Hydraulic clutch stuck!?

[davidandersin1st]

Hi All, new to forum. I just bought an 84 XVZ12L that had a slightly slipping clutch. I'm new to hydraulic clutches! After a few tries (had toothed washer in wrong place), I thought all was well. On second squeeze of clutch lever, it would not depress at all! But the bike rolled, even when in gear! . Completely lost now! Opened bleeder valve, and lever depressed. Reopened clutch housing, ending up removing the entire clutch, housing and all, to eliminate that as the potential issue. So I have a nonexistent clutch assembly, and the clutch lever still won't depress, unless I open the bleeder.

I have no idea where to start. The supposed manual the seller recommend I download was a supplemental manual for the cruise control. No help.

Please, any ideas? Thanks!

[Chaharly]

Hi All, new to forum. I just bought an 84 XVZ12L that had a slightly slipping clutch. I'm new to hydraulic clutches! After a few tries (had toothed washer in wrong place), I thought all was well. On second squeeze of clutch lever, it would not depress at all! But the bike rolled, even when in gear! . Completely lost now! Opened bleeder valve, and lever depressed. Reopened clutch housing, ending up removing the entire clutch, housing and all, to eliminate that as the potential issue. So I have a nonexistent clutch assembly, and the clutch lever still won't depress, unless I open the bleeder.

I have no idea where to start. The supposed manual the seller recommend I download was a supplemental manual for the cruise control. No help.

Please, any ideas? Thanks!

You need to open the bleeder valve and push the clutch piston back in. Mine did the same thing. The part that you have to pull out to get the clutch basket off.

[Chaharly]

You need to open the bleeder valve and push the clutch piston back in. Mine did the same thing. The part that you have to pull out to get the clutch basket off.

 

Hopefully that helps. Text me at 402 649 9218 if you need help

[7 lakes]

The return action in this hydraulic clutch is in the clutch pack spring, if the lever is depressed with no return force present then it functions like a disc brake system and the slave piston will move out to the limit of its travel and stay there. Squeeze it again and you're basically squeezing a brake lever, it should be hard as a rock. You don't really need to bleed it, you just need to provide the return action and shove the slave piston back into starting position, just like you would if you were putting new pads in a brake caliper, and then install the clutch pack. Assuming no other issues you should be good to go.

 

I'm assuming this started when the lever was depressed while the clutch spring was out, right? Hopefully?

 

Tim

[ChiefGunner]

The return action in this hydraulic clutch is in the clutch pack spring, if the lever is depressed with no return force present then it functions like a disc brake system and the slave piston will move out to the limit of its travel and stay there. Squeeze it again and you're basically squeezing a brake lever, it should be hard as a rock. You don't really need to bleed it, you just need to provide the return action and shove the slave piston back into starting position, just like you would if you were putting new pads in a brake caliper, and then install the clutch pack. Assuming no other issues you should be good to go.

 

I'm assuming this started when the lever was depressed while the clutch spring was out, right? Hopefully?

 

Tim

That would be correct!

[Chaharly]

The return action in this hydraulic clutch is in the clutch pack spring, if the lever is depressed with no return force present then it functions like a disc brake system and the slave piston will move out to the limit of its travel and stay there. Squeeze it again and you're basically squeezing a brake lever, it should be hard as a rock. You don't really need to bleed it, you just need to provide the return action and shove the slave piston back into starting position, just like you would if you were putting new pads in a brake caliper, and then install the clutch pack. Assuming no other issues you should be good to go.

 

I'm assuming this started when the lever was depressed while the clutch spring was out, right? Hopefully?

 

Tim

 

Mine did it on its own with out the lever being depressed

[7 lakes]

That's interesting. Do you miind walking us through the sequence of the problem, what you were trying to solve, what steps you took, what occurred when, etc.? Were you replacing the clutch? What did you dissasemble?

 

Tim

[davidandersin1st]

The return action in this hydraulic clutch is in the clutch pack spring, if the lever is depressed with no return force present then it functions like a disc brake system and the slave piston will move out to the limit of its travel and stay there. Squeeze it again and you're basically squeezing a brake lever, it should be hard as a rock. You don't really need to bleed it, you just need to provide the return action and shove the slave piston back into starting position, just like you would if you were putting new pads in a brake caliper, and then install the clutch pack. Assuming no other issues you should be good to go.

 

I'm assuming this started when the lever was depressed while the clutch spring was out, right? Hopefully?

 

Tim

 

Yes, the clutch was out and I was just flushing out the old hyrdaulic fluid.

Now, what's your idea of shove? Because I tried pushing, even with bleeder valve open, then I put a price if wood over rod and hit lightly with hammer, then not so lightly. There is no movement. Is there some gadget you used to press it back in?

[Chaharly]

Yes, the clutch was out and I was just flushing out the old hyrdaulic fluid.

Now, what's your idea of shove? Because I tried pushing, even with bleeder valve open, then I put a price if wood over rod and hit lightly with hammer, then not so lightly. There is no movement. Is there some gadget you used to press it back in?

 

 

I used my finger. It took alot of pressure and you have to push for quite awhile

[7 lakes]

Yes, the clutch was out and I was just flushing out the old hyrdaulic fluid.

Now, what's your idea of shove? Because I tried pushing, even with bleeder valve open, then I put a price if wood over rod and hit lightly with hammer, then not so lightly. There is no movement. Is there some gadget you used to press it back in?

 

With the clutch pressure plate removed, you should be able to push the end of the rod, that pushes against the plate, back in with your thumb without opening the system. Not easily , but you should be able to. Sooo ... hammer not good.

 

So the old clutch was slipping, you replaced the clutch pack, right? What did the old fluid look like?

 

Go here https://www.yamahapartsmonster.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004252bf8700209bc7880f8/clutch and find parts 19 and 22. 19 is the thing you should be able to push in and 22 is the ball behind it. Are they still there?

Edited May 6, 2018 by 7 lakes

[davidandersin1st]

The return action in this hydraulic clutch is in the clutch pack spring, if the lever is depressed with no return force present then it functions like a disc brake system and the slave piston will move out to the limit of its travel and stay there. Squeeze it again and you're basically squeezing a brake lever, it should be hard as a rock. You don't really need to bleed it, you just need to provide the return action and shove the slave piston back into starting position, just like you would if you were putting new pads in a brake caliper, and then install the clutch pack. Assuming no other issues you should be good to go.

 

I'm assuming this started when the lever was depressed while the clutch spring was out, right? Hopefully?

 

Tim

 

With the clutch pressure plate removed, you should be able to push the end of the rod, that pushes against the plate, back in with your thumb without opening the system. Not easily , but you should be able to. Sooo ... hammer not good.

 

So the old clutch was slipping, you replaced the clutch pack, right? What did the old fluid look like?

 

Go here https://www.yamahapartsmonster.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004252bf8700209bc7880f8/clutch and find parts 19 and 22. 19 is the thing you should be able to push in and 22 is the ball behind it. Are they still there?

 

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! Pushed it in oh-so-slowly!

And yes, fluid was dirty and hammers bad! 🙄

And the best part:. No one told me all this info was already in a thread somewhere (in the said thread, the discussion could have started out about another issue, and I would never find it!). Got to go try to throw her together! Thanks again!

[Flyinfool]

You never did answer as to why you had the clutch pack out in the first place. If you are replacing the clutch because it was slipping, it is common for a slipping clutch to be a weak spring with the clutch just fine. A new clutch with the old weak spring will still slip. The springs die of old age, not miles of use.