Tranny Slipping? Or is it just the oil?

[spyder01]

Couple of points if I may,1,Lamonster sells factory oil,2,spyders use a standard type motorcycle engine which they then designed a electronic shifting and clutching system for.The system is built into the clutch cover which can be taken off the side of the eng.Inside this cover is a oil pump strictly for the clutch,it uses eng oil to apply or release the clutch plates as directed by the computer.There are variuos sensors to let the comp know if the clutch did what was directed and also to know if the trans shifted into the correct gear it was told to.Im wondering if your eng is actually reving up or is the tach just telling you it is,but im sure you could tell that by the sound.If it is reving up while under a steady cruise then your clutch is slipping not the trans,thats not possible.You could have a number of problems that could cause a momentary loss of apply pressure,but the sensors are there to record these type events and the dealer can hook up their scanner and watch the goings on while driving but it would have to act up for them.Its possible that it may have set a trouble code or a pending code which may only be visible to a factory scan tool(buds unit I think its called).They're is also a filter on the side of the clutch cover that gets changed at 28k,I doubt if thats even a possibility,but if the clutch is coming apart or anything else in the trans the evidence will be in the filter.All this info starts on page 185 of the gearbox section of the factory manual.Let us know what happens please.

 

[BajaRon]

I would be interested in what oil you used when the problem started. You say you switched from the BRP oil to something else. The reason I ask is that once the clutch starts slipping, it's toast. Changing oil will not fix the problem. So, it is possible that the oil WAS the problem. But no longer the solution.

 

[JP58]

I would be interested in what oil you used when the problem started. You say you switched from the BRP oil to something else. The reason I ask is that once the clutch starts slipping, it's toast. Changing oil will not fix the problem. So, it is possible that the oil WAS the problem. But no longer the solution.

He was using Brp factory oil. No problem. Then used lamonsters spectral and started slipping. I was using factory brp oil. And just changed to lamonsters last fall. So will be riding soon. Hope I do not get this issue.

 

[BajaRon]

He was using Brp factory oil. No problem. Then used lamonsters spectral and started slipping. I was using factory brp oil. And just changed to lamonsters last fall. So will be riding soon. Hope I do not get this issue.

OK, maybe I missed that information along the way. I don't think it would be the Lamonster oil. So, we can probably take this off the table as a possible cause. The SE5 clutch is pretty bullet proof and will last a very long time as long as it is treated right and there are no component failures, of course. Always good to know the cause, if possible.

 

[JP58]

OK, maybe I missed that information along the way. I don't think it would be the Lamonster oil. So, we can probably take this off the table as a possible cause. The SE5 clutch is pretty bullet proof and will last a very long time as long as it is treated right and there are no component failures, of course. Shifting at too low an RPM on an SE5 is also a common way to destroy the clutch. But there are other possibilities. Always good to know the cause, if possible.

Ron it is a 2019 RT se6.

 

[BajaRon]

Ron it is a 2019 RT se6.

Definitely off my game today! Thank you for the correction. Even less likely that the oil was the problem as the SE6 clutch is much more forgiving than the SE5. Sounds like a component failure is more likely going to be the culpret.

 

[P.W.]

Today it started slipping in 5th gear on almost any hill.... flat ground with hardly any load on the clutches it was fine.
But I need to get this figured out before we start towing our Freedom trailer we just bought because that will destroy it for sure.
Anyway.... It Will be a few weeks before the dealer can get it in to look at it but I'll be sure to let you guy's know what they found out....

 

[Possible]

If it were mine, I wouldn't ride it anymore until it's fixed.

 

[JP58]

I just got back from my first 70 mile ride with new Lamonster oil in my 2018 F3L. It ran great. Shifted smoother than with brp oil. No problem with his oil. I think something is broken in your clutch. Probably a spring or something that keeps pressure on the plates. Is there another dealer near you that can look at it sooner. Glad I have 3 can am dealers within 40 miles from me.

 

[P.W.]

