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Do I have a dangerous clutch problem?

15K views 153 replies 17 participants last post by  crimsonwing 
#1 ·
Hey wingers, back again. So the past two days riding my wing have been pretty scary. I've been having a lot of trouble switching gears. the shifter seems to get really stuck. At first i thought i wasn't pulling the clutch in all the way, but after several attempts it seemed to be a major issue. in addition to that, it feels like the clutch lever has less resistance now. Today I was at a stop light, and the wing kept accelerating and trying to pull me along with her and then she stalled out. This happened twice. luckily I was on my way home and I made it safe. But I don't want to ride again until I know it is safe to do so. Does this sound dangerous to all of you? more importantly, what steps can I take to fix this? and thoughts on what it can be? hopefully some gurus can chime in. Thanks in advance!:laugh:
 
#79 ·
good news everyone, i successfully completed the fluid change! it wasnt as bad as i thought. the contols feel so much different now, i have to get used to it and re adjust. i didnt realize how much slack in the lever i had these past couple of years. Before i had to get almost to the handlebar before i disengaged the clutch, now i can barely even pull on it , and not even half way to the handle bar its already fully disengaged. SO different!! i just have to keep an eye out for leaks, and keep checking the resevoir levels after each ride.
 
#80 ·
Thats how its supposed to work! Pull a little and it goes or slows
Now you can do Parking Lot Practice= figure 8s and Uturns with clutch, throttle, and rear brake use.

Im guessing you ran a bunch of DOT4 brake fluid thru the line so everything is clean clear new fluid.

And you got a new rubber cover for the master, right? Thats to keep moisture out, as brake fluid tries to suck moisture in!
my old Shadow had similar problems is how I know, ck the brake master too

Tip: There is a return port in the master- under a cover plate. When master is empty poke clear with single wire from a wire brush or guitar string.
If you didnt do that after finding sludge- take 10 minutes to do it now- easy once you have experience~
 
#82 ·
Get that rubber cover, its THE seal and very important to retaining fluid
ck the brake master, that rubber is cheap, replace both.

If there is a leak at the sight glass- do as suggested and epoxy a coin externally there. Drain master first- sensing a trend?

Search on here for Making U Turns for a good instructional thread, and many youtube vids from exhibitions of what a Wing can do,
to literal step-by-step instruction on the Hi-way Patrol Bike Skills Competition course

GURUS- Does the 1200 clutch master have a return line hole?

CW- if so you have to drain master again, by now you are the bleed-meister
 
#85 ·
so my lever was going mushy today, i got home and checked the master, it was almost empty. i topped it up and pumped for a few minutes and its nice and solid again. Did this happen because I maybe didnt put the master cover on tight enough? or do i most likely have a leak? I cant see any visible leaks as it is, will i just have to take the fairings off to check thoroughly??
 
#90 ·
#14 keeps oil in the engine and has nothing to do with clutch fluid leakage. Don't fix what's not broken.:grin3:

#15 keeps grease on and moisture off the end of the push rod. Easy to replace so your call.

#9 is the problem and the only thing that must be replaced.
Of course if the piston bore is bad you'll have to replace the entire slave cylinder.
 
#94 ·
Hey everyone, I decided to put this in the same thread sense i think its related enough. For the past few week i noticed i cant switch gears or go into neutral at a complete stop if im holding in the clutch lever. only if i release it, so it forces me to turn the engine off. Then I release the lever, go into neurtral and turn the bike back on. why is this? I also notice im starting to creep at stops, even when the lever is pulled in all the way. and its not a mushy lever, its nice and firm. any suggestions?
 
#97 ·
STOP Riding now, fix clutch activator problem MAJOR DANGER with no control of clutch.

All depends on the problem as to expense and hassle, but nothing drastic on your bike.
Start with fluid level in clutch master- full or down a bit? Fluid condition nearly clear? or murky?

If Low on fluid inspect slave cyl. If leaking- rebuild kit. Inspect line connections for leak.
If Full- suspect master internally bypassing pressure = cyl rebuild time
 
#98 · (Edited)
the fluid in the master reserve is escaping from somewhere, because for the past couple of months ive been refilling it very week or so when the lever starts getting mushy. i just dont know where it is leaking from or how to check the line. How do i check the line? im going to start looking at the parts fiche right now for the rebuild order. is it just Number 5 under clutch cover?
 
#99 ·
I think it is more likely the slave cylinder is leaking out the fluid. Have you looked at it to see if there is any sign of fluid leaks there? It could be that the fluid is getting into the engine from the slave cylinder with no external signs of leaks. Brake fluid in the engine is not a good thing.
 
#100 ·
Line check means look at the fittings for oil leak

Check the diy for slave cyl location and instructions. Verify that is the problem by finding fluid around the slave.

I dont know what the clutch slave looks like on a Wing, regular types have a rubber cap/seal on one end-
you can pull the edge back or pry up-loose, if fluid comes out- guess what!

CAUTION brake fluid eats paint and plastics!! Always have catch rags in place.
 
#103 ·
Brake parts cleaner is fairly cheap and easy to get, also does wonders for cleaning up a dirty engine or anything that is crusty. I would
get a couple cans at Wal Mart or a parts store and give the back of the engine a bath around the area of the clutch slave cylinder. That way you can see what is happening. Might save you a lot of time and hassle going in blind. I also use it to flush out brake lines when the master cylinder looks like yours. That stuff must be the consistency of honey or the old STP we used to use. When the brake/clutch system is squeaky clean along with the master cylinder area you can work much easier on it. Good luck! This is a good learning experience for you. you will never forget how to do any of this again.
 
#104 ·
#105 ·
limy45, Thank you so much for your response! you gave me a lot of insight! do you actually spray brake cleaner into the lining? Also, thanks for the links bell boy! are #9 and #15 the only things ill possibly be needing? is there any small chance i will be needing anything else? i just want to avoid having to order twice. All in all, im just happy this doesnt look nearly as extensive as replacing both heads, or doing the poorboy conversion. so i should be able to handle this :)
 
#106 ·
Well, you could go ahead and get the #14 seal. It is only a couple dollars more and you will have it on hand. I would be sure it is bad before I tried to replace it though. It is hard to get out without damaging something else. You could ask Bike and Dennis how to do it. He said he knows how. Here is a link to another thread about how another member did it when he had clutch problems.

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums...177-clutch-slave-cylinder-motor-oil-seal.html
 
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