Clutch failing

[Farmboy]

Let me ask you about my clutch if a may...
Went for a short ride on Sunday and noticed my clutch not wanting to disengage and about pushed me threw a light and then liked to never got it in neutral. Got it home and checked the fluid and it was bone dry!! No leak found. I see the slave cylinder is internal. I guess a trip to the dealer may be in order but wanted to run this by you guys first. Any thoughts?

 

[NancysToy]

If there is no external sign of leakage, it is probably the slave cylinder, but that fluid has to go somewhere, and often leaks from the housing a bit, depending on how the slave failed. The side cover will have to be pulled to investigate further.

 

[docdoru]

When was the last time your dealer check the fluid level?

 

[Farmboy]

It would seem to me that you' should be able to see some residue of the clutch fluid somewhere.

Obvious question, did you try to refill & bleed?

yes and it held.... but it did have to go some where unless the clutches has worn down enoph to lower the flued level so far to get air.. dont know.
only got 6000 miles on it

 

[Farmboy]

When was the last time your dealer check the fluid level?

prob. never!! I have to admit that I havent never checked it.

 

[Farmboy]

If there is no external sign of leakage, it is probably the slave cylinder, but that fluid has to go somewhere, and often leaks from the housing a bit, depending on how the slave failed. The side cover will have to be pulled to investigate further.

That side cover.... will I lose oil if I pull it to check the slave?

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: So you don't know where the missing fluid went. :yikes:
As long as it's working now; let's hope that it's been cured with the transfusion! :thumbup:

 

[boborgera]

Isn't the oil and clutch fluid/oil one and the same [one dip stick]??

 

[billybovine]

Isn't the oil and clutch fluid/oil one and the same [one dip stick]??

No

 

[Lamonster]

That side cover.... will I lose oil if I pull it to check the slave?

Jack up the right side a bit and you'll be fine. I've seen this another time before at my dealers shop.

 

[spyryder]

Clutch fluid level is easy to check, there's a sight glass on the cover:

Edit: That's for the RS/GS.....RT's haven't got the sight glass pps:

 

[bmwlarry]

What about the SE5? I thought it had the same clutch but the way it is actuated is different.

 

[billybovine]

What about the SE5? I thought it had the same clutch but the way it is actuated is different.

The SE5 clutch uses a centrifugal mechanism to engage and disengage the clutch and a hydraulic cylinder to override the engagement during gear shifts using engine oil as the operating fluid.

 

[gypsy_100]

Same Problem

Let me ask you about my clutch if a may...
Went for a short ride on Sunday and noticed my clutch not wanting to disengage and about pushed me threw a light and then liked to never got it in neutral. Got it home and checked the fluid and it was bone dry!! No leak found. I see the slave cylinder is internal. I guess a trip to the dealer may be in order but wanted to run this by you guys first. Any thoughts?

I had this exact problem this summer. Failed totally like the lever wasn't connected to anything. I bled and re-bled hoping I could get enough pressure to operate the clutch and ride it to the dealer but all the bleeding did absolutely nothing. Trucked it to the dealer. Dealer found a faulty o-ring in the slave cylinder. He showed it to me and it looked like it had been nicked in original assembly, although it took 8K miles to show up as a fault. Can't quite figure that out. Anyway, he rebuilt the whole slave cylinder with mucho parts -- all under warranty. I've put another 11K on since then with no problem. Hopefully it was just sloppy original assembly and not a defect that will show up widely. Let's hope you and I are the only two in this elite club.

 

[Farmboy]

I had this exact problem this summer. Failed totally like the lever wasn't connected to anything. I bled and re-bled hoping I could get enough pressure to operate the clutch and ride it to the dealer but all the bleeding did absolutely nothing. Trucked it to the dealer. Dealer found a faulty o-ring in the slave cylinder. He showed it to me and it looked like it had been nicked in original assembly, although it took 8K miles to show up as a fault. Can't quite figure that out. Anyway, he rebuilt the whole slave cylinder with mucho parts -- all under warranty. I've put another 11K on since then with no problem. Hopefully it was just sloppy original assembly and not a defect that will show up widely. Let's hope you and I are the only two in this elite club.

I got o-ring's ordered and a new diaphragm. Was soaked in brake fluid. One of the o rings was torn in half. This should of not of happened at 6500 miles. Had to of been a screw up at the factory. Talked to a dealer and they stated they have rebuilt several slave cylinders this past summer for the same reason. A very easy rebuild. just takes longer to get the Tupperware off than to do the job :banghead: [TABLE="class: gv"]
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[gypsy_100]

One of the o rings was torn in half. This should of not of happened at 6500 miles. Had to of been a screw up at the factory. Talked to a dealer and they stated they have rebuilt several slave cylinders this past summer for the same reason. :banghead: [TABLE="class: gv"]
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Glad to hear your fix is "in progress". Sorry to hear others have had the problem. Mine occurred shortly before we were leaving PA for Alaska. Boy, am I glad it did! A rebuild on the road at a general motorcycle shop would not have been a good idea. I carried the shop manual on CD but still...

 

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear your fix is "in progress".

:agree: :thumbup: Good Luck with the re-assembly!