The dealer we went to today was about 140 miles away.... went there because we bought a 2015 Freedom trailer from them a few weeks back. While we're there to pick the trailer up, they can look at the tranny/clutches at the same time.
If I had to guess it's going to be a while before we get it back....

 

[P.W.]

JP58,
Thanks for letting me know how you made out with the new oil in your engine!.... I see your from WI.
We took the bike in for repairs today to Twobrothers powersports in Onalaska WI.

 

[JP58]

Pw. A friend and I went to Spyder Spin event that Two brothers powersports puts on every year at the end of May. It's a small event. I think 50 spyder riders showed up for the Saturday ride.

 

[P.W.]

Maybe we'll go on that ride...that would be fun! Just hope our Spyder is ready by then. I just have a gut feeling this is going to be a long fix, but I could be wrong.
That's another reason we decided to take it up there already....trying to get it fixed before riding season starts in full

 

[P.W.]

Well a LITTLE update.... The dealer did have time today to install the hitch for our freedom trailer and did find the drive belt loose. I told him that's not the "slipping" problem I'm experiencing....no way! He did say he wanted to check the front pully also.... Not sure why. He also said they did have a 4 year spyder in one time that they had to replace the tranny in...but for the most part there bullet proof.
Anyhow we just got snow yesterday so he waiting for better weather to take a test ride to see what I'm talking about. I'll keep you guy's in the loop as to what is going on with the slipping.

P.W.

 

[JP58]

Front pullys have gone bad. They get the red metal rust dust. When the splines wear out enough the pully slips on the shaft. It could be that. Do a search on spyder lovers. Red dust or front pully slipping. Hundreds of pages to read.

 

[P.W.]

:thumbup: Will do. With 8,300 miles on the bike...could the front pully "splines" be bad already?


:cheers:
P.W.

 

[BajaRon]

I just got back from my first 70 mile ride with new Lamonster oil in my 2018 F3L. It ran great. Shifted smoother than with brp oil. No problem with his oil. I think something is broken in your clutch. Probably a spring or something that keeps pressure on the plates. Is there another dealer near you that can look at it sooner. Glad I have 3 can am dealers within 40 miles from me.

Absolutely! Lamonster uses a true synthetic oil. Not a mineral oil with an additive package like 99% of the 'Synthetic' lubricants out there. No one should get the idea that this clutch slipping issue has anything to do with Lamonster oil. There is definitely something else a-foot here. Sounds like we could be finding out the 'Why' very soon. Could very well be a front sprocket failure. Could also explain why the belt tension was loose. The plot thickens! (even if the oil does not). ;-)

 

[JP58]

:thumbup: Will do. With 8,300 miles on the bike...could the front pully "splines" be bad already?


:cheers:
P.W.

Yes some have failed with less than 5,000 miles. Mostly on F3 models. But RT models have failed to.

 

[P.W.]

I'm not saying this is not my slipping issue..... and the front pully might be bad and could be the problem. But, if the splines in the pully were stripped out, or close to it. I would think it would be slipping ALL the time.......but I did "baby" it to the dealer and backed off the throttle asap when I heard the RMP rise.
Looks like I'll find out in the next week or so if that's the problem..... I kind of hope it is instead of ripping into the clutch packs in the tranny.

Thanks for your time and help!
P.W.

 

[BajaRon]

I'm not saying this is not my slipping issue..... and the front pully might be bad and could be the problem. But, if the splines in the pully were stripped out, or close to it. I would think it would be slipping ALL the time.......but I did "baby" it to the dealer and backed off the throttle asap when I heard the RMP rise.
Looks like I'll find out in the next week or so if that's the problem..... I kind of hope it is instead of ripping into the clutch packs in the tranny.

Thanks for your time and help!
P.W.

Just speculation. We could all be wrong. Could be something out of left field that no one thought of. Not sure why it's always left field. Why not center or right? Another question that will never get answered, I fear.

One way or the other. We will get educated on this one.