Dreaded SH__46 Error

[FJRPittsburgh]

Excellent story. It sounds like the changes you've made in your life are starting to pay off. Glad to hear you're back on the road again. Maybe run a little Techron through that tank also. Nice to see you posting again.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'd love to, but if you've seen the news...Texas is reversing five years of drought in five weeks. We are finished saying "Well, we really needed the rain." Roads are flooded all over the place, rivers cresting and closing roads, and non-stop rain. I'll get some miles in soon though, looks like starting tomorrow we have our first dry week in I don't know how long. And nice weather too...and work owing me a comp day or two.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Forgot to mention. Clutch plates I pulled out looked very similar to the ones Jakob put in. I pulled out my shiny new micrometer I bought just for this and the plates were within spec. Who knows?

What I do know is...we have at least 5 days of dry weather. I updated my registration and this evening it was 73F and sunny. I don't look nearly as happy as I am. And yes, it's darn dirty. It'll get a proper cleaning this week.

 

[FJRBandit]

I'm only resurrecting this thread because I followed the link that a newbie, PatMitchell, was provided that asked "what is the SH-46" code? and I landed here. Like Jasen, I had been mostly absent from the forum for a couple of years. In and out on occasion but I lost track of a lot of you peeps. I hated to read the troubles and turmoil Jasen went through. I hope you are now back on solid ground and I presume you are still riding the '07AE.

Although Jasen's bike was getting the SH_46 code, the conclusion seemed to be that the problem may or may not have been clutch related. But The answer to the new guy's question is in this thread. SH_46 is indeed the the shift error code AND you ARE going to need a new clutch, sooner rather than later. I think mactrophy and others clarified that, but it was somewhat buried in and among Jasen's various posts with his diagnostics of his specific problem.

I had the SH-46 Shift error code about four years ago that started around 35K and gradually got worse over the next 10K, to the point I just about couldn't even ride in 5th gear. I had bitched to my dealer a couple of times in the interim and nothing was ever done. Until one day, with wifey on pillion, returning home from the GA mnts., raging down GA 400 in five or six packed lanes running 70+ when all of the sudden 5th gear had no pull and SH_46 popped up, with me in the far left lane, thin strip of pavement between white line and jersey wall. OH SH*T! I managed to work it over and get out of the danger, but it was a BAD scene. After limping the bike back 150 miles to Birmingham I dropped it off the next day at my local dealer and gave them a damn earful about how they almost got both me and my wife killed by not replacing the clutch that I had been telling them for six months was going out. Well, there was no question is was going out now. It was repaired under my Y.E.S. warranty. I just passed the 100K mark and I have recently begun to feel the occasional chatter in cold, first gear, heavy load starts, which is exactly how it started the first time. I imagine I'll begin feeling some slippage in the next 5K. Then the first SH_46 code will pop and I'll install a clutch. Since Jasen's six year old son did his, I am obliged to do my own now.

AND, because she's not covered under the Y.E.S. any longer...

Long story short, SH_46 = new clutch sooner rather than later. I recommend sooner so that you don't find yourself in a very dangerous situation like I did four years ago. Good luck!

Oh, and BTW, I hope you have since washed that dirty azz bike Jasen!

 

[PatMitchell]

Thanks for the reply. I replaced the clutch plates and pressure plates last year. The reason I replaced the clutch plates last year is because I was getting error code 21, because when I would start off riding it would clank in first gear starting off. It worked fine for a while.I cant image I would have to replace the clutch plates every 1500 miles. I also replaced the gear position sensor and set the voltage output to 0.81 volts. I replaced the gear position sensor because I broke it last year testing it with an ohm meter (dont ask)

Im going to try and move the voltage on the gear position sensor to .086 and if i get the Sh-46 error will lower it to 0.76 volts.

 

[FJRBandit]

See, that's why I NEVER peruse the Technical/Mechanical section of the forum. I don't know WTH I'm talking about. I don't even know what an OH meter is!

Seriously, from the limited info I had I jumped to the conclusion it was your clutch plates based on the SH_46 code. My bad. No way should it be the plates themselves if you just replaced them 1,500 miles ago, unless you've been spending ALOT of time at the drag strip!

