Something is giving

[DMPLATT]

The last couple days on my way home from work I romped it a couple times. Once in 2nd and once in 3rd. I could feel something letting loose or slipping. Sorry I can't give a better description, but down here I've got to pay close attention to all the traffic. I let off the throttle right away, and traffic kept me from doing it again. Strange though. It kinda feels like maybe the clutch. But I don't or haven't noticed any other clutch slippage.

I wonder a couple things. It's just under 1,000 miles since oil change. I'm using Castrol GTX 10W-40, this is my 2nd change with it. Could it be clutch slip? Also, it's happend on my way home from work when, or actually AFTER I've been in heavy stop and go traffic. Could the heat have something to do with it? I've noticed that at times when I've been in traffice for a while and the bike is getting hot- it's hard to get into nuetral from 1st when stopped at a light. I have to get it into 2nd, which takes a bit, then try to get into nuetral. Today I actually had to adjust the clutch cable a bit.

The clutch plates and springs are new. The chain tension seems good. My rear is getting worn, but it didn't feel like the wheel was letting go. However I wish I was generating that much HP. :twisted: :twisted:

I also checked my clutch push rod adjustment and it's good.


Thanks for any suggestions.

[daveo]

you should have no trouble breaking the back tire loose on that bike, that would be my first guess, just don't try to replicate it when you're leaned over on a wet road or anything 8O 8O, what are your rpms when you have a hard time getting into neutral? 900-1000 rpms are good for idle

[silverhorse47]

Could your clutch cable be fraying in it's sleeve?

S.

[DMPLATT]

Could your clutch cable be fraying in it's sleeve?

Possible, would this cause problems always, or just certain times? Most times it's fine.

you should have no trouble breaking the back tire loose on that bike, that would be my first guess, just don't try to replicate it when you're leaned over on a wet road or anything , what are your rpms when you have a hard time getting into neutral? 900-1000 rpms are good for idle

You think it could be the tire letting loose? It IS running better since I got the Carbs sorted out. Strange is that it was fine this morning on the way into work. I romped it a couple times, though NOT quite as hard and it didn't slip.
The idle is about 1300 RPM's. THe manual calls for 1100, but it has always liked closer to 1500. As I said, it's fine when just cruising around, or in the morning on the way in. However, when in a lot of traffic and she starts getting hot, I feel the clutch tightening up.
AFter checking the push rod adjustment, I did have to adjust the cable a bit this morning, but seemed fine after that. I'll try it again on the way home, after the traffic and see what happens.

THanks for the info. If it happens again, I'll try to give a better description.

[lhanscom]

You say your clutch is new, is that just the fibers, or did you replace the steels too? Usually you only need to do the fibers, but if the clutch has gotten cooked, the steels can warp, and the clutch will slip even with new fibers. Definitely check all the adjustments first, and if you really want to know if it's your tire, you can let a bit of air out, and try again, it will give you more traction, at the expense of longevity. Don't go nuts with the preassure, just drop it a few pounds. I doubt it's the tire though, I've always known without a doubt when the tire lets go.

[DMPLATT]

You may be right about the clutch plates. I only changed the fibers.
Strange, the clutch is fine until AFTER sitting in traffic and the bike is getting hot. Not overheating, but we can all tell when our bikes are getting pretty hot. Don't even need to look at the temp gage.
Once it hits around 210 on my temp gage ( I know - that's supposed to be a good temp- but my bike doesn't like it that hot), maybe a tad over, the clutch gets to be a bear. Doesn't like between 1st and 2nd. Once I'm moving, it's smooth as silk. Only while stopped AND HOT?

I hit a stretch for about 5 miles where I got to cruise a bit and the bike got back down in temp. Next stretch I romped it and it held pretty good. Some slight slippage in 2nd, but of course this is one of the times my Tach fluffed, so I may have been high in the RPM range. In 3rd it was fine, by then I had to let off a bit. No officer, I wasn't speeding

So, I'm thinking heat issue, and I guess if it doesn't get worse I just won't crank it when it's that hot. Sound reasonable? Or am I sniffing glue again.

