Ok..So i have read all the issues about the ES and the shift angle sensor etc. I am stuck in 1st gear and getting 2 long and 2 short blinks (22) which states SHIFT ANGLE sensor of course. The problem outside of that is that i can not manually shift out of first with the emergency tool. I can hold the front brake in and start it no problem and i can drive it no problem in first, it just will not shift at all. I used to get a noise at the shift motor when pushing the up/down button, but now i get nothing. I have a 2 month old battery and put a full charge to it and still nothing. I have removed and cleaned the shift motor and still nothing. I pulled the electrical connector and tested it with a multi meter and it shows 4.2 volts when pressing the up/down buttons and 4.0 when you release them. Anyways, i know it's like two problems in one but outside of pulling the crankcase cover and looking at the gear shift linkage does anyone have any other suggestions first with the info i have provided. Please help. Thank you.

 

If you can't change with the emergency lever you have a mechanical fault. Take the motor off again and check if you can then change gear manually. If you can, the motor is seized. If you can't it could be the motor gearbox but is more likely to be the mechanism inside the case. I haven't had any "inside" faults with a 420 but have had plenty with 350s and 450s so expect similar problems, star wheel loose, pawl, or lever for pawl cracked etc.

 

It's not that big of a deal to pull the side case off and have a look.

 

Do i need to pull the front case off to look or the side? Everything i have read says to pull the front crank case off to see the gears. To do that, that means pulling left drive shaft and main shaft just to do so and i don't have all the tools necessary right now to pull all that off. Just sucks that i bought a dogged out Honda. The previous owners didnt maintain it all. I found mud layers from stuff i havent touched yet underneath the engine guard. NASTY....

 

Selector problems rarely have anything to do with the gears themselves. Most are with the selector mechanism in the clutch case, these are accessible once you take the clutch cover off, you may need to remove the clutches to get at some parts.

 

I would still have to take the front crank case cover off to expose the clutch though, correct?

 

Yes, the front cover has to come off, sit the machine on it's backside, remove front wheels and footwell plastics, not sure if the diff has to be moved forwards (upwards) and front propshaft removed, or not. A washer that fits on the selector shaft has a habit of sticking to the case and dropping off as you remove the case so watch out for it.

 

I've seen a few videos on the easiest way to remove the final draft shaft into the motor and it looks like just a few bolts to remove that allow the front differential to move and allow you to pull out the final drive. I will be going on vacation tomorrow so i wont get to it until August, but i will definitley wrtite all my findings etc. once i am complete. Thank you to all who have offered their help and assistance.

 

Took the front crankcase cover apart and found a bolt on the inside blocking the motion of the emergency shifter linkage. Once I moved the bolt I was able to shift into neutral. The only problem is can't figure out where the bolt goes. All internal components have boltsome already and everything seems like it's bolted up properly.

 

Do you have an picture of the bolt you can share with us