Bleeding the clutch

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Chilly_bill

Bleeding the clutch

Post by Chilly_bill »

My clutch started feeling odd, grabbing unevenly and earlier than usual. It was recomended I replace the fluid as it may have been burnt. It was indeed really dark. Air got in to the line. I tried to bleed it by gravity, and I tried to bleed it with presure from the bottom up. Air appears to be entering the system around the threads of the bleeder valve. I am planning to get some teflon tape to wrap the threds.

The questions are: Is there something I should know about bleeding a hydraulic clutch? Does it sound like the hydraulic system or the clutch itself?
Thanks
c-dogg

Post by c-dogg »

sounds like you and me are in the same boat.
i bled mine a few days ago. it worked ok for a while, but now its engaging again with the clutch lever depressed. i dont know if i bled it that well, im going to buy some fluid and do a thourough job, see if it helps. if someone has answers for chilly_bill, or if you figure it out bill, post it!
Chilly_bill

Post by Chilly_bill »

Allright, so I bled the system again, after wrapping teflon tape around the bleeder valve. The tape seemed to have solved the problems of inducing air. I am 98% sure the system is air free. It bled easily, and although a few bubbles came out at first, eventually there were none to speak of at either end of the system. I bled it with a syringe from the bottom up. There is now absolutely no pressure at all when I pump the lever. There is however a muffled squishing sound at the lever. It sounds like it is coming from the master cylinder. Could be fluid that had spilled over from the reservoir while under opperation, or could it be a broken master cylinder?
Chilly_bill

Post by Chilly_bill »

Also, After the first bleed, that at least resulted in some presure the lever had no presure at first but after 10 - 20 pumps of the lever it built some up. When riding the bike like this the lever exibited some new reactions. It began to squeek and pulse slightly in time with the engine. This had never happened before.

The article on replacing the master cylinder says that "Failure is characterized by a relatively sudden loss of clutch stiffness. It can give little to no warning of it's impending failure." There were about fifty miles where the clutch felt like it does.

I have not started the bike since the second bleed. Would that make a difference? Good, bad?
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