Thanks.

P.S. Anyone else ever have heat + clutch issues???

[silverhorse47]

I think it is possible...when only one or two strands are broken the ends can get bent back in the sleeve, so the clutch may occasionally not totally engage...ie the cable may stick in the sleeve sometimes, and not others.

The heat seems to be the most pronounced cause though. If the clutch plates are not slipping you should be able to hold the brake on and engage the clutch with the bike in a (sensibly low) gear, and the bike should stall if the clutch plates are good. If they are slipping, there will be a noticeable increase in RPM as the clutch slips. Be careful when you do this.

S.

[RacingJake]

Sounds like the clutch. Last year at the track my clutch would slip in 3rd due to being worn out, new fibers and no more problem. The longer you soak the new fibers in fresh oil the longer they will live. Due to the trans/gear ratio the clutch doesn't start to feel max torque until 3rd gear.

Next time out stay on the gas in 3rd gear and watch the tach and mph. Mph will stay the same as rpm goes to the roof just as long as it's not the wheel spining.

And as for heat it just expands the disks causing the clutch to drag when the handle is pulled in, adjust the slack in the cable.

Did you install new springs, oops you did. It's either the clutch or the tire, or the sea shells that's in the Florida roads.

Jake

[Anonymous]

clutch

Does the clutch have the same pull pressure as it did before you replaced it, are the plates in the correct order, did you use oem springs, was the clutch basket notched real bad and if so did you file the groves out

[DMPLATT]

When I changed the fiber disks, I installed new springs. Not OEM and NOT HD. I think they were EBC, but I can't remember. I got the disks and springs from Parts unlimited. I soaked them for several hours.
I didn't see any sort of damage to the clutch basket. The steel plates all looked great, no nicks or burrs or anything noticeable. So NO, I didn't file anything. I DIDN'T check the steel plates for warpage either, yet I did check the thickness of them. I'm assuming that I put them back in order. I had the Bike bandit shcematic and the Factory manual. It's bee a few months so memory is failing a bit.

Come to think of it, I thought it was slipping before I changed the fiber plates, that is the reason I changed them. But, I was having all kinds of problems then. Ie... carbs, plug caps. After the new fiber plates it was noticeably better and it's been fine up until just a few days ago.

Tomorrow I'm heading south, so I'll have a few opportunties to check it out in 3rd.

Has anyone had trouble with Castrol GTX? Wonder if I should go back to Shell Rotella? I thought I would use 10W-40 for the winter. :? :? Marbe not?

[DMPLATT]

Re: clutch

Does the clutch have the same pull pressure as it did before you replaced it, are the plates in the correct order, did you use oem springs, was the clutch basket notched real bad and if so did you file the groves out

Didn't answer all your questions. Yes it has very similar pull pressure. However, it gets pretty hard when it's hot.

[DMPLATT]

Ok, went for a ride after work (rained today so didn't ride TO work).
After I let it warm a bit, I got on it fairly good. 2nd was fine, but I did notice a slight slipping at the upper RPM range of 3rd gear. Mind you that my tach is a piece of vintage garbage and not always accurate. It did get over 7k and it was a bit after that that it seemed to slip slightly.
HOWEVER, in NO way does it compare with what I've posted this thread for. It was hardly noticeable, and it could have been the fact that my feet were flapping behind me and I was holding on for dear life. Alright, just kidding. But you get the idea.

So, I MAY have a slipping clutch that gets MUCH worse when very hot.

Hope this clears up my dilema, any suggestions?
I don't really want to go to HD springs as I'm in traffic a lot and my clutch hand has enough as it is. I don't really want to fork over for more clutch disks (fiber). Can I use a washer or something on the springs to give a little more tension? I could and if necessary I WILL check the steel plates for warpage, but somehow I don't think that's the problem, unless it just gets worse when they heat up.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I'd try a different oil first.