only when going into 1st. 1st to 2nd was fine.

What could be causing this? is it because it hasnt been run in so long? or something internal that i should try and fix before i put it all back together.

I didnt get a chance to ride it because the carbs need work and it would only idle.

[andyb]

How long had it sat before you tried this?  Did it do it when you tried again?

Got my guesses, but honestly you may as well ride the thing some.  Good odds that it'll clear up with some seat time, alternately it won't and you'll be tearing things to bits and replacing stuff.  If it's broken now, it'll be broken then, but at least you'll have had a chance to ride a bit

[Dan Filetti]

This may well be normal behavior for a bike that has sit for a while.  The clutch plates, from what I've read, can stick together if they've been sitting for a while.  Some folks will tell you to try and put the bike in gear, with the clutch out, and roll it back and forth a time or two to break the disks apart a bit before trying to start it.  This is especially necessary if the bike has been sitting for a while. 

As a data point, My Ninja 250 needs this or it will jump a foot or so (that'll scare you if you're not ready) when I first put it in gear, after it's been sitting. It's fine after that. If I do the above, then I do not get this bahavoir.  It's no FJ (to say the least) but this may well be the same problem.

If this does not do it/ or it happens every time, actually either way, check you clutch slave for seepage/ peeling paint around the slave -a sure sign that it's leaking or at least, has once leaked, and been fixed.  It's a VERY common issue with FJ's.  A leaky slave too can cause this behavoir.

Let us know.

Dan

[Arnie]

What Dan said.

My Norton (the avatar one) had sticky clutch plates and would KlunK when you first put it in gear each day.  However, after sitting all winter in Detroit without being ridden, I had to get a tow from a car for several blocks to get them to free up.

Cheers,
Arnie