Hello, I would appreciate any advice on my beloved XT660Z.


3rd gear feels just like neutral. It happened all of a sudden, accelerating up through the gears and 3rd wasn�t there, with the engine revving like it had slipped into neutral. All the other gears feel normal, there is no clunckiness to the gears, no strange noises when in 3rd.



The bike has 26k miles, and is a 2009. I have read on the site that 2009 versions are prone to gearbox issues, but can�t find an issue similar to this one. Maybe it is a problem with the gear selector mechanism rather than the gears themselves(?)


I have some mechanical knowledge, but have never taken a gearbox apart :-/. My current plan of action is:


1. 1. Drain the oil and remove the clutch to take a look if there are any metal bits inside, like with some of the other �09 gearbox issues.
2. 2. Start the process of removing the engine so I can either open the crankcase up or hand it to a specialist.



Can anyone suggest what the problem may be? Could it be solved without removing the engine from the frame?


Thanks, Mike