Guest BKMDNO Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I have a 2002 VFR and it has been sitting in my garage for the past 5 months due to weather and other issues. It has been started several times during the period but not moved. I started it up and when I put it in gear with the clutch in, it died. This was because I had not upped the RPMs as I would when I let the clutch out. It appears that the clutch is not engaging properly or at all. I can see the piston moving in the master cylinder and I get fluid out of the bleeder valve when I try to bleed it. I bled the clutch over and over with not change in the results. I was able to ride it down the street and back, but could not change gears as the clutch would not disengage the engine. Today I went and purchased a Myte Vac as I had been told bleeding the VFR can be temperamental. I tried to use that, but when I pumped it up and cracked the bleed valve, I get little to no fluid coming out. I had more success doing it by hand. Before I pay a shop to pull the slave cylinder out, is there anything else that I should try? Am I missing something with the vacuum bleeder? I can change gears on the center stand and the nutral light comes on as well. The clutch feels normal, but that does not mean there is not some pocket of air in there that I cannot get out. I have been doing all of this on the center stand. I have pushed 3/4 bottle of fluid thru the system. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthshake Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Did you raise the kickstand before you put it in gear? If not, it may be the sidestand kill switch that is your problem rather than the clutch. When using the Myte Vac, did you loosen the clutch master cylinder cover to allow venting of the system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer huntinggunns Posted March 26, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 26, 2012 It sounds like you are trying to say that the clutch is not dis-engaging properly. You stated that you rode it down the street so the back wheel is getting power. If it was not engaging, the bike would not move at all when you let the clutch out. It sounds to me like maybe the friction plates have stuck to the driven plates from sitting for a while. I have seen this happen a few times but not after a short time like yours. If this is the problem the only thing I know to do is pull the engine cover off the clutch side and dis-assemble the clutch pack to free up the plates. Maybe someone else has a trick to do this without having to tear it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I know it is not the kickstand switch. I have had it running and in gear on the center stand. I then pulled the clutch in and applied the rear brake. This killed the engine as the clutch did not disengage the motor. When the bike is not running I can cycle thru all of the gears without issue. Even at low rpm on the center stand I can switch gears. On the vacuum bleeder I have tried just cackling the the bleeder valve as not to suck air in thru the threads. I can build up pressure with the system with no fluid drawn. Or at least a minimal amount. Thanks for the quick responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted March 26, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 26, 2012 Can you get it into neutral, engine running or otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedViffer Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Bleeding that slave can be a real pain, I usually take mine off when I need to bleed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Yes I can get it into neutral but when the rpms are up I can not. I took the bolts out of the slave cylinder and tapped it with a mallet and it would not come off. The parts store is closed today and I believe I would need to replace the seals if it came off. I was looking at bleeding it off the bike but I was fearful I would make a bigger mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Easy and quick way to deal with plates that have gotten stuck during storage is to ride the bike agressively, and use the brakes to fight the throttle while you squeeze the clutch lever squeezed in any gear. If you have good pressure at the lever and know the slave is moving, the non-disengaging problem is almost certainly stuck plates, and you don't need to take anything apart to fix it using the technique above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Squirrel man, just so I make sure I do it right, I need to throttle uP on the center stand and grab the brakes hard with the clutch in? I have killed the motor about five times by applying the rear brake but it was at idle. I cant tell if the slave is moving but the clutch lever moves with normal resistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted March 26, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 26, 2012 DON'T do it while on the center stand. That is a tremendously large recipe for a bad time. While RIDING ON THE ROAD. Hopefully that works out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Maybe i didn't explain well ? Get on the bike riding about 35-40 mph in a lower gear, squeeze the clutch lever and apply the brakes firmly. The momentum of the bike (and a bit of throttle)will fight against the brakes, and the location of that fight is between the clutch plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I was thinking that might be a bad idea. I'll have to try that. I just need someone with me to give me a push so I am rolling when I bump it into first to keep it from dying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Thanks to the responses I received, I do not have to pay a shop bill. I ended up letting the bike heat up until the cooling fans kicked in. I was going to ride it down the street and see if I could get the clutch plates to break free. I blurped the throttle with the clutch in and it broke free. I rode it for a bit with no problems. Next question is what caused this and how to prevent it. The oil only has a couple hours on it if that. It sat for about five months, but was started but not put in gear during that period. The rides on it prior to having it sit had been relatively short so it did not heat up very high. It was sitting on the side stand and not the center stand. I know with some of our farm equipment we block the clutch partially open during the winter to prevent this from happening. Can I do this with the bike if it has to sit in the future? Like place a strap around the clutch with it partially pulled back? I think it wOuld be best just to ride it tho. Again thanks for all the replies. This forum was the reason I bought a VFR back in 2002 and sold my CBR. All of the great support you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Looks like you've covered you own questions on how to stop the clutch from sticking afer a long wait, the only one left would be to put it on the c-stand so when you do your winter warm-ups add in some gear changes while on the c-stand ...... also better for the tyres if on the c-stand for long periods of time....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 How many miles on the bike? It may be time for new clutch plates. My first guess was that your oil was old, but you said it's new. I would at least pull the clutch apart and scrub up or glass bead the steel plates. Ps - my clear clutch cover mod would allow one to easily see if this was happening or not ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Seb may love playing with clutch plates,but you have no need to now as long as it engages and holds and disengages. You can keep it free during storage months by clicking it into any gear, squeezing the clutch lever and pushing the bike a couple feet forward, which will cause separation and rotation between the plates, preventing sticking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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