Another clutch problem and solution

[ZEERX]

Did a search but couldn't find a problem similar to mine.........so here's my story.


So over the last month or so the shifting had become very notchy...hard to get into and out of the next gear. Especially shifting down. When rolling to a stop the lever would not move. A blip to the throttle with lever pressure and it would finally shift down. That and a few other symptoms told me that the clutch was dragging (not disengaging)...baddly. I'm thinking something is warped pretty good inside the clutch. So I open it up and check the clutch pack. Fibers in spec, steels with a slight shine and everything flat. Everything looks good. But everything was dry....no oil on the plates. There was also a slight black sludge like substance on all the plates and on the basket. So I engage my Univac brain and try to think where it came from. Had to be from the fibers. But why. Dry plates+black sludge like substance=dragging/non disengaging clutch. Had to be the oil. So I clean and lube everything, throw it back in the bike and button up the case. The oil in the sight glass was SLIGHTLY below half way up. Well between the marks. So I topped it off to the top of the glass. Just a tiny bubble visible at the top. Started up and when for a shakedown ride. Shifted like butter. No dragging, no problem shifting down.

What I figure what was happening is there was enough oil for the pump to lube the top end but as the oil was being pumped out of the sump there wasn't enough left to keep the clutch wet. Even though the level is between the marks, it needs more. BTW, using 10-40 GTX

As always, YMMV.

[SteddyTeddy]

Wrong. If it was an oil shortage issue your entire engine would be toast by now!! If you haven't done so yet, bleed your clutch and run new fluid through it. Fixes most clutch issues.

[ZEERX]

Wrong. If it was an oil shortage issue your entire engine would be toast by now!! If you haven't done so yet, bleed your clutch and run new fluid through it. Fixes most clutch issues.

Already done. Pumped in new fluid before the clutch check. The extra oil works for me. As stated before YMMV. Cheers.

[John T]

I guess he told you, Teddy...

[SteddyTeddy]

Some times you just have to let people think what they want, even if what they think is wrong.

[paulzrx]

Already done. Pumped in new fluid before the clutch check. The extra oil works for me. As stated before YMMV. Cheers.

You oil lever should be in the upper level of the marks to be safe....I run mine so there is just barely some window showing on top...Never heard of that happening to a ZRX clutch before,and being related to oil level....
But good luck.glad it worked out....

[SteddyTeddy]

Oil to the clutch is fed from inside the shaft. Oil level has nothing to do with it. If your oil level is so low that your sump gets pumped dry, you will imediately toast your rod bearings! R&R your clutch to clean and oil everything didn't hurt anything, but I'm sure bleeding the master cylinder did the most good. Anyway, glad its back to working as normal.

[big tire]

Drain the oil till the bottom mark... I believe your clutch will still work...

If you look at the oil schematic diagram... the bottom end gets oiled first... You may have had a blockage of some kind...

[John T]

Oil to the clutch is fed from inside the shaft. Oil level has nothing to do with it. If your oil level is so low that your sump gets pumped dry, you will imediately toast your rod bearings!

HE CAN'T HEAR YOU.....