Lassesand Posted September 22, 2013 #1 Posted September 22, 2013 I have recently bought another XVZ12 from 1984. The engine runs sweet and after I installed a new (used) driveshaft it is on the road again after standing still for 10 years! Surprizingly the carbs seems clean and adjusted since it starts like a charm and runs real smooth. Anyhow the clutch is not as good as it can be. Some friction is felt while pulling it and i suspect that the master cylinder need new seals. It does not disengage completely either. I have put in new seals in the slave cylinder and checked the push rod for straightness (ok). I have stripped and cleaned the master cylinder by the way.
dacheedah Posted September 22, 2013 #2 Posted September 22, 2013 if you havent refreshed your fluid I would start there, new fluid and a good bleed down may provide a lot of improvement.
Lassesand Posted September 22, 2013 Author #3 Posted September 22, 2013 I've bled the system and changed the fluid.
Squidley Posted September 23, 2013 #4 Posted September 23, 2013 If you have rebuilt the slave and bled the system, there is only a couple other things it could be. You mentioned the master cyl on the handlebars, do that. Check the flex line at the top and bottom, the rest of the line is hard. Or replace the pressure plate springs, other than the steels and friction discs being excessively worn, thats about all you have left in a nutshell...
Lassesand Posted February 27, 2014 Author #5 Posted February 27, 2014 Now I have changed the seals in both ends (master and slave), new fluid added, leverpivot greased. Still there is a lot of friction pulling the lever. Some of it goes away if you pull the clutch a couple of times but is back again after a while. The pushrod seems to be good and straight. Perhaps the clutch itself if worn and/or dirty? The springs might be replaced because I think I have tu pull much harder compared to my golden VXZ12 (same model & year). OEM seals could perhaps be of better quality as well (non OEM seals now). Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
OrlinEngh Posted February 27, 2014 #6 Posted February 27, 2014 Sounds like you may still need to bleed it out somemore, how is the fluid level maybe you have to much, can make the lever pull hard. Orlin
utadventure Posted February 27, 2014 #7 Posted February 27, 2014 This is more drastic an idea, but, if the bike sat unused for that long, who knows what may be built up on the internal clutch parts. Even if you changed the oil, which I suspect you did, it may be worthwhile to add some seafoam to the oil, run the bike for 150 miles or so and then change the oil again. Good luck!! Dave
bongobobny Posted February 27, 2014 #8 Posted February 27, 2014 Also, as far as rebuilding the slave cylinder sometimes the rebuilt one will still leak, even if you honed the cylinder wall. A complete new one is not that expensive. Barnett makes some heavy duty springs for the clutch that help out. Now just what exactly is the clutch doing, slipping or hard to disengage? If it is slipping then replace the clutch, if it is hard to disengage you still have a problem with the hydraulics.
Lassesand Posted March 2, 2014 Author #9 Posted March 2, 2014 I have no leaks in the system. The clutch is not slipping but the pull is really heavy. I suspect that someone might have put in heavier springs in the clutch. I think that as long as the plaste in the clutch are ok there should be no need for stronger springs. On one of my TR1.:s (xv1000 -81) I had bad clutch slipping but new friction plates fixed that. I kept the old springs after checking their free lenght. Besides from being heavy there is a lot of friction while pulling the lever as if the seals are sticking to the cylinder(-s).
Squidley Posted March 2, 2014 #10 Posted March 2, 2014 A heavier pull on the handle usually indicates heavier springs in the clutch. If it's functioning properly, engaging and disengaging like it should, I would just run with it....
Venturous Randy Posted March 3, 2014 #11 Posted March 3, 2014 Years ago, I had a problem with the metal part of the clutch line getting clogged up as this the lowest point in the fluid system. It got harder and harder to pull in the clutch lever and it caused some drag, if I remember correctly. I pulled the line off and cleaned the sludge out of it and it fixed my problem. RandyA
Lassesand Posted March 6, 2014 Author #12 Posted March 6, 2014 You referr to the part of the line connected to the slave cylinder?
Venturous Randy Posted March 6, 2014 #13 Posted March 6, 2014 You referr to the part of the line connected to the slave cylinder? On both ends of the clutch line, there is a rubber hose for flexibility. Between these hoses is a metal section. This is where I had the problem with mine getting clogged up. I think I ended up having to push a wire up into it to break it loose. RandyA
Lassesand Posted March 20, 2014 Author #15 Posted March 20, 2014 http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/21/uhezaju4.jpg The lower flexible hose had a stop that I removed with a wire! Now the clutch is OK! Thanks a lot!
RedRider Posted March 20, 2014 #16 Posted March 20, 2014 Great fix guys. Would never have solved that mystery. Lassesand, you mentioned this bike has been sitting for a lot of years. It may be helpful to soak the clutch plates in oil as they are surely dry as Lutefisk sitting for as long as they did. However, if the clutch is working, ride it like you stole it. RR
Venturous Randy Posted March 20, 2014 #17 Posted March 20, 2014 http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/21/uhezaju4.jpg The lower flexible hose had a stop that I removed with a wire! Now the clutch is OK! Thanks a lot! Glad I could help out. Sometimes I get lucky. RandyA RandyA
GAWildKat Posted April 8, 2014 #18 Posted April 8, 2014 Is there a write up somewhere of how to replace the master cylinder and clutch handle? The handle on Mike's bike has too much play up and down and really needs replacing. I found everything on pinwall but have yet to find the elusive write up on doing the replacement. Really want to get this done before we go to B2Mom and B2Dad's next month. Thanks in advance!
dingy Posted April 8, 2014 #19 Posted April 8, 2014 Is there a write up somewhere of how to replace the master cylinder and clutch handle? The handle on Mike's bike has too much play up and down and really needs replacing. I found everything on pinwall but have yet to find the elusive write up on doing the replacement. Really want to get this done before we go to B2Mom and B2Dad's next month. Thanks in advance! If it is up and down play, why are you replacing the master cylinder? Bushing in lever is what is bad. Buy a new lever. Gary
GAWildKat Posted April 9, 2014 #20 Posted April 9, 2014 It was easier to buy that, the cruise control cable (it's broken too) and master cylinder together. The clutch has felt spongy since Mike bought the bike last yr. He's flushed and put new fluid in 2x (even had help once) and it got no better. I'm just trying get everything done before the road trip. Right now, staying local and having an issue means I get a friend with a trailer if he breaks down. If there's another idea I'm all ears. Tricia
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