I bought a 1973 RT3 about two months ago. I noticed a slight leak from the bolt for the cam stopper so decided to change the crush gasket. What I found is the cam stopper stuck inside. See photo link. Shifting is not a problem but it is hard to find neutral. Any ideas on getting this out?


 

Try submersing it in a liquid degreaser for a day or two .

 Whit.

Once it is all free, you should find that there is a spring sitting within the stopper. This makes it sit out of the top of the hollow bolt, but should be easily depressed with finger pressure.

The bolt and spring came out but the pin is stuck inside the engine. I am going to spray PB Blaster all around it for a few days and then try a magnet to pull out.

Yes, that might work.

Maybe a couple of gentle taps with a screwdriver or similar will be enough to loosen it.

If you wriggle the gear lever up and down , it might shake it loose too .

It finally came out. With a small stream of oil coming out around it and using a magnet to pull on it.
I polished it up with Mother's metal polish and now looks new and slick.
Thanks everyone.

So did this fix your hard to find neutral problem?

Pic on cmsnl shows the plunger that's rounded both ends with the short cap but can't be sure yours is like that.
If you have the long cap & the spring is flopping around then must be the hollow plunger--i think? i think.
My guess is its not very stuck if at all because you'd be missing gears & all sorts if its not doing its job pushing into the cam plate.
Studying the bung in the pic i think that one only had a screwdriver slot for tightening.
Let's know what you have. If you put a flat ended punch up the spout--or if it's the hollow plunger then a phillips screw driver up there--then moved the gear lever through the gears while manipulating the rear wheel you'd feel the plunger rising & falling for each gear then half a rise for neutral.

www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-rt3-1972-1973-usa_m...oppercam_1371854700/