Clutch problem

[lawbreaker]

 Over the last two weeks Ive thought some a-hole might have been playing with the adjustment knob on my radial clutch lever- so I fiddled with it which was a learning process of trial and error (of course for me), but finally got her where I wanted her. This morning I get up , get ready and go fire the bike up. Now I rode her home last night and didnt notice a problem other than clutch pull felt a lil light . When I kick her into 1st, still with the clutch in, I feel her edging forward............ O.K then- make a lil adjustment and problem still exists.

Previous owner of this fine machine told me clutch had been recently changed before i took her over. I've put nearly 4k miles on her and cant believe the clutch would go with only 4k miles on it.

Any advice before I take her in would be greatly appreciated.

Bike : '01 996 sps 12k miles, Brembo radial levers

Thanks again.

[ducpainter]

It's more likely a slave problem than the actual clutch.

Have you checked for leaks?

edit
I know of a 749 that mysteriously gets air in the system...

even after replacing masters slaves and lines.

Maybe ducvet can help...

I think he found the solution.

[Slide Panda]

Over the last two weeks Ive thought some a-hole might have been playing with the adjustment knob on my radial clutch lever- so I fiddled with it which was a learning process of trial and error (of course for me), but finally got her where I wanted her. This morning I get up , get ready and go fire the bike up. Now I rode her home last night and didnt notice a problem other than clutch pull felt a lil light . When I kick her into 1st, still with the clutch in, I feel her edging forward............ O.K then- make a lil adjustment and problem still exists.

Previous owner of this fine machine told me clutch had been recently changed before i took her over. I've put nearly 4k miles on her and cant believe the clutch would go with only 4k miles on it.

Any advice before I take her in would be greatly appreciated.

Bike : '01 996 sps 12k miles, Brembo radial levers

Thanks again.

Well hmm.. If you play with that adjustment too much, you can block the fluid return port in the master - the result is that you will have slipping or the clutch won't engage since the slave piston won't move back in its bore... With seems the opposite of your problem.  Just a thought on monkeying with that adjustment though...

Like DP said, I'd start looking at the slave and for leaks.  Can you 'pump up' the clutch.  OF example if you pull the lever a bunch of times, does the lever get more firm?  IF so, that's likely air.  If not, then it's more likely a leak. 
If you're looking for a leak, get down and personal.  Take off the sprocket cover and start poking around.  I had a leaky slave last year and the fluid hugged seams in a way that you wouldn't see it unless the sprocket cover was remooved and you got dow and put the drive shaft at eye level. 

[Speeddog]

Check the reservoir to see if it's low on fluid.
If it's low, it can repeatedly get air in the system, leading to the behavior you're seeing.

If it is low, then the question is *why* it's low.
OEM masters do give up.

I've seen a brake master that was continuously pulling air into the system.
Turned out it was leaking where the little plastic elbow fitting plugs into the grommet on the master.
It didn't leak fluid out, which was very puzzling.
Replaced the grommet and elbow, and it was fine.

[lawbreaker]

fluid level appears o.k, didnt notice any leaks from the slave- albeit i just hunkered down and looked at her.

even with adjusting the lever- when I pull the clutch in, the pressure plate doesnt move outward enough to fully disengage

[pigmy]

Over the last two weeks Ive thought some a-hole might have been playing with the adjustment knob on my radial clutch lever- so I fiddled with it which was a learning process of trial and error (of course for me), but finally got her where I wanted her. This morning I get up , get ready and go fire the bike up. Now I rode her home last night and didnt notice a problem other than clutch pull felt a lil light . When I kick her into 1st, still with the clutch in, I feel her edging forward............ O.K then- make a lil adjustment and problem still exists.

Previous owner of this fine machine told me clutch had been recently changed before i took her over. I've put nearly 4k miles on her and cant believe the clutch would go with only 4k miles on it.

Any advice before I take her in would be greatly appreciated.

Bike : '01 996 sps 12k miles, Brembo radial levers

Thanks again.

gday lawbreaker,i had a similar problem after replacing my oem clutch with a barnett.what we did is pulled out the clutch one disc at a time.we then found two funny shaped spacers
not discs.threw those spacers out and presto no more probs.

[Ddan]

fluid level appears o.k, didnt notice any leaks from the slave- albeit i just hunkered down and looked at her.

even with adjusting the lever- when I pull the clutch in, the pressure plate doesnt move outward enough to fully disengage

+1 on a slave leak.  If you were using the adjuster knob and not turning the actuator, you shouldn't affect the return bleed.  Take the slave off and clean it up.  Push the cylinder all the way into the bore and use a small clamp to hold it in, then pull the lever.  If you have a slave leak, that should let you see it.  If no leak there then it's probably the master.

[lawbreaker]

So I think I found the problem ( and much thanks to all)... Slave cylinder has this sludge build up below it, even some on the sidestand...


I guess its Slave cylinder mod time

Best excuse I know to upgrade- Maintenance, Now to PM Speeddog!!

[erkishhorde]

Yup, leaky clutch slave. Lucky you it didn't go out on you far from home.