Red: Dodged a Cannonball

The bigger problem on the shakedown was that second gear was absolutely nowhere to be found.  Not even a hint of the gears engaging.

I'd take almost any problem over needing to split the case again, so this one was worrying.

Used the display engine to walk through how the gears and shifter should be working (the display engine actually doing it's critical job!)

Realized the big test would be to see if the drum would spin once freed from the spindle.  If so, then great because maybe the problem wasn't the tranny.  If not, very very bad since something internal was locked up.

Went down and once more pulled the clutch.  This is where the previous day's work paid off as I pretty much had the whole process down pat.

Pulled both clutch and primary off and set the rear wheel so I could spin it.  Found exactly what I'd felt on the bike, which was that it just didn't even come close to engaging second gear. 

But then the big test: with the spindle removed, the drum turned freely!

So that left something about the spindle being off.  I brought the display engine down and pulled the spindle from it.  Visually comparing them, I couldn't really see any different.  Except maybe for the weld marks on the "bad" one!?

I swapped the display one in and presto!  Suddenly she's shifting like a champ.  Still not exactly sure what was wrong/different about the old one.

But job done and hopefully this means the last of the Four Great Worries is resolved.  Unfortunately, can't really know until we get her back on the road, which won't be until we sort the piston problem.

But certainly counts as a very lucky break.