Cold Clutch

[dragonchef]

Last 2 weeks or so, when I start up (due to job...I only get to ride about 2x per week...I walk to work), I drop into first and it seems that the clutch is not fully engaged....like it was not pulled in all the way....even killed it 2x...

I put Pazzo levers on, and like to keep them adjusted in (near minimum)....

After adjusting to max, or 1 below max, it works ok...

After it gets hot, I can adjust in again...almost to minimum...

Fluid issue? Something else? Italian parts on my Japanese m/c....any ideas???

 

[C&C]

Perhaps you need to bleed the clutch? (though that would seem to act just the opposite in the cool condition) I'd bleed the system just the same; too easy not to try that first.

 

[shuswaper]

dragan...the symptoms you describe indicate sticking clutch plates, particularly pervasive on the `07s. Mine started doing that real bad this spring. The bike would either stall when I dropped it into gear or, I`d damn near go through the garage wall. The first summer only noticed the tight shifts and the 1-2 second lag before the clutch would let go....I could live with that. But, this year (after the long winter layoff), it irritated the hell out of me when it stalled going into first. That clutch just didn`t want to let go. So, i took the clutch apart and soaked all the discs in oil overnight....put Humpty together again and the clutch/shifts are smooth as silk, like a different bike. Word has it, these things were assembled dry at the factory, with a bit of assembly grease smeared on the outer discs only. :angry:

 

[cheapskate2]

dragan...the symptoms you describe indicate sticking clutch plates, particularly pervasive on the `07s. Mine started doing that real bad this spring. The bike would either stall when I dropped it into gear or, I`d damn near go through the garage wall. The first summer only noticed the tight shifts and the 1-2 second lag before the clutch would let go....I could live with that. But, this year (after the long winter layoff), it irritated the hell out of me when it stalled going into first. That clutch just didn`t want to let go. So, i took the clutch apart and soaked all the discs in oil overnight....put Humpty together again and the clutch/shifts are smooth as silk, like a different bike. Word has it, these things were assembled dry at the factory, with a bit of assembly grease smeared on the outer discs only. :angry:

Amen, Shuswaper. I had exactly the same experience....and the same results. Not even close to the same bike now. Mine did it from day 1 and just got a little worse each time I rode until it started dying going into 1st....especially in the morining. Took the clutches apart and found a sticky black paste. Cleaned, soaked, and rode!!!

Cheapskate2

 

[ELP_JC]

To make matters worse, the new slave on the 07 wasn't 'matched' to the master cylinder, leaving engagement too close to the grip. That makes an otherwise irrelevant issue into a problem. Mine hasn't acted up (yet!) with synthetic oil, but I know it can happen. This was supposedly fixed in 08, but don't know if by going back to the old slave, or by updating the master cylinder.

If it happens to me, I'd probably replace the slave with either a GenI or '08 (if different indeed). Just can't get used to the engagement so close to the grip, even when it's my only bike now. Good day.

JC

 

[DonRed7]

If one was to zip tie in the clutch to the bar,.How many extra liters of oil could be added to the motor/tran to bring the level up so as to actually soak the plates without removing them. Naturally of course hiding the key until the "extra" oil was removed. Is this totally out to lunch or would an extra 5 or 8 liters actually be high enough to at least cover the bottom half of the plates. I mean over the space of a rainy weekend you could rotate the clutch a couple of times and then drain out the extra oil,.. then go find the keys.

Anything to not take shit apart.......

-Don

 

[dragonchef]

Thanks all....this was knd of what I was hoping not to hear....

 

[bramfrank]

Or, you could simply have lots of air in your hydraulic lines.

When cold, the air has less volume and you would need more 'push' to spread the plates.

When warmed up, the air in the lines takes up more volume and you can pull less . . . .

I'd start by bleeding the system properly.

 

[FredandJeannesRacer]

I had a similar problem with my cold clutch,

until I switched to synthetic oil.

Now there's no more clunking when 1st gear is engaged.

 

[J-DADDY]

I had a similar problem with my cold clutch, until I switched to synthetic oil.

Now there's no more clunking when 1st gear is engaged.

I wish I could report the same with my '05!

I've tried full synthetic, dino (currently Rotella 15-40 dino) with no noticable difference.

The tranny shifts better when cold, including the "clunk when engaging first gear.

Before start up I leave it in gear, pull in the clutch lever and move the bike to "break loose" the clutch plates. No problem-easy to perform.

I'm envious of your "no clunk into 1st" findings using synthetic oil!

Any ideas out there?

JC

 

[shuswaper]

If one was to zip tie in the clutch to the bar,.How many extra liters of oil could be added to the motor/tran to bring the level up so as to actually soak the plates without removing them. Naturally of course hiding the key until the "extra" oil was removed. Is this totally out to lunch or would an extra 5 or 8 liters actually be high enough to at least cover the bottom half of the plates. I mean over the space of a rainy weekend you could rotate the clutch a couple of times and then drain out the extra oil,.. then go find the keys.
Anything to not take shit apart.......

-Don

This idea, while certainly interesting, would not have worked in my case. When I removed the clutch pack, the outermost and innermost fibre discs were stuck pretty hard on their respective steel discs. So much so, it took a thin flat bladed screwdriver to get them apart. How long these things were like that I don`t know, but when I got them apart, there was left a very distinct (almost photographic) impression on the steel discs. A very thorough cleaning with varsol was in order prior to soaking all the discs in oil. Alls well that ends well.

 

[DonRed7]

Shuswaper,..How many hour's did you put in to pulling the basket soaking and reassembly? If it would smooth stuff out i guess it's worth while, did you not trust the dealer to do it or did you just realize it was easier to do yourself than put up with their bs?

After realizing this morning just how "stacked up" the clutch pack is i think one would have to lift the front up a couple of feet to get extra oil up and back there.

-Don

 

[shuswaper]

Don..the whole job only took me about 2 1/2 hrs, not counting the overnight time to soak the discs in the very oil I just drained from the crankcase that I was going to replace anyways. I have the factory service manual and have worked on a few clutches in the past so I felt pretty confident...the warranty was over and I like working on bikes. To make things easy, I did not remove the basket. I was able to slip the discs along with a small screwdriver, sorta like walking them from each side, moving them forward till I good grab them with my fingers. This was the first clutch I`ve ever had that did not have individual coil springs on the pressure plate. Instead, one large diaphram spring to do the job...kinda like that idea. But, by all means, have a service manual on hand for the exact parts location/order and torque values! Good Luck with it in any case.

 

[Scooter Mike]

I had a similar problem with my cold clutch, until I switched to synthetic oil.

Now there's no more clunking when 1st gear is engaged.

Fred,

I just had the dealer take the bike in and check for this same situation after I was launced into the back of a Honda Accord's bumper at a stop sign because the clutch didn't disengage the trannie from the drive shaft. I couldn't tell if the trannie was bad or the clutch wasn't working. I was told that the Amsoil I was using may have caused the problem. I searched the service manual for anything that declared synthetic oil a no-no in the FJR and there is no reference to it at all.

Today, after reading this thread, I do not believe it was the oil after all. The clutch plates were all gooey (not slippery) and stuck together when the clutch was taken apart this morning. The bike has 4700 miles on it.

I have sent this thread along to the dealer.

Thanks to everyone for this invaluable information.