AE Clutch bleed - without having to remove swingarm

[Oakdave]

Today I believe I successfully bled the clutch fluid on my AE without having to remove the swingarm. I followed the service manual instructions with one exception: rather than using the manual clutch operation bolt (which requires removal of the swingarm to access it), I used the shift rod instead (the rod attached to the shift rod actuator). WHENEVER the service manual instructions called for using the manual clutch operation bolt (to engage or disengage the clutch), I instead used the shift actuator rod method as I have described below. Otherwise, I followed the instructions exactly as called for in the service manual.

SHIFT ACTUATOR ROD METHOD (explained):
Manually shifting the shift rod towards the front of the bike (shifting it as many times in that direction as it will permit) puts the transmission into neutral and ENGAGES THE CLUTCH. Got it? Neutral = clutch engaged. From that neutral position (clutch engaged), shifting the rod using ONE, hard, swift motion in the opposite direction (towards the back of the bike) will put it into 1st gear (DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH). Got it? 1st gear = clutch disengaged.

Therefore, the shift rod can be used to engage and disengage the clutch...by shifting down to neutral (clutch engaged) and shifting back to 1st gear (clutch disengaged). Again, as already stated above, this method (of using the shift actuator rod for the purpose of putting the clutch into an 'engaged' or 'disengaged' state) can effectively be used instead of having to use the manual clutch operation bolt.
-END-

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

Might sound like a dumb question, but with engine running or not?

 

[mcatrophy]

Might sound like a dumb question, but with engine running or not?

I'd guess ignition on, engine not running.
You could probably achieve the same result by turning the ignition on and off, the MCU cycles the clutch (disengages then re-engages it) as part of its initial system checks.

 

[Oakdave]

Might sound like a dumb question, but with engine running or not?

I performed the procedure without the engine running. There was no electrical input involved whatsoever. Just manually pushing the shift actuator rod forward to neutral (when the process called for engaging the clutch) and back into 1st gear (when the process called for disengaging the clutch).

 

[mcatrophy]

Might sound like a dumb question, but with engine running or not?

I performed the procedure without the engine running. There was no electrical input involved whatsoever. Just manually pushing the shift actuator rod forward to neutral (when the process called for engaging the clutch) and back into 1st gear (when the process called for disengaging the clutch).

I'm not saying you didn't bleed your clutch successfully, but manually operating the gear change will not operate the clutch. There is no mechanical connection between gear linkage and the clutch mechanism.

Example of using the "ignition on-off" method posted here.

 

[PaulNicholls]

Ive tried both the above methods and it appears all ive managed to do is introduce air into the slave cyclinder , which I think got in round the bleed screw threads ...will give it another go ...