Clutch Mystery...

[jrpdark]

Hi

Lovely day today so I sprang out of bed at 8.15 for a quick blat round the hills (actually I was up at 6 but that's a different story), but the clutch has gone very strange.

TBH I haven't used the bike since the beginning of September (shameful I know, kids, DIY, trail bikes, mountain bikes, etc), but last time I did it was fine.

Today the clutch lever has no feel at all for the first 1.5" or so, then the biting point is nearly at the bar. Made control v difficult and in fact, ruined the ride (well the roads were quite slimey at that time of the morning too).

I guess it's air in the system needing a bleed, but how could that happen when the bike has been standing for 2 months, and was fine last time I rode it?

What else, well, the fluid in the reservoir had dropped very low and I topped it up, but that was in the summer and I have ridden it quite a bit since. Other than that, nothing has changed.

Any ideas?

Cheers

James :confused:

[Doug]

I'd be looking at the slave cylinder seal.

[Duncan]

Pull the lever in and clamp it there overnight. Next day it should be just fine without having to bleed it.

[jrpdark]

Thank you both. I am trying Duncan's suggestion now (that works for spongy brakes I know). I sincerely hope it isn't the slave cylinder seal, but I know that Ducatis are famous for that. If it is, expect a how do I...? thread to appear in due course!

Cheers

J

[ladybird]

Have experiencing the joys of random non-clutch myself (last night in the middle of nowhere at a roundabout and then several junctions) and I've only not ridden her for a week. :confused:
Did notice that the cap on the resevoir was a bit loose.
Had to do two/three mins of some odd pumping of clutch and twiddling of dial to actually get it working long enough to get into first and pull off.
I managed to get home eventually though.


I too shall be trying the clamp it option as I have no idea what a slave cylinder seal is.

[jrpdark]

Good luck Ladybird.

I clamped the lever in overnight and sadly I have no clutch at all now! This is not a reflection on Duncan's advice, which might well have worked (clamping the lever leaves the master cylinder bore open so in theory allowing any bubbles to find their own way out overnight) - so it's worth a try.

Sadly I think I need to be looking at Doug's suggestion. The slave cylinder is at the noisy end of the clutch line and replacing the seal no doubt involves lots of skinned knuckles and swearing, followed by the hideous expense of giving up and taking it to someone who knows what they're doing.

Heavy sigh...

[Wabbitkilla]

Sometimes best just to replace the whole cylinder. Water gets in with the chain lube chucked from the front sprocket. The piston and cylinder corrode and it's pointless changing the seal itself eventually (i learned the hard way). You can get slave cylinders that actually improve movement nowadays so will be well worth it.

I seem to remember an American company started to make a protection plate that fits in the sprocket housing which protects the slave cylinder and casing in case of a chain brake!

[Doug]

It's a piece of cake to change the seal, 10 mins at the most.

You're right NicF, it's pointless just changing the seal without finding out why it went but it certainly gets you going again without costing a fortune. Mine went about 4 years ago and all I did was change the seal, it's only in the last couple of weeks that it's started leaking again.

James, while you're in there it's probably a good idea to give the clutch pushrod a bit of a wipe over and put some lube on it too.

[Wabbitkilla]

You're absolutely right, what've you got to lose by changing the seal. You have to get the piston out anyway so you can check for corrosion while you're in there. If you get a good seal, hey presto, if not then at least you've tried.

[ladybird]

hmm, well after a few weeks procrastination I dusted off the bike to try out the seemingly fixed clutch...well did about 70 of the 76 miles I had to go and well, back to square one :(

looks like a trip to the shoppe for my babe

lovely people at Carol Nash sent out a very nice man in van to carry me and the bike home

why is it that if you haven't ridden for a little while then push your bike about 1/4mile it feels like someone has beaten you round the upper arms, shoulders and back...

an ideas on a rough cost for the fixage?

[Zimbo]

Give Louigi Moto a call (Rich Lewellen) he does refurbished clutch slave cyliders with high spec new seals fitted for, as far as i recall, about £15. Takes five minutes to swap them over, and then it's just a case of bleeding the clutch, not hard but if you've no idea what you're doing see if you can get a mate to help that does.

www.louigimoto.co.uk/

[jrpdark]

I've just ordered one of these from Rich at Louigi Moto for £20 exchange. Very nice bloke, very helpful.

Expect a "how do I bleed the clutch?" thread here soon....:dunce:

[ladybird]

oh, i found out i had actually obliterated my clutch :eyepopping: and had it replaced.

and then i did it again 3000 miles later, hmm change in riding style needed for london methinks, definitely more use of netural :dunce: lets see how long this one lasts