08 GS SM5 stuck in gear, code P0730 - easy to replace sensor?

[PrivatePilot]

Hey all - I'm helping a friend with his 2008. Incidentally, it's the 54'th Spyder ever off the BRP line with the special stickers on the handlebar and VIN number to prove it.

Anyhow, he had some codes so brought over my BUDS to scan and see what was going on.

Codes turned out to be DPS related (that's another story) but when we put it into gear to move it around in the garage it refused to go back into neutral afterwards. Dash has alternating fast flashing N and R indicators. Will shift through 2-5 normally but will not go into 1st or neutral. If you pull the reverse lever and push down again it will go into reverse (but indicates neutral) just fine but no difference in shifting back up into neutral again, it just goes into what it thinks is second.

Code is P0730 which reads in buds as "Gear position sensor in invalid range".

Doing some googling it seems like the gear position sensor may be shot. I'm finding mixed info online about how easy (or not) this sensor is to replace, and if it's also (hopefully) at fault for the machine refusing to go into neutral as well, which seems likely from what I've gathered.

The spyder also has two DPS codes, P0551 and P0552 and the DPS is completely dead. Another gremlin to chase, hopefully not a completely dead DPS unit. (Yes, the recall was verified completed).

Any insight appreciated!

[jcg4u2000]

I had mine do the same thing so I shut it off and restarted it and it goes directy into nuetral and has been fine since

[PrivatePilot]

No such luck here, started, stopped, restarted, cleared codes, rocked it back and forth, even took it for a 10-15 minute ride, problem persisted.

[Freddy]

The GP sensor failure on the early trikes was not uncommon. I have an SM5 and had to replace it early on. The drive pulley must be removed to R&R the sensor. Re-torque the pulley bolt to 115ft lb and ideally get a new bolt.

AS for the DPS, good luck with that.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...PS-2009-GS-SE5

[PrivatePilot]

The GP sensor failure on the early trikes was not uncommon. I have an SM5 and had to replace it early on. The drive pulley must be removed to R&R the sensor. Re-torque the pulley bolt to 115ft lb and ideally get a new bolt.

Thanks for the info.

What the labor like getting the front pulley off? I went down a little rabbit hole reading some old posts here about the issues with this pulley coming off on it's own on the early year GS's so it might be prudent to check mine as well.

When it went bad on you did you have the same symptoms?

[Freddy]

......
When it went bad on you did you have the same symptoms?

Yes, it displayed erratically. When it showed R while riding forward the trike went into limp mode until I went down a gear and back to 5th to get it to display anything but R.

Leave the wheel on ground to loosen bolt with a helper applying the brakes. Raise trike and remove lower shock mounting bolt while tyre is just touching the floor, then raise trike some more so that belt gets slack enuff to slip off rear pulley. Reverse procedure for assembly.

The early trikes were the first to have pulley failures and BRP produced a SB to increase the bolt torque, which was subsequently increased to 110-115ft lb and a X was to be marked on the bolt head to show it had be re-torqued.

[PrivatePilot]

But did it outright refuse to go into neutral?

Just trying to narrow down that this isn't actually an internal transmission issue vs just the sensor.

And are we talking a 1 hour job with just some basic tupperware removal to get to the front pulley/sensor and re-and-re, or are we talking a whole day project with in depth disassembly?

Thanks again.

[Freddy]

As mine is SM5 finding neutral was a non-issue - but I don't recall what the displayed showed, only that didn't like R when going forward.

It's not a huge job to replace the GP sensor - allow 4 hours. Minimal plastic to be removed.

[PrivatePilot]

As mine is SM5 finding neutral was a non-issue - but I don't recall what the displayed showed, only that didn't like R when going forward.

It's not a huge job to replace the GP sensor - allow 4 hours. Minimal plastic to be removed.

The machine in question is an SM5 as well, so not being able to find neutral is….concerning. The fact a sensor could prevent the transmission from physically finding a gear vs just being confused about what gear it’s *in* seemed weird, but nothing would surprise me anymore in the world of electronic vehicles.

[Freddy]

Dopey me - there I was thinking yours was SE5. Sorry!!!

In that case, not being able to find neutral is a big problem. The sensor cannot cause the problem as it's only a potentiometer/rheostat. Check the lever attachment on the shaft and ensure the R cable linkage is working freely.

[PrivatePilot]

Yeah, that's what I was worried about.

Thinking back on things more and seeing how it was behaving, I think it wasn't going below second gear, which was the root of the issue. BUDS showed it shifting from 2-5 (and same indication on the dash) and the machine was rideable (shifted 2-5 no problem), but won't go into 1st or Neutral.

Oddly enough it did allow reverse (and physically reversed fine), but thinking back on that as well, I'm thinking it was actually in second gear despite reverse being engaged. As soon as you shifted up out of reverse it went right back into second gear again.

[Freddy]

Damn!!!

[PrivatePilot]

Thankfully not my machine, but if it is a physical transmission issue, well, it's not good.

We're going to look into things more Tuesday.