WGREGT Posted August 27, 2017 Share Posted August 27, 2017 Was riding my 6th gen home this week, and stalled it out leaving a light. Twice. At different lights. WTF? As I was riding it afterward, it felt like the clutch lever now had a different engagement point. It didn't have the stronger pull it did earlier. It was weaker, felt like. All of this happened within a day of riding? I got home and looked around for anything odd like a missing lever bolt etc but it looks fine. Fluid is light and no leaks that I could see. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted August 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted August 28, 2017 First thing to try I guess is a good bleed of the hydraulic clutch line, you may have air in the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 I thought about that....how would air get into a closed system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted August 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted August 28, 2017 If it's not air in the system then you might have a seal issue, master cylinder or slave, allowing oil to bypass and not built up pressure. How old is the clutch fluid? Giving the system and good bleed with new fluid is merely a starting point which hopefully might fix the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFRpwr Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 My experience with a very similar clutch engagement issue: Inside and at the bottom of the fluid reservoir(s) – both brake and clutch, there is a small port covered with snap-in ~8mm dia stamped tin snap-in baffle. This port allows fluid to flow behind the cylinder of both pistons. I cleaned this small hole with a toothbrush/paint brush [they’re the same thing in my house ] refilled reservoirs and voila! Much better clutch lever engagement. This made engagement from the outer edge of lever pull and gave the lever a good few degrees of play before engagement started. I guess there is a buildup of stagnant fluid in the area and crud/degraded fluid settles on/in this small port and ends up removing some swing from the clutch lever. Huh. - watch your eyes when cleaning as you will inevitably want to squeeze the lever while poking around down there with the baffle off quite a strong squirt of fluid comes up and out from this port – hence why they have a baffle cover over the hole to baffle this flow during use. Have many rags handy. Ask me how I know it squirts far enough to land perfectly on the tank and seat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 Awesome. I'll tear into it and report back. Thanks for the thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Finally got around to pulling off the cap on the clutch master cylinder, and yep: gunk in the bottom and the fluid was low. Not sure where the fluid went though (?) as I don't see any leaks. I thought the fluid was light in color as viewed thru the sight glass, but in comparison to the brake side it wasn't. Brake side is...light mineral oil colored and the clutch side was...honey colored. Anyone know how to clean a sight glass? Appears the clutch side is stained a bit now, even thought the fluid has been swapped. As far as the lever pull, it came in up in rotation to ride this week so I'm happy to report that the pull on the lever feels like it used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VFROZ Posted September 5, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted September 5, 2017 The best way to clean it is with hot water. Brake cleaner will not remove it as the gunk is not brake fluid, but moisture that has mixed with general crap. You will have to remove the master and disassemble, then use running hot water and a cotton bud to get behind the glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF777 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 I'm browsing around on this subject looking to adjust where in the lever throw my clutch starts to engage. Right now it engages really late (in the last centimeters of lever throw) and my riding style and preferences has always been having the clutch engage right after letting it out. Is this something at all that can be had with this maintenance? EDIT: I removed the res cap and it resembled watery MUD! soaked up what I could, wiped down more and cleaned up with brake cleaner. There a was a loose piece of metal what I assume is the cover to the hole you mentioned (confirmed when I bumped the lever and about shot my eye out). Toothbrush like tool and another spray, refilled, cleaned cap rubber gasket and replaced. Hope it helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGREGT Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 Sounds similar to what I had. I bet it worked for you too. Let us know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BusyLittleShop Posted September 23, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted September 23, 2017 Here's how to check your clutch is working 100% with no drag... your gears can't shift smoothly if your clutch is part way engaged... 1 Place your bike on the center stand... 2 Start engine and establish a steady idle... 3 Squeeze in the clutch and hold... shift into first gear... 4 Now look at the rear wheel... if it's spinning step on the rear brake... does this action drag down the engine rpms??? Bleed again and check for bubbles... Ultimately you want the rear wheel to stop when the engine is idling and first gear selected with the clutch lever is squeezed in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.