Clutch not shifting - on the road in CO

[Mike G in SC]

Got a buddy, Jerry M (also a VR member) stuck on the road at Ft. Collins, CO at a dealer.

His 06 (70 k miles) RSV clutch won’t shift when it gets warmed up.

Will run okay cold but gets hard shifting, then none when warmed.

Just started doing this yesterday on a road trip, 1500 miles from home, TN.

Dealer (before opening it up) is saying that it’s the Amsoil (10w40) he put in before his trip from TN.

Says the Amsoil is too slippery for the Barnett plate and is overheating the disks.

Jerry did switch to Amsoil just before the trip.. Think it probably had YamaLube before that.

(Previous owner had installed a Barnett but don’t know about the disks.)

They’re working on it now, so should find out if it’s the disks or the master cylinder.

First time I’ve heard someone blame Amsoil for not shifting. I’ve been using same Amsoil for years on my Barnett plate in my RSTD (for 45k miles).

Without starting oil wars,, anyone up on this?

Mike G in SC and Jerry M in CO

[jakester]

Not the amsoil, check the clutch fluid, (brake fluid) it should be clear. If it looks like Ice tea, it needs to be flushed. This will most likely repair the clutch shifting. I pumped the clutch when this occurred to me, It got me the last 100 miles home. Flush it --it should be fine. The fluid will absorb water and contaminants over time, this is all mine was.

Bill:080402gudl_prv:

[jburrell]

Not the amsoil, check the clutch fluid, (brake fluid) it should be clear. If it looks like Ice tea, it needs to be flushed. This will most likely repair the clutch shifting. I pumped the clutch when this occurred to me, It got me the last 100 miles home. Flush it --it should be fine. The fluid will absorb water and contaminants over time, this is all mine was.

Bill:080402gudl_prv:

 

 

ditto on the flush. Had the same issue with mine when it got dirty a few years ago. Its not the Amsoil if others run fine on it.

[MasterGuns]

Amsoil would never cause this issue and I'll third it, the clutch fluid, which is nothing more than regular brake fluid, is old and has absorbed too much air. When cold the issue is not apparent, but once the fluid heats up, the air expands causing a "no clutch" and a difficult shift perhaps no shift at all. Replace the clutch fluid and your bud will be on the road again.

[stroker ace]

Air in the system contracts when cold, expands when warm/hot. Flush or bleed, I would bleed for now flush and change once I got it home.

[utadventure]

Bob Myer had the same issue when he came to SLC. The altitude seems to add to the problem.

 

Solved it with a good bleed.....so, I 4th, 5th the suggestion!

 

Dave

[Mike G in SC]

Can't reach Jerry now, but per his Facebook, he is back on the road.

Will update when I hear from him.

 

And Squidley, thanks for the call too (I'm home in SC, he's in CO).

 

Mike G.

 

Got a text,, said master & slave (repaired or replaced?). Not disks (so not Amsoil). Also did not get the Victory CCT they were enticing him with! Or if he did he forgot to mention it.

He's crossing the Rockies right now, Estes Park to Grand Lake.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Mike G in SC

[Phoneman1981]

Interesting read.

[Condor]

Interesting read.

 

 

Yeah.... I'd like to get more feedback on this. Like what wasn't it doing to not shift?? Was it stuck in gear, or slipping?? Fil us in when you can.

[Bob Myers]

Bob Myer had the same issue when he came to SLC. The altitude seems to add to the problem.

 

Solved it with a good bleed.....so, I 4th, 5th the suggestion!

 

Dave

 

Amen my friend!! Moisture in the fluid really aggravates it, when it gets hot and expands it'll push fluid out the top of the master. In fact I flush and change the fluid every year, whether it needs it ir not and never experienced it again. Scary coming up to a stop at the end of a ramp and pull the lutch lever in only to keep going!!!!

[Prairiehammer]

Scary coming up to a stop at the end of a ramp and pull the lutch lever in only to keep going!

On the way home from picking up my Venture, I experienced the same thing...towing a trailer. That losing the clutch release was startling, but trying to take off from the stop sign at the end of the off ramp...with a cop sitting there watching while I herky-jerky away was just plain embarrassing.

A flush of the fluid with new fixed it, when I finally got home. But I stopped a couple times while trying to get home to bleed it. (I probably flushed all the old out just bleeding).