But I tell you this, you are in the right place for help with your problem. These guys know what they're talking about (just not me) and if there is an answer you'll either find it on this forum or someone on here will be able to help you identify the problem and get it solved. You even have several locals in the PNW area that can go hands on with you. Just ask, I'm certain they'll be glad to help. Good luck!

 

[Oakdave]

I have an '07 AE with just over 191,000 miles on her. Several months ago I started experiencing the SH_46 error intermittently (only in 4th or 5th gear accelerating at high speed). The error code started to occur more frequently over time. A few weeks ago, I replaced the clutch friction plates and pressure plates, and the error code has not occurred since (and my riding style is the same as it was when the code kept popping up). So, this confirms what several others have already said: SH_46 may be an indication that your clutch plates are too worn. Mine definitely were, by the way (worn down pretty good, with one of the friction plates down to almost no clutch material at all).

 

[Diablo1]

I have a 2006 AE that I bought a year ago with 38,000 miles. Now it has 49,000 miles and the SH_46 code popped up on the dash when I put my wife on the back and hit the highway. Pulled into a gas station, locked in 5th gear, and stalled the engine. Shut off the ignition and cleared the code, and rode the bike back home. Noticed the clutch slipping in 5th gear whenever I gave it some throttle. So, I ordered a set of Yamaha friction plates. Soaked them overnight in Rotella T6 5W/40, and installed them today. Even though I followed the service manual, the clutch is slipping even worse than with the old plates. It’s slipping in 2nd, 3rd now under acceleration. The old plates came out fairly dry, and each measured within tolerance for thickness.

My theory is that the cause of the slipping is the Rotella T6. I’ve been using the Rotella oil in the bike for the last 7,000 miles. I just changed the oil to Castrol GTX 20W-50 and will remove the clutch friction plates and steel plates, and give them a good soak in gasoline to clean them. Then I’ll soak them in the Castrol oil, and reinstall them.

The reason I believe it’s the Rotella T6 that’s the problem is because the new friction discs were soaked overnight in that oil, and the old friction discs were fairly dry coming out. And the slipping got much worse. The steel plates looked good with no signs of blueing. I’ll post the results of the experiment later this week.

 

[Diablo1]

I was wrong about the Rotella oil. I cleaned the friction discs with brake cleaner, oiled them with Castrol 20W-50, sanded the steel plates with 220 grit paper, and put it back together. It was a little better, but still slipped under acceleration in 5th gear. Next thing is to replace the diaphragm spring and steel plates.

 

[Diablo1]

I replaced the diaphragm spring and steel plates, soaked the friction plates in Castrol GTX 20W-50. So it’s a completely new clutch, friction plates, steel plates and spring. Went for a test ride and the clutch still slips badly and throws the error code SH_46. At this point, I haven’t got a clue what’s going on.

Any advice from the experts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Diablo1]

Service manual troubleshooting guide for slipping clutch mentions a defective clutch release cylinder. I also got a SH-26 code which means excess clutch motor current when main switch is turned on.  I’m thinking the release cylinder is seizing up. I’ll order a new one.

 

[Diablo1]

Installed the new slave cylinder and it took me 3 hours to bleed it. The Mityvac was useless, wouldn’t pull any fluid. Activating the master cylinder with the key on, then off helped. I was getting SH_26 code during the bleeding, and had me worried that the clutch activator motor was bad. By removing the slave, turning on the key, opening the bleeder valve, and pushing in the piston by hand, close the bleeder, turn off the key, and it would draw fluid from the reservoir. Then repeat until no more bubbles. Then I mounted the slave on the engine, turned the key on, and no more SH_26 code. Went for a test ride and it was perfect. No slipping at all, and clutch engagement rpm in 1st gear was normal 2,000 rpm. Whoever worked on the bike before me, put the clutch judder spring in backwards. It works noticeably better when you assemble the parts the right way.

