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August 7, 2010 at 12:02 am #98816
Had an isssue with my clutch. During the Bike Territory pony express it felt like it was slipping but I put it down to no traction in the mud. Went for a short ride after bike was cleaned and all seemed fine. Narrabri pony express practice lap by the time I got back to the pits I could be in band in top gear doing 40 km/hr. Slipping bad. Thought my plates were screwed so bike over in the pits side cover off and the cheap mans clutch fix, rotate the plates. Back together and it’s worse than before.
Asked a mate who is a mechanic to have a look (race has started by this point and my partner is out there). Apparently I had no free play (i think that’s what he called it). Anyway we cracked the bleed nipple squeezed a bit of fluid out and it was perfect again. I have bled the clutch hydraulic system since and am going for a ride tomorrow to check how I went.
I don’t understand how this freeplay exists. It’s a hydraulic system it’s not meant to have any slack in there. Can somebody explain this to me. Can it be adjusted? If so How?
I can’t feel any free play in there but then again I couldn’t tell the difference at the track after it was fixed either.
Good news is my clutch plates looked fine. No notches or discolouration. Does the thickness need to be measured when checking. I didn’t do that. 4000km on an 09 300. First clutch maintenance ever.
The old fluid certainly looked like it had earnt its keep. Very dark.
Anything else I need to be checking that could be causing issues.
August 7, 2010 at 2:17 am #185456Hi Bundy, from memory on my 03 300 there was an adjuster on the leaver?? it can be adjusted out so it just rests against the master cylinder plunger. if it has crept inward with vibration and movement over time it may be holding enough pressure on the master cylinder to pressurise the system.
there would be a minimal amount of free play as such . but just enough so that when you first pull in the clutch it progressively puts pressure at the slave cylinder/clutch end.
basically so that it dose not fully disengage the clutch with little movement pulling in the clutch leaver.
if there is no adjuster on your clutch leaver, i’m not sure how you’d go about fixing the problem.
hopefully some of the more knowledgeable guys will be after their ride(s) and shed more light on the problem for you.
August 7, 2010 at 3:15 am #185460
AnonymousDick says hello Bundyroy
Dick says hydraulic clutche reserviours should not be overfilled or as the fluid heats up it will disengage the clutch.
Dick also believes that Mr Transit is correct in his memory the KTMs of that era did have an adjuster on the clutch lever that also needs freeplay.
Dick has spoken, Dick will return to check your progress Bundyroy
Dick is leaving the building now.August 8, 2010 at 11:56 pm #185466Thanks for your replies xy-transit and Dick Dastardly. My bike does have the adjustment screw but my understanding is that this just adjust the position of the lever in relation to the bars. I played with this at the time and it made no difference so I don’t think it was part of the issue.
Dick’s comment about the reservoir being overfull may be valid though. I remember thinking there was an awful lot of fluid in there. What I don’t understand is why it suddenly become a problem after 4000km. I had never had the reservoir lid off until that point.
Anyway bleeding the system seems to have fixed it. It all worked well on the weekend. Just hoping it is not something else that will cause it to come back over time.
August 9, 2010 at 12:15 am #185514No worries Roy, i’m happy to share the knowledge i don’t have :blink: :laugh:
but if it was overfull and with the conditions of the PE, the fluid may have been getting hotter than usual, and expanding, which would create the extra pressure in the system.
i’m not sure, someone with more info may straiten me out. but dose clutch and or brake fluid loose it’s ability to cope with heat etc. as it gets older??
there are brake fluid reservoir extenders and brake slave cylinder heat sinks to help keep the brake fluid a bit cooler for the same reason as it gets hot and holds pressure on the rear brake.
maybe if it presents with the problem again. change the fluid and bleed it and see what happen from there.
August 9, 2010 at 12:33 am #185457xy, I have changed the fluid now. I’m hoping what you said about brake fluid not lasting forever is the problem. Maybe 125 hour brake fluid change intervals is just a tad to long.
August 9, 2010 at 1:25 am #185515Bundyroy wrote:
Quote:Thanks for your replies xy-transit and Dick Dastardly. My bike does have the adjustment screw but my understanding is that this just adjust the position of the lever in relation to the bars. I played with this at the time and it made no difference so I don’t think it was part of the issue.Dick’s comment about the reservoir being overfull may be valid though. I remember thinking there was an awful lot of fluid in there. What I don’t understand is why it suddenly become a problem after 4000km. I had never had the reservoir lid off until that point.
Anyway bleeding the system seems to have fixed it. It all worked well on the weekend. Just hoping it is not something else that will cause it to come back over time.
Roy, clutch fluid is hydroscopic isn’t it? It is possible that somehow you have had water get into the system, even through the fluid absorbing moisture from the air? In theory there should be no contact between the clutch fluid and either the air or incoming water, but that is one way I can think of for the fluid level to increase over time. I don’t think clutch fluid expands as it ages so I can’t come up with any other logical explanation. :blink:
Sorry, not a lot of help here, but I believe that your mechanic mate has it right, there was no free play at the clutch side of the system. Just have no idea why!! :blush:
August 10, 2010 at 9:27 am #185458i had the same problem with handlebarbar mounted rear brake…i fitted it to ktm when i ran a rekluse clutch….aftewr a few k’s the rear brake would come on… :huh:the ktm gurus put ne right…the piston was too far in, blocking the bleed back hole (which can be felt with a piece of wire if not seen looking down the reservoir…i had adjusted the piston to give handlebar clearance which caused the problem…suggest you adjust the piston back towards the lever then backbleed then all should be good…hope you get it sorted..russ
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