clutch issues...again!

[Trader]

I think I need to bleed my clutch...again!

This will be the 3rd time....in 2 months.

 

When I bleed it...and put in fresh Dot3, it seems fine for about a month...then all at once it starts acting up and within 2 -3 days it is unrideable.

 

The "throw" gets less and less until it won't disengage enough to sit at a stop without pulling or stalling!

The clutch fluid level is not down...so I'm not leaking anywhere

 

Even after a clutch bleed the clutch starts to engage VERY soon after the clutch lever leaves the bar. I mean like 3/4 of the lever travel is meaningless.

ANY IDEAS???

[dingy]

Bleed it again, I like the synthetic brake fluid DOT 3 or 4. It is not nearly as harmful to paint as regular fluid, and it is less disposed to absorbing water.

 

After you have it bleed, take a zip tie and tie the clutch lever back all the way back against the grip.

 

Loosen the cap and rubber so air can get in to the master. Leave it this way over night. You may need to do this a couple of days.

 

Don't ask me how this works, I just know from experience that it does.

 

Gary

[Squeeze]

There's either no Slack at the Brass Pivot Point of the Lever, the Brass Piece is sticking in the Lever, you put an non exact fitting Aftermarket Lever on the Master or the Relief Hole in the Bottom of the Reservoir in the Master is clogged.

 

Since the Time Frame is rather large, i'd suspect it's not the Relief Hole, but the Lever puts a little Pressure on the Piston and doesn't open enough to open the Relief Hole.

[mrich12000]

There's either no Slack at the Brass Pivot Point of the Lever, the Brass Piece is sticking in the Lever, you put an non exact fitting Aftermarket Lever on the Master or the Relief Hole in the Bottom of the Reservoir in the Master is clogged.

 

Since the Time Frame is rather large, I'd suspect it's not the Relief Hole, but the Lever puts a little Pressure on the Piston and doesn't open enough to open the Relief Hole.

 

 

 

When I first received my bike,(1983 First gen) the shop that did the inspection for me(Universal cycle Calgary) Found the clutch lever had an elongate pivot hole and needed replacement. $7.89 for it . works great, But the fluid goes down every 3 months and there is a fluid leak very small under the bike . I believe the slave for the clutch is sweating the fluid out. So, I think yours is doing the same.

 

ask here for a rebuild kit. my 2 cents Michael..

[6m459]

I have two of these old boats.

 

Earlier this year, I had clutch problems on my blue one, where the friction point was perilously close to the bar. My red one seemed to have lots of lever travel by comparison.

 

I had a spare master cyl / clutch lever assembly (from a younger donor bike) in the parts box so I swapped it in on the blue bike. This made quite a difference and now I have bags of lever travel surpassing even that of my red bike which now seems deficient. Blue's lever travel almost seems too much now, as my hands are only so big!

 

I am thinking of doing a similar operation to my red bike now. All I'd like to achieve is a reasonably common friction point on both bikes so I don't have to re learn where it is every time I change from one to the other.

 

Are there any adjustments to be made in the system, that might help out in this regard?

 

When I did a postmortem on the failed master cyl / lever assy, I found that the linkage from the master cylinder to the lever was horribly worn. It was a wonder it worked at all! Likely, I suspect anyways, the master cyl was leaking fluid past the plunger internally too. Blue has almost 60,000 miles on her an it surprised me that the linkage would be so worn in only that distance but she's also 26 years old so I guess I can't complain.

 

 

Thanks & hope this helps,

 

Brian H.

Edited August 6, 2010 by 6m459
grammar, readability and generall fussing