 

[Bugnatr]

Installed the new slave cylinder and it took me 3 hours to bleed it. The Mityvac was useless, wouldn’t pull any fluid. Activating the master cylinder with the key on, then off helped. I was getting SH_26 code during the bleeding, and had me worried that the clutch activator motor was bad. By removing the slave, turning on the key, opening the bleeder valve, and pushing in the piston by hand, close the bleeder, turn off the key, and it would draw fluid from the reservoir. Then repeat until no more bubbles. Then I mounted the slave on the engine, turned the key on, and no more SH_26 code. Went for a test ride and it was perfect. No slipping at all, and clutch engagement rpm in 1st gear was normal 2,000 rpm. Whoever worked on the bike before me, put the clutch judder spring in backwards. It works noticeably better when you assemble the parts the right way.

NICE!  

 

[Diablo1]

Yesterday I took the bike on a 180 mile trip, multiple starts and stops, local traffic as well as highways. Everything was perfect. This morning I tried to start the bike up for another ride. No good. Alternating error codes SH_26 and SH_44. Multiple attempts turning the key off and on did nothing. SH_44 means the clutch actuator sensor signal is abnormal. When the key was turned on, I couldn’t hear the clutch actuator clunking. So, I decided to remove the slave cylinder and bleed it again. With the slave removed, the first time I turned on the key, the clutch actuator worked and moved the slave piston. No more SH_44 code, only the SF_26 code remained. Bled the slave manually by pushing in the piston, using the same procedure as above. Emptied and filled the reservoir twice, even though I wasn’t seeing any bubbles come out the bleed screw. Mounted the slave on the engine, turned the key on, and no more SH_26 code. Turned the key off and on 3 times and no codes appeared. Took the bike for a local ride and the clutch operated normally. I’ll park the bike overnight and see if the shift error codes reappear. At this point, I have no faith in the bike that it won’t leave me stranded. The only thing that I may try is Yamaha’s method of slave bleeding. If Yamaha wants you to remove the swing arm, and use the bolt on the back of the engine to operate the clutch 30 times, there must be a good reason.

 

[Diablo1]

After reading through the service manual some more, it seems that Yamaha’s fix for the SH_44 code is to replace the clutch actuator because the actuator sensor is defective. If that’s right, then I’d have to spend $1800 for the actuator + who knows how many hours to install it. If I keep getting shift codes, I may have to get rid of it and cut my losses. If it were a horse, I’d have to shoot it.

 

[Brodie]

Diablo1

E-Bay is your friend here. I purchased one for $200 a couple of months ago. Granted it had over 70k miles on it, chances are good it wasn’t throwing any codes. 
 

Worth a shot. 
 

Brodie

 

[Diablo1]

Diablo1

E-Bay is your friend here. I purchased one for $200 a couple of months ago. Granted it had over 70k miles on it, chances are good it wasn’t throwing any codes. 
 

Worth a shot. 
 

Brodie

Thanks Brodie for the suggestion. I wonder though if the clutch actuator is the Achilles heel of the bike. Do they typically fail before 100,000 miles, or in my case before 50,000 miles? Any AE bikes get to high mileage without reliability issues?

 

[Diablo1]

Over the last couple of days, I’ve been riding the FJR on longer trips to test the reliability of the clutch operation. It’s done about 450 miles without issues, and no more shift error codes. Just trying to build confidence that it won’t leave me stranded. I pack a few tools in the saddle bag so that I can bleed the clutch slave in an emergency if necessary.

 

[Diablo1]

Lots of riding over the last year, and no issues at all with the clutch or throwing any codes. So, the clutch actuator is fine, and the only problem I had a year ago was a sticking clutch slave cylinder and getting the New slave properly bled without removing the swing arm.

 

[Diablo1]

A mileage update. The bike now has 81,000 miles and no codes thrown and clutch is fine. When I go for a ride, I no longer worry about getting stranded.

 

[RossKean]

A mileage update. The bike now has 81,000 miles and no codes thrown and clutch is fine. When I go for a ride, I no longer worry about getting stranded.

Great news. As much as it is a PITA on an AE bike, make sure the clutch circuit gets flushed/bled every couple of years (along with the brakes).