Second gear repair cost?

[vailm11]

I was wondering if anybody could give me the price that they paid to get a slipping second gear fixed?  I know that cost is minimal to do it myself, but I'm looking to get a bike that I can ride sooner rather than later, and with the amount I work I'm afraid it would take quite some time to do the repair myself.

[andyb]

Last time I heard of it being done it was in the $1500 range from a dealer.  Lead times this time of year are frequently long, too.

It's almost all labor.   

[keand3]

Wow what a price difference!
I did at some point investigate prices for fixing the 2nd on my bike and i've got prices from $1500 (without parts) to $3000 (with parts). I was supprised of the cost, but as says a lot is just labour.
This prices are in norway so comparing them directly might bee missleading. But its not cheap.

Ken

[FJmonkey]

Randy at RPM (www.rpmracingca.com) can give you prices, less expensive if you send the motor to him.

[Mark Olson]

I was wondering if anybody could give me the price that they paid to get a slipping second gear fixed?  I know that cost is minimal to do it myself, but I'm looking to get a bike that I can ride sooner rather than later, and with the amount I work I'm afraid it would take quite some time to do the repair myself.

It all depends on what they find in there after teardown.
I have quotes from experts of 1500 and up , backyard hacks 500 and a six pack.
If you are mechanically inclined doing it your self is best.
a great deal on a fj with a bad second gear is sometimes not as it seems.
pass on the sale and find one that runs good.
the 2nd gear problem was cured on the 89 and later models.
the early models are in two category's , they have a second gear problem or they will have a second gear problem soon.

[vailm11]

I was wondering if anybody could give me the price that they paid to get a slipping second gear fixed?  I know that cost is minimal to do it myself, but I'm looking to get a bike that I can ride sooner rather than later, and with the amount I work I'm afraid it would take quite some time to do the repair myself.

It all depends on what they find in there after teardown.
I have quotes from experts of 1500 and up , backyard hacks 500 and a six pack.
If you are mechanically inclined doing it your self is best.
a great deal on a fj with a bad second gear is sometimes not as it seems.
pass on the sale and find one that runs good.
the 2nd gear problem was cured on the 89 and later models.
the early models are in two category's , they have a second gear problem or they will have a second gear problem soon.

Well, judging by these responses I'll be fixing it myself if that's the route I take.  Odd that you say the '89 and later on models are fixed though, I am supposed to go check out a '92 that the owner said it has minor slippage issues.

[racerrad8]

Clutch slip or jumping out of second gear?

Are you sure you need the second gear repaired? If it jumps out of second gear it is a harsh jumping out of gear that feels like something is jumping around causing the bike to jerk violently on acceleration.

If the clutch is slipping then it is a smooth slippage and the engine just revs higher and the drive speed stays the same.

Randy - RPM

[vailm11]

Oh sorry, I meant popping out of gear.  The owner says he very nearly skips second, but I doubt it's nearly as horrendous as the one I rode yesterday, couldn't touch the throttle in second without going right back to neutral. 

[racerrad8]

Well, on the line of cost, that really is an unknown until you get the engine torn down.

There are people who try and fix the transmission by building it themselves and still not getting it correct.

There are those who replace the transmission with a good functioning used trans but do not address the other issues like the shift forks, rollers and cams.

Even with all of my experience I do not do transmission work, I send them off to a transmission shop for under cutting and rebuilding. That way I get a great product and do not have to worry about it. I also have them undercut all of the gears on that shaft so 1st, 2nd & 3rd are done.

Then you need to upgrade to the late model shift forks, I recommend the shift cam ball bearing roller as well.

There are other things that will have to be address while in the engine such as gaskets, seals & o-rings, pick-up screen, clutch and if there is anything else in there that needs to be looked at.

I see $700.00 worth of parts pretty easily and then there is the labor. It is going to depend on if the engine is in or out of the bike and the list then grows from there.

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Randy - RPM

[ken65]

just for interest sake ,what was done to the 89 and up models to stop the 2nd gear issue of earlier models, thanks

ken

[Dan Filetti]

In 1998, I had second gear done by a local mechanic, in Denver, for a mere $600.  He did not undercut, nor did he replace the shift forks (that I know of).  He showed me the gears he replaced and I was shocked at how little damage had caused the issue.  FWIW, I put another 12K miles on her without any issues before she burned to the ground, never to be ridden again.

I was likely lucky though, if I had it to do over again I absolutely would have the gears undercut and the shift forks replaced whiles I was there, simply because of what I have read here.

Last point, this is not a job I would likely do myself either.  I might get talked into it, but, to Randy's point, it seems potentially fraught with having to do expensive and time-consuming re-work.

Dan 

[Mark Olson]

just for interest sake ,what was done to the 89 and up models to stop the 2nd gear issue of earlier models, thanks

ken

stronger shift forks on the 89 and later models.

if you drag race it , you will lose second gear unless it is undercut no matter what year the fj.

so the general theme is once you get in the tranny do it right and undercut the gears and change the shift forks.

I for one, have been babying my second gear shifts for years knowing someday I will have to do my trans.

[ken65]

good, thanks for that mark,

ken

[andyb]

just for interest sake ,what was done to the 89 and up models to stop the 2nd gear issue of earlier models, thanks

ken

stronger shift forks on the 89 and later models.

if you drag race it , you will lose second gear unless it is undercut no matter what year the fj.

How many shift fork designs were there?  My 90 had a smaller, shorter design than the more recent superceeded/updated part did, but there was well over 100 dragstrip runs and second never had any trouble.  Had it cut while the trans was out as a matter of course, but that was a preventative thing rather than a repair.

[Mark Olson]

but you are an expert racer, and don't miss second when you shift.

as for the forks I thought there was only two kinds.