1998 vfr clutch plates

[lawnmowerman]

hello my clutch plates are  sticking badly where and how should i start to diagnose the problem ? what would your first step be ?

[Captain 80s]

You need to clarify the issue and explain some more symptoms/problems.

 

Do you meaning "sticking" after the bike has been sitting for a while?  As in, won't roll in gear with the clutch lever pulled in?

[lawnmowerman]

bike has been sitting for awhile , 7 months wont roll in gear with clutch lever pulled in .  it did come apart while starting with clutch lever in . but went right back to sticking . im thinking its the plates but can i .clean and reuse plates ? 

[MBrane]

You can pull it apart, and inspect them. If you do it on the sidestand you may not even lose enough oil to be a problem. Sometimes all they need is a little sanding to break the glaze, and new springs.

[Mohawk]

Yes if they are not to worn or glazed.
You could try adding fresh oil to the plates through the oil fill port using a syringe & check the clutch is lifting properly. Pull the clutch lever in whilst doing this & use a wide bladed screw driver to make sure all plates separate. 

[VeeEffArah]

One of my FZ1 had similar couple years ago. Pulled the plates,  separated and then soaked the fibers in oil overnight.  Reassembled and all was sorted. 

[Lorne]

Might also be a good idea to check the master & slave cylinders, and all the lubrication points in the lever pivot. While you're at it you should check the front brake lever & hydraulics.

[Ughandi]

10 hours ago, MBrane said:

If you do it on the sidestand you may not even lose enough oil to be a problem. Sometimes all they need is a little sanding to break the glaze, and new springs.

Concur on this. Inspection should always be step 1

[BusyLittleShop]

 

On 5/23/2025 at 9:03 PM, lawnmowerman said:

 im thinking its the plates but can i .clean and reuse plates ? 

Yes... plates can be cleaned and reused...

 

First inspect the friction plates for glazing... make sure you have plenty
of material to work with... your shop manual states clutch thickness
in thousands of an inch or mm...

Next removed the contaminants with Acetone... pick a hard surface to lay
over a 600 grit black dry emery paper... rotate the clutch plate in a
circle... you're just busting the glaze... don't get carried away
remove too much material... You should end up with a friction plate
looks dull like a new one as opposed to a shinny glazed one... recheck
thickness...

Finally check the pressure plates for bluing caused by localized heat...
make sure they are not warped... consult the manual for a thickness
range... now removed the contaminants with Acetone and wire wheeled
them to erased the blue and also to generally scuff up the surface...
you should end up with a dull surface free of Blue marks...

Steps to check your clutch for 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 warm steady idle...

3 Squeeze in the clutch lever and shift into first gear...

4 Hold in the clutch lever and note if the rear wheel coast to stop...
if it continues spinning trouble shoot the lever for travel and master

cylinder for condition... open the oil filler and look at the clutch pack

to note just how far the plates spread apart when you squeeze the lever...

Ultimately you want the rear wheel to coast to a stop when the engine
is idling and first gear selected with the clutch lever is squeezed in...

 

Bike on its side is a simple way to shift the oil level to an angle in order to remove the clutch cover without spillage...
Have a new gasket standing by...