Good that you bring this up, i've come across quite a few reports of trouble with the third gear, even in some cases it breaking and causing massive damage. The french Motomagazine reported just such a problem during their 50000 km test of a XTX. It has been suggested this could be caused by shifting into 3rd at too low speed and then throttling up hard. I hope the clack noise isn't related to this, but could it be a warning sign ? Not likely in my case anyway, since I'm old and rather slow.

hi for this third gear issue take a look at my gearbox thread i had contacted KEV about..this is what happens when you change up gear with-out using the clutch,im lucky it never broke up inside or it could of been a nasty mess,but to repair this im looking at over $1000 AUS (parts are a lot cheaper in uk) and i will fix it myself and for that money ive found a second hand engine..so another engine is going in

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=18568

alex

It broke inside to two guys here in the forum, a total mess. One of their mechanics advised to beware of stressing the third gear. I don't have access priviledges, unfortunately.

I have the noise on mine changing down to 3rd for slower corners/junctions. It seems to be at around 20-26mph but at slower speeds it does not do it so much. Annoying!

I also find that a little pressure on the gear selector just before i pull the clutch quietens it down. One smooth motion clutch an selector together.

My XTR has kind of noise when I put from 4th gear down to 3th and let it enginebrake. Never happens with the other gears. No problem yet that gears fall out under gasrespons.

Skickat fr�n min GT-I9100 via Tapatalk 2

The same here with my XT660X when shifting 2e to 3e gear.
But when i preload the shifter and change gear at about 50km/h (and above) the clack is gone and shifting like a hot knife through butter...:-)
Seems to have a sweetspot i.m.o.