AMC Gearbox - kickstart slipping

[Pharisee]

When out to start the bike yesterday (basically a G3/LS but a mixture of years) and found to my annoyance that the kick start ratchet pawl was slipping under load. The gearbox is an AMC item from around 1960, no M24539. Looking at an exploded diagram, it's obvious that the gearbox inner cover has to come off. I've never taken one of these apart before so I'm hoping to get a little advice from those of you that have.
I'm assuming at the moment that the pawl or the gear that it mates with has worn or perhaps the plunger spring has broken or shortened (likely?). Will I be able to get to the relevant parts with the gearbox in situ or would I be advised to take the gearbox out first?
Any other helpful advice would be much appreciated.
John

[Braaap]

Easy to take it apart in situ.
Remove the foot peg and exhaust if needed... remove the cover screws.
Leave the gear lever attached.
Leave the kick start lever on the spline and hold it slightly rotated (anticlockwise as u remove the cover).

Then ur looking at all the bits.

Mind the loose pieces which are part of the gear change assembly.

[Mick D]

Hi

I'd do it in situ - on a bike lift to save my back.

Slacken the primary and secondary chains, try to avoid the selector fork spindle coming away with the inner cover and all should be fine.

Hopefully it's just a worn pawl

Regards Mick

[1608]

Am I missing something here, I thought that the outer cover only needed removing on an AMC box for k/starter pawl access etc.

[Pharisee]

Am I missing something here, I thought that the outer cover only needed removing on an AMC box for k/starter pawl access etc.

Regrettably not, I'm afraid. The pawl on the kick starter shaft acts on the internal ratchet in the layshaft first gear and runs through a bush in the inner cover. It can only be accessed once the inner cover is removed.

[Duncan]

Are you absolutely sure it is the pawl and not the clutch slipping?

[Pharisee]

Are you absolutely sure it is the pawl and not the clutch slipping?

Yes... absolutely!!

[JEAN-NOEL]

Hello,
I think that the fix could be made in situ. No problem for me to extract the inner cover. With a gear in (top) the nut at the end of the primary shaft is easy to undo. No problem for the intermediate shaft. On mine, the primary shaft slides easily in its ball bearing.
Cheers
J.N.

[Pharisee]

Hello,
I think that the fix could be made in situ. No problem for me to extract the inner cover. With a gear in (top) the nut at the end of the primary shaft is easy to undo. No problem for the intermediate shaft. On mine, the primary shaft slides easily in its ball bearing.
Cheers
J.N.

Thanks for the info, Jean-Noel. I have all the bits I think I'll need - a new pawl, plunger, and spring and the two gaskets. I have also bought a new clutch release mechanism locking ring and a new mainshaft nut, just in case they are needed. It's time that is the factor now. I'm in the middle of moving house and my garage and workshop have to be cleared so it's unlikely that I'll be doing any work on any of my bikes until I have everything sorted at my new home in rural Lincolnshire. Realistically, that means next year, now. The good news is that I still have my AJS M18 to ride as well as my two Triumphs so all is not lost.
John

[Dixter]

John, this technical article may be helpful.

http://www.oldbritts.com/gearbox_d.html

Ciao, DC