Dumb newbie RZ250 flywheel question

[fred99999au]

Hi All. Finally found the time to have a look at the spares bike I bought, so I took the flywheel cover off and started to get the spanners onto the countershaft sprocket nut and the flywheel nut only to find that I could only select about 3 out of 6 gears despite turning the crank while operating it, and that the clutch is rooted. I found out this last bit after I got it into the highest gear I could and had a 17mm combo spanner on the flywheel nut, while a block of wood was through the rear wheel and the swingarm. The combo spanner turned but the wheel didn't.

Now to the newbie question and apologies if this is in the wrong area, but is the thread on the flywheel left hand or right hand? My guess is left hand or counter clockwise to tighten. The clutch slipped both ways, so my next question is how do I stop the crank from spinning while I undo this nut without destroying anything. I had a thought about a sort of over-centre oil filter wrench around the flywheel, but don't know if this is appropriate?

Anyone with a manual that might point this out as well?

Oh, and for the newbie bit, I bought my first RZ 250 in 1986, so maybe that was a bit of a red herring. Had YZ400, RM250, DT250, and I still have some manky old Suzuki twin road bike, about 175cc from memory in the back shed. Had many 2 strokes over the years, and done stuff to most of them (including porting the DT250 to where it would only start with a push to about 15KMH, but bugger me, it went hard then, it just would idle. Exhaust ports too hight)

Cheers

Fred.

[D.J]

I use aluminium flat bar wedged between the drive pinion and clutch hub if they are really tight.

dj

[McGoo]

Not sure if it would work for you, but I have seen people use old or spare metal clutch plates welded to a piece of bar or tube, which is then slipped over the clutch basket to hold it in place. Perhaps with the addition of a rattle gun it might work?