Acceleration issue

[Ion]

I am new to Ventures as I got my 2007 two days ago.

I believe my clutch is slipping but I'm not 100% certain so I thought I would ask. BTW she has 18K miles

When accelerating, the bike responds very well but if I twist the throttle a little harder the bike revs up high w no pulling and when I release the throttle a little it suddenly picks up again. It happens on every gear. It is like if I accelerate hard the clutch engages??

If it is in fact the clutch slipping... what do you recommend I do? Mind you, the budget is tight so I have to find the least expensive solution

Thank you!

[bongobobny]

Yes that does sound like the clutch slipping. With that low miles, I'm wondering if someone put the wrong oil in it. The Venture has a "wet" clutch and if someone puts in any oil with friction modifiers or any additive it's bye bye clutch and friction discs.

 

There is a heavy duty clutch disc available from Yamaha. There is also a couple of aftermarket pressure plate mods that make the clutch stronger. There is the stronger PCW spring, and Barnett makes a nice pressure plate assembly.

 

Rebuilding/replacing the clutch is an easy job and there is a great write up with pictures in the technical, library. Just putting in the PCW spring may fix the problem good enough but you may want to consider replacing the clutch with the larger area one and replace the friction discs as well. You can reuse the metal plates between the discs as long as they don't look "blue" from excessive heat...

[LilBeaver]

You said this is a brand new to you bike. While the symptoms you describe to sound like the clutch slipping, a easy and much cheaper thing to do before replacing the clutch components is change or at the bare minimum, bleed the fluid.

[Flyinfool]

The key is how long has it been slipping. If it just started slipping, then the clutch discs are most likely ok If has been slipping for a long time, the clutch could be worn out.

 

The friction discs are 3mm thick new (0.118 inch) worn out is 2.8mm thick (.110 inch).

If the discs are more than half gone I would replace them as long as you are in there.

 

As Bob mentioned, the bike is fairly new with not many miles, I never heard of a clutch spring dieing that soon.

I would start with an oil and filter change using a motorcycle oil that specifically states on the label that it is for use with a wet clutch. In this case since you want to get as much old oil out as possible, there is also a drain for the transmission, it is the bottom screw on the middle gear cover. This screw has a copper crush washer that I always replace every time it is removed. worst case is a small oil leak if you reuse it.

Once you do the oil change, go for a ride, ride gently so that you do not slip the clutch any more than necessary. Work the clutch a lot so the new oil can get between the plates to flush out the old oil. If this was an oil issue you should start to notice improvement withing a couple hundred miles. If no improvement then it is disassembly time to see what is going on. Skydoc_17 on this site sells a kit that has everything you will need to do the job.

If you do get improvement with the oil, I would do another oil change as soon as the improvement stops getting better.

 

There will be a bunch of people chime in with their favorite cheap car oil that they have not had a problem with. It is your choice, I use car oil in my car and motorcycle oil in my motorcycle. I use expensive oil, In my P/U truck it is still going strong at 300K with no burning oil or bearing noises, my mechanic used to laugh at my expensive oil but now says my engine sounds like a new one, and I do not baby it the truck spends a lot of time airborne on logging roads.

 

Since the bike is new to you, I would replace all fluids anyhow just so that you know where you are starting from for future maintenance and you can be sure that someone did not put cheapest wrong thing in just to sell it.

This includes engine oil, rear end oil, antifreeze, clutch and brake fluid.

[crazyb]

I found my 02 Venture with 36,000 miles on clutch slipping after I went from synthetic Yamaha lube to a blend because the dealer was out of synthetic. Could that be part of my issue?

[Flyinfool]

If slipping started right after an oil change, that is where I would start.

 

Anytime you do something, and something bad happens right after, start by undoing what you just did.

[Ion]

My old C50 was wet clutch too but I didn’t' even thing about the oil! Duh!

I will start there. Unfortunately I don't know how long it might have been doing this so if the oil doesn't fix it I'll look for Skydoc_17 and get one of his kits. I'm all about supporting forum members.

Regarding the oil, and not that I want to awaken the beast, I'm 100% in agreement with you. The c50 had 80K miles which for a 800cc is not bad at all and never had an issue with her, IMHO, due to good oil and timelly changes.

[Trader]

A lot of folks use Rottella T diesel oil.

 

No additives and cheaper than specifically motorcycle oil.

