gs1100gk slipping?

[PanheadJosh74]

Ok today when I was out on the bike I noticed what I would call slipping. Id take off the motor would rev and then rev high like it slipped, then it would catch again. So I checked both spots that took the hypoid and they were both low. I toped them off but the problems still there. I know my clutch cable is getting bad but I dont think this is related. What is going on and how do I fix it? Im broke if this is not an easy fix I will probally be forced to sell it and put what ever I get out of it towards bills. I sure hope this is not the case.

Pan

[Redman]

Yep, sounds like clutch slipping. RPMs increase faster than speed increases, right?

Low hypoid oil will not cause clutch slipping. (clutch is in engine oil).
Worn clutch plates and/or weak clutch springs are the most likley cause of clutch splipping. Clutch plates and springs about $130 - 150 bucks and is fairley easy to replace with moderate mechanincal skills.

But also check that clutch cable isnt too tight (that it has a little bit of slack, just enough to wiggle the lever). And sometimes some systnetic oils can cause clutch to slip.

Maybe can take it easy and not accelerate too hard so it doesnt slip too much, but it will probably get worse such that it slipps more and more.

Anybody have an extra set of clutch plates sitting around...?....

[semerm]

what kind of oil are you running? Are you sure it is for mc's? synthetic?

[Billy Ricks]

Just for grins Josh it wouldn't hurt to pull the cable and put it in a pan with some diesel or some other solvent and slip the cable back and forth in it's housing to try and clean it up. After a dozen or so times of sliding the cable in the housing stretch it out and let it drain then repeat the process a few times. After it's drained good run a little oil down it. I've heard of people using balloons with a little oil in them to squeeze into the cable.

[PanheadJosh74]

Im using ...

Valvoline 4 stroke 10W-40 motorcycle oil with superior wet clutch protection. Would having too much oil in the bike cause it to slip? I have had to play with my clutch cable alot in the last week. It seems like it keeps stretching and I have to keep adjusting it. (ive been adjusting it below since i have no more adjustment up top) I cant adjust it anymore and the bike still wants to roll under power a bit with the clutch pulled all the way in. Maybe my cables just shot and Ive over adjusted it? I know that the book says the lever should be in alignment with the bike but mine hangs out a little to the right as I sit on the bike. This cable is past fixing. What should I be looking for?

My Respect
Pan

[Billy Ricks]

Valvoline 4 stroke 10W-40 motorcycle oil with superior wet clutch protection. Would having too much oil in the bike cause it to slip? I have had to play with my clutch cable alot in the last week. It seems like it keeps stretching and I have to keep adjusting it. (ive been adjusting it below since i have no more adjustment up top) I cant adjust it anymore and the bike still wants to roll under power a bit with the clutch pulled all the way in. Maybe my cables just shot and Ive over adjusted it? I know that the book says the lever should be in alignment with the bike but mine hangs out a little to the right as I sit on the bike. This cable is past fixing. What should I be looking for?

My Respect
Pan

Guess it's not the cable binding and not letting the clutch disengage then. Too much oil wouldn't cause it either. Gotta be either plates or springs, maybe both. Only way to know is inspect the plates and measure the springs.

[PanheadJosh74]

My book has specs...

For the spring lenght and clutch plate thickness. I guess I will have to borrow one of my dads micromiters or take it over to him and have him help me with this stuff. Ive never been to good with micing stuff. The book says i can just replace springs or just replace single plates if they are bad? Am I reading this right. What about putting harley springs in I saw someone on the board did this? I know this bike has very very high miles on it and is probally on the origonal clutch. When I got it there was something like 83,000 miles on it and the guy I got it from had had no major internal problems. Most them miles were highway miles as he travels from IL. to LA a couple times a year. The bike runs great despite its miles. Like a true dream, Does not burn oil or anything. I know he was very picky and the bike was very well maintained up untill the last couple years when his cancer got bad.

My Respect
Pan

[Billy Ricks]

I'm doing a little checking for you. I dug up 5 new springs for my bike. Just trying to cross reference and see if they might be the same as yours.

[Billy Ricks]

Different part numbers on the springs.

[Billy Ricks]

Check your PM Josh.

[bwringer]

Since you're trying to save a few bucks, I'd simply replace the springs if I were you. I seriously doubt the clutch plates are worn out.

Clutch springs are only $14.95 a set at CRC2:

http://crc2onlinecatalog.com/

They will also have the clutch cable you need for a great price.

I'm not sure if they also have the clutch cover gasket, but if you've replaced that sometime in the last several years, you should be able to re-use the old gasket. Other than that, it's quite simple -- just remove the bolts, pick out the old springs, squash 'em down to install the bolts, and put the cover back on. An easy 20 minutes if you stop to look for your *&^%$#! 10mm socket that rolled away again...

The clutch springs on my 850 were sagged far below the minimum height spec. The clutch was slipping when I really romped on the throttle.

I did install new clutch plates because I had them sitting there (purchased years ago for a previous engine), but the old ones had virtually no wear at 72,000 miles -- wet clutches last a LONG time.

All parts were Vesrah from CRC2, and the clutch feels perfect now.

[PanheadJosh74]

Winger ...

Thank you,

Im hoping the clutchs are good I see they are not real pricey each, its the number of them total that bites ya in the butt!! Im always looking for places to buy cheap parts but I refuse to buy low quality parts. Im a pretty good wrench but I dont want to do the job more then once! Thanks for the advice

Pan

[Redman]

Saw clutch plates on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-Clutch-Plates-GS1100E-G-GK-GK2-80-82-9-Pcs-NEW_W0QQitemZ4649889779QQcategoryZ35595QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

My expereince with clutch plates is that they can slip if they get hard-brittle, even if they are not worn thin and are still within the 'service limits' of thickness.