GS1000G Clutch - New Cable - Slips @ speed but won't slip when stationary.

[Jedz123]

Greetings.
I just replaced the cable on my 1980 GS1000G because the PO put drag bars on and routed the cable oddly and caused some pinching issues (at least I thought) I would often either have too much pull causing the clutch to slip or not enough pull and the bike would try to crawl in gear. . So I bought a new cable, Rerouted the brand new cable and now the bike is doing the same thing, I've got the adjustments basically all the way out and the bike is still acting odd. It wants to crawl and stall (hard shift if stationary) with the lever to the bar but once on the open road and I give it a good WHACK the clutch slips a bit as if the cable is too tight. I'm at a loss because I thought the issue would be resolved with replacing the damaged cable but it definitely has followed me over to this new cable. The adjustments are basically almost all the way tight, I've never seen anything like it, on the other GS (often I go loose because I like the friction zone right off the bar not high on the perch) . I'm reefing the lever and I can't get the clutch to slip /og into neutral through clutch pull, it acts like the cable is too loose but than again on the road I can get the clutch to slip with a whack of power in 3rd 4th or 5th as if the cable is too tight?
Not too familiar with the big block 8V/Shaft clutch setup, I'm guessing it's similar to design to the 8V 750's? Maybe it's time to just swap out the springs and try again? I just find it odd that I'm almost all the way out on the cable adjustment points and I'm still getting these weird symptoms.
Any insight would be appreciated. I don't want to order parts if it's something silly I could try differently. (Maybe move the clutch arm up a spline or 2 on the cover?).
Best,
-Justin

[tom203]

….(Maybe move the clutch arm up a spline or 2 on the cover?).“

yes, try this. The angle of clutch arm to its anchor point is critical. Pic shows my 650 setup which is different than the others……my anchor point is further back on crankcase. I push on arm till I feel clutch resistance.

[zed1015]

Clutch dragging at low speed and slipping underload is warped plain clutch plates and probably worn out frictions.
New clutch pack needed.

[rphillips]

Clutch arm should be where it moves the farthest with a complete pull of the lever. If clutch cable was mounted perpendicular to the clutch cover, the arm should sit at 5 o'clock at rest and 7 o'clock when completely pulled in. I think your 1000G cable mounts at an angle, probably, roughly, 6 o'clock at rest and 8 o'clock completely pulled in should be close... A thought, Don't know what the PO may have done, but if he used some super slick oil or oil additive, that will cause this exact problem. BTDT. It took mine a couple of oil changes to get the stuff cleared out.

[Jedz123]

Clutch dragging at low speed and slipping underload is warped plain clutch plates and probably worn out frictions.
New clutch pack needed.

I had slip bad on my first GS750 and a few others I've owned but the lowe end crawl was never a symptom. Warped discs though make perfect sense. These isses always seem to become apparent after you get the bike to good running condition. Might be similar situation here as the bike is now dialed in with new Delkevic 4-1 and is running like a lunatic. I'm not opposed to replacing the pack after trying a few of these startegies suggested first.

Best,

[Jedz123]

….(Maybe move the clutch arm up a spline or 2 on the cover?).“

yes, try this. The angle of clutch arm to its anchor point is critical. Pic shows my 650 setup which is different than the others……my anchor point is further back on crankcase. I push on arm till I feel clutch resistance.

Clutch arm should be where it moves the farthest with a complete pull of the lever. If clutch cable was mounted perpendicular to the clutch cover, the arm should sit at 5 o'clock at rest and 7 o'clock when completely pulled in. I think your 1000G cable mounts at an angle, probably, roughly, 6 o'clock at rest and 8 o'clock completely pulled in should be close... A thought, Don't know what the PO may have done, but if he used some super slick oil or oil additive, that will cause this exact problem. BTDT. It took mine a couple of oil changes to get the stuff cleared out.

I'll give this a look and go when the sun comes up.

The oil is also a good theory. I wasn't to confident in the mechanical prowless of the PO. He told me he restored the bike but when I looked at it and then rode it (with a non working electrical system and no front brakes) I knew I had a project on my hands. Would doubt 5W-30 might have made its way in there at some point.

Thanks a million guys for allowing me the option to share my thoughts openly and for you offering your advice.

Best,

[Big Block]

Yes: Lots of guys don't check the spec on the car oil they put into a bike.