 

I've been using it in my bikes for the last 4 years with no problems. (That's as long as I've been back on 2 wheels after a 20 year hiatus .)

[Ion]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

The oil didn't do it. Drained her well, changed filter... nothing.

Opened her up and nothing looks bluish so that is good news. Budget is a little tight so decided to go with the heavy duty clutch kit from PCW.

 

I'm sure... well correction, I know, I will end up replacing it with the Barnett springs system but for now that will remain on the "future mods" list. Now I just need to get her back on the road.

 

Thank you again, I'll keep you posted.

[Rick Butler]

I'll look for Skydoc_17 and get one of his kits.

 

[Sylvester]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

The oil didn't do it. Drained her well, changed filter... nothing.

Opened her up and nothing looks bluish so that is good news. Budget is a little tight so decided to go with the heavy duty clutch kit from PCW.

 

I'm sure... well correction, I know, I will end up replacing it with the Barnett springs system but for now that will remain on the "future mods" list. Now I just need to get her back on the road.

 

Thank you again, I'll keep you posted.

 

I don't think so, I have had the PCW heavy duty clutch in my 02 RSMV since 2004 when my clutch started the slipping. Now at eleven years later and 180,000 miles, I have no problems with my clutch and I pull a trailer.

 

[skydoc_17]

Here are the two kits I offer in the Classifieds for the Second Gens.

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3763&title=second-genheavy-duty-clutch-spring-upgrade-kit-21&cat=22

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3854&title=first-and-second-gen7-new-genuine-yamaha-clutch-friction-discs-21&cat=22

 

If you have any questions about the kits, please feel free to contact me.

Earl

[IronMike]

I would drain 12 Oz of oil out and put in 12 oz of sea foam in and run it about and hour and come home and drain it! Then put in some 20 40 or 20 50 MC oil, Cheap stuff, Wal Mart, see what that does. It has worked for me and I did write Seafoam and they said you can do that 3 oz per qt. So I did and it did help my situation. In the end though I installed the Burnett clutch and I shimmed it to total lock up with the washer that comes with the Ef auto clutch. But thats another story. (Only two like that on this earth - we came upon that by mistake)

 

But seriously the Sea Foam will clean the clutch if it is slipping due to wrong oil.

 

Good luck.

 

PS and anyone else, this is a great way to clean your engine, I always do this when i am changing oil I only go 6 oz though, no drain, just add run a half hour and change it out.

[Ion]

IronMike. Help the new guy here. I have used sea foam to clean the fuel system. Never used it on teh oil. Does it make a difference? Also 12 oz sounds like a lot!! When I have used it on fuel I only added one Oz per gallon.

 

And you do this each time you change you oil? just add it to the old oil (6 oz) , run it for a while and replace?

[V7Goose]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

The oil didn't do it. Drained her well, changed filter... nothing.

Opened her up and nothing looks bluish so that is good news. Budget is a little tight so decided to go with the heavy duty clutch kit from PCW.

 

I'm sure... well correction, I know, I will end up replacing it with the Barnett springs system but for now that will remain on the "future mods" list. Now I just need to get her back on the road.

 

Thank you again, I'll keep you posted.

If the oil caused part of the problem, just changing it will not instantly improve anything - the slippery stuff is still between the clutch discs and will take some time to work its way out.

 

But more importantly, the stock clutch in this big heavy bike is a KNOWN weakness, so I'd bet it is most of your problem. You said the bike has under 20,000 miles, and that is pretty early for the clutch to start slipping, especially in all gears (usually only noticed in 4th and 5th), so that does tend to suggest an oil related cause too. You MAY need to replace the friction discs. More than likely, however, all you need is the heavy duty spring and the full disc to replace the weenie half-disc and wave spring at the bottom of the stack. That is all I did with mine (PCW spring and full disc) when it started slipping around 35,000, and with over 100,000 now the original stock clutch discs are still just fine.

 

I have never used SeaFoam in the oil, but it is labeled for that. In your case, because of the low miles, I would definitely try it. I would just follow the directions on the can and only do it one time. My oil preference is Shell Rotella (non-synthetic). It is a great oil and specifically labeled for wet clutch use (JASO rated).

Goose

[bongobobny]

Yah! I'm thinking the PCW spring and the HD clutch will fix it for a long time! That's what I did and I'm running a trike and tow a trailer. No problems so far...