250ex won't shift into neutral

[mmossler]

Went through a mud hole and stalled it out. Upon trying to shift into to neutral to restart it wouldn't go in. It will shift up 2 gears but seems to stop in first. I have had no problems shifting and today I rode for an hour with out any problems, just happened no warning. Had to push it 3/4 miles back home through the mud. 350lbs my a** it felt like I was pushing a truck.:eek2: :eek2: I never adjusted the clutch....
1) Any ideas what it might be?
2) Any way to defeat the neutral start, start in any gear would have been great today.
:cool:


Guy with a raptor stopped to help(I thought he did). When I told I need a tow, I have a tow strap, he laughed and wheeled away
:mad: I hate craptors:grr:

[maxamillion]

mine has done that a few times also. i just stand up on the shifter and shake the quad side to side and every which way and it eventually goes into neutral.

[250EXpwns]

Your transmision or gear box may have water in it. Try shaking it side to side while pushing down on the shifter like that guy said. That's the only thing I can think of.

[xc400ex]

What kind of motor oil are you running? Oil can make a big difference in shifting sometimes..I recomend switching to Mobil 1 15w 50 synthetic red cap.

[Diedrich]

yeah i would try out some new oils..yeah just jump on it..kick it..throw chit on it..it should go into to it eventually

[mmossler]

I have already tried shaking it and rolling back and forth. It still will not shift down into neutral. Any other possibly more technical advice?

me 2 i don no what it is but ill get stuck in mud and it will stall and it gets towed out then i jus keep down shifting and cant find neutral i jus keep trying to down shift an putting the key on to see if its in neutral and i eventually find it and like they said it helps if u rock it foward and down shift if it stalls on ya and it sucks cause i don think there is a way to start it in gear

sry to post again but it also helps down shifting if u hold in the rear brake lever and down shift.

[mmossler]

Yeah done that too. I adjusted the travel for the shifter, at least
I think I did. I loosened the nut on the front of the case and turned the threaed screw. I tried it all the way in & out still nothing. Also in that same area i took off a plate that covers the the cable for reverse. I can squeeze the the engagement and it will shift thru 4 gears and feels like it is going into reverse.. But still no light for neutral or reverse and starter will not engage.

[exrider123]

Did you check to see if your Negative battery cable snapped, this happend to me twice. You never know.

[mmossler]

well it turns out it was the positive connection at the battery. It was completely off. I guess it makes sense, noe that I think about it. A minute or two before it happened i had to back up and the reverse light was flickering. I thought it was just water that had got on a connection. It must have been loose or already disconnected. Or maybe when I hit the last mud hole it came off.

Anyway it is shifting better than ever now with adjusting the the threaded nut thing in front.

THANKS for all the help.