998 shifter locked up

acruhl · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 01:05 AM

I'm in the middle of a 2 day track day, the first time I've had the 998 at the track was today. I've got a set of Ducati Performance rearsets with the shift pattern set to street, although I'm not sure that's relevant.

It's not upshifting very well, so I suspect some kind of problem but I'm not sure what.

Anyway, while rolling through the pits after coming off the track, I downshifted and managed to get the shifter stuck down, it was in something like 2nd gear. It was locked solid, it wasn't moving no matter what I did.

So I bit the bullet and took off the left side engine cover and noticed that the shift fork had a part on it which was wedged against one of the dowels on the shift drum. I popped it free with a screwdriver and put it back together and it worked again.

What happened? Do I need to change the shift fork or something, maybe it's bent? Has anyone had this happen before?

huit · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 11:24 AM

Sometimes one of the springs breaks, on the shifter arm! Did you see anybits floating around?
Paul

acruhl · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 12:08 PM

No, I don't think so, it works just like it's supposed to. But if I take it apart again I'll look for that.

And I said shift fork, I mean selector fork, the one that rolls the shift drum.

acruhl · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2008, 06:17 PM

In case anyone wants to know, this is what happened:

See how the lower part of the selector fork is wedged against that dowel on the shift drum? That should never happen.

What I found out the 2nd time I had the case cover off was the bolt that allows for adjustment of the range of the selector fork was loose. There is a special Ducati tool that you put on the shift drum to line up with that mark on the selector fork, but I don't have one so I eyeballed it. It was way off when compared to the picture in service manual, I'm sure I have it a lot closer now.

**Ducshop** · #5 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 03:29 PM

Without the tool you just align the knotch on the upper arm to the center of the pin while in neutral.

acruhl · #6 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 05:48 PM

Thanks Mark

Too late though, I already sealed it back up. I guess next time I have it apart, if I ever have it apart, I'll check it.

I suppose at some point it would be nice to put on a light flywheel...