[rphillips]

The additive that got me was called "Slick 50". I don't know if it will help reduce friction in engines, but it sure reduced the friction on my clutch plates a lot. Also it wasn't the additive that made it hard to shift at low speed or find neutral, that was caused by me loosening the cable too much, trying to get the clutch not to slip.

[Grimly]

The additive that got me was called "Slick 50". I don't know if it will help reduce friction in engines, but it sure reduced the friction on my clutch plates a lot. Also it wasn't the additive that made it hard to shift at low speed or find neutral, that was caused by me loosening the cable too much, trying to get the clutch not to slip.

I put Slick 50 in my engine, but only the once and I played it cautious by putting in half the dose.
The power of hype, even I was suckered by it.
The only thing I put in oil for these engines nowadays is ZDDP, and preferably use an oil that's got either a reasonably high content to start with, or other safe friction reducing compounds that pose no danger to clutches.

[zed1015]

Slick 50,Molyslip and other friction reducers etc are not for use in engines with wet clutches running in the same oil.
It works great in cars, trucks and old brit pre unit stuff etc where the clutch is dry or in a seperate oil bath.

[Jedz123]

Update
So went for a 100 mile ride after playing with the perch on the cover. Clutch play and pull is fixed and the pull is smooth and precise but noticing the issue still although I can tell you exactly what is happening.
I am getting slip consistently in the upper gears with snap to WOT in 3rd, 4th and 5th. If I adjust the cable for more slack I get the clutch grab and hard neutral shifts when stationary BUT the clutch still slips in the same spots. I adjust the cable to where I like the friction zone (right off the Bar) the lurching is gone when stopped and neutral shifts are easy but still getting the slip. My guess is the clutch springs are now out of clearance or the clutch pack/fibers are also out of clearance (or both). My plan is to order some new springs first to see if they fix the issue with clutch slip.
Other than that the bike runs awesome, +100 MPH with breeze but slips if you go for all the ponies. At cruise you don't even notice the clutch issues so guessing it might have had these issues for some time and now that I have it running great the weak clutch is not keeping up to the rest of the machine.

Also won't rule out that there might be some residual friction modifier oil in there but because it seems like there is a very on off point to where the clutch grabs when stationary to not grabbing at all (talking 1/2 turn on the adjustment on the case) it feels like this is more of a spring height issue. Who knows?

It's a creampuff of a rig, that's all I can say. I think it's probably the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden in stock form.
Best,

[Grimly]

If those are still the original springs in the clutch, they'll be shagged by now.

[Cipher]

There is a very clear procedure in the manual for checking all the clutch components.
Feeler gauges, spring tester(though this is likely more expensive to buy than a new set of springs) caliper to check thickness off steels ans fibres at multiple locations.
flatest surface you can find. In a household this is a sheet of modern glass.

Antime I ever had an issue like this it was always the adjustment of the cable.
Does this 1000 uses a mid point adjuster in the cable? Does the cable slip freely in the jacket when detached? There is almost no resistance in a new cable to this.

[Jedz123]

If those are still the original springs in the clutch, they'll be shagged by now.

I would not doubt they are original. The spring fatigue after 42 years is likely the culprit.

[Jedz123]

There is a very clear procedure in the manual for checking all the clutch components.
Feeler gauges, spring tester(though this is likely more expensive to buy than a new set of springs) caliper to check thickness off steels ans fibres at multiple locations.
flatest surface you can find. In a household this is a sheet of modern glass.

Antime I ever had an issue like this it was always the adjustment of the cable.
Does this 1000 uses a mid point adjuster in the cable? Does the cable slip freely in the jacket when detached? There is almost no resistance in a new cable to this.

It's a brand new cable; yes it has mid point adjustment and have used that with case adjustment and now can fine tune with the handlebar adjustment to get where the bike is now. Friction point is just off the bar (lever fully pulled) just where I like it (set the same on all my other machines). Bike goes into a clutched neutral just fine with the lever fully pulled and starts to engages about10-15mm off the bar and if fully engaged to about 1/4 pull where you can move to not pulled to 1/4 pull and the clutch is still engaged.

Clutch cable replacement and clutch arm adjustment brought allot of clarity to where the friction zone is but now that I have my adjustments spot on there is definitely a slippage just in the top 3 gears under WOT.

Springs cost me $10 amazon shipped (be here by the weekend). EBC 10% stronger than stock units. I'm willing to bet when I pull the springs in there they will be short and tired. I've had worn springs in a few other GS bikes and this feels allot like this now after I followed the recommendations of clutch arm adjustment and cable replacement.

Thank you all for your guidance!