Help w/ clutch not disengaging

[pa_don]

Ok folks. '99 w/ 42k mile. 1st clutch replaced at just over 16k with Barnett plates and springs due to slippage. Clutch seems strong (no slipping) but does not disengage when clutch lever is pulled in. Bled clutch fluid today and checked engine oil level (even topped it off) since it is after all a wet clutch. Still wants to pull when lever is pulled in. Short of pulling clutch out to look for warped plates, etc., which I don't think is case. Heard one comment that maybe plates got dry (bile has not been sitting) and best way to free them up is to get up to about 15MPH and lock up rear brake with clutch pulled in.

Any help / suggestions would be appreciated.

pa_don

[Squeeze]

You need to bleed the Clutch Line. Sometimes it can be very hard to bleed it correctly.

 

You could try to solve this by pulling the Lever to the Handlebar and secure it with a Wire. Leave it there over the Night. Next Morning undo the Wire and let the Lever go slowly back in normal Position, pump four or five Times and hopefully, the Problem is gone. Make sure there isn't a bow in the Line which goes above the Fluid Level in the Clutch Mastercylinder.

[pa_don]

Squeeze,

I bled the line pretty good but be glad to try your solution. When I leave the clutch pulled in overnight, do I leave a) the bleeder open over night too, b) open the bleeder in the morning before releasing the lever, or c) wait until after the lever has been released and pumped 4 to 5 times then bleed?

pa_don

[Squeeze]

Squeeze,

I bled the line pretty good but be glad to try your solution. When I leave the clutch pulled in overnight, do I leave a) the bleeder open over night too, b) open the bleeder in the morning before releasing the lever, or c) wait until after the lever has been released and pumped 4 to 5 times then bleed?

pa_don

 

 

No need to open the Bleeder Valve at any Point. You could open the Lid of the Reservoir before releasing the Lever and watch the Air Bubbles coming out when releasing the Lever. When the Lever is completely released, then pump 4 to 5 Times and see if there are more Bubbles coming up. Be careful when pulling the Lever, Fluid can spit out of the Reservoir until the Seal on the Piston has closed both Borings in the bottom of the Reservoir. If you feel this Procedure has helped, do it the next Evening again. If you don't feel any Progress, the Air is trapped in the Slave at the upgoing Portion of the Line, you should apply some Pressure to the Lever and carefully open the Bleeder Valve to let the Air out. Pull the Lever first, then open the Bleeder Valve.

[V7Goose]

Only two real probabilities for that problem - either a bent actuating rod (which effectively makes it shorter) or bad seals in master cylinder. The bent rod is highly UNlikely. I also would suspect air in the fluid, but unless you were messing with it prior to the problem starting, that too is unlikely. And you said you already bled it anyway, so I'll assume you did that correctly. Your post implies that the new clutch worked fine for 25,000 miles, so either you just did something to it that caused the problem, or something went bad with age.

 

So that just leaves bad seals in the master cylinder. VERY probably with the age of your bike. Need to rebuild it.

Goose

[pa_don]

Kent,

This is where I am headed. Just started to look at what would be involved to rebuild master. I bled the fluid but thought it seemed to only push a little fluid a few times. Bike was running fine before it started dragging. I was going to ask others if there was a good way to determine if the problem could be in the master or the slave - so as to know which one to take a shot at first...

Thanks!

pa_don

[V7Goose]

If the seals in the slave were leaking, you would be losing fluid. If the seals in the master are leaking, fluid is just going around the plunger and back into the reservoir.

Goose

[Cutty]

Check brass bushing in clutch handle, should have no play or wear showing. If worn it will limit clutch travel to disengage.

[V7Goose]

A discussion in another thread made me think of one other possibility you might want to check: if the clutch basket ears are notched from the friction plates, that would cause the exact problem you have. Although it is very easy to just pull the cover and take a quick look without even disassembling the clutch, I still put my money on the master cylinder seals. With less than 50K on your bike, it would have had to be really beat to death with someone constantly dropping the clutch on hard shifts to notch the basket so soon! But then again, if your original clutch was slipping as early as you say, maybe it has had pretty hard use?

Goose

[pa_don]

OK follow-up.

It took a while but I got the re-build kit for the master. Just got it done. Bled the line and seem to have a nice solid pull and the clutch lever now returns all the way out. It did not do this before. I did find the outer gasket ""ripped" and the brass fitting in the lever looked very worn.

Now my question.. Folks have said that there will be a little drag when in gear and the bike raised... how much tire spin in "normal? Speedo shows about 3-4 MPH. I f I push the rear down so the tire makes round contact I do not feel any pull what so ever. SO... is this normal??? or should I be looking into a slave replacement?

Inquiring minds want to know...

pa_don

[V7Goose]

sounds normal to me.