Clutch wear *help*

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 15:28

The clutch has been slipping something nasty for a few months despite adjustments being made. It finally pooped itself last week when an elecrical fault in one of the coils decided to cause problems. After motohaus fixed the electrical fault, the clutch slips even more than it did before. The clutch is due for replacement according to the bikes service history which goes back to its entry into the country in 1989.

Just taken the side case off the GSX600f and inspected the clutch plates.

Everything seems to be in order, cage is intact all the fibers and steels are intact.

A couple of the steels are blue however. - what does that mean?

The fiber plates measure 3.3mm and 2.4mm - this is not much of a diference in the ridges? Is it within normal tolerances?

The steels read 2mm

Bearings appear to be in good order.

Measured springs and they are 34.6mm (manual says: 33mm).

I have ordered new plates and steels, but do I really need to???

**FROSTY:Me** · 5th June 2007, 15:38

dude 3 possible causes --- 1 something mechanical is causing the clutch not to fully engage --ie its in the pushrod/lever/ cable adjustment and the clutch plates themselves are the symptom not the cause
2 wrong oil choice
3 worn clutch plates --the most likely cause to be honest
Given your lack of moolah I would only buy new fibres and gasket -unless one of the steels is definitely warped

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 15:43

Originally Posted by FROSTY

dude 3 possible causes --- 1 something mechanical is causing the clutch not to fully engage --ie its in the pushrod/lever/ cable adjustment and the clutch plates themselves are the symptom not the cause
2 wrong oil choice
3 worn clutch plates --the most likely cause to be honest
Given your lack of moolah I would only buy new fibres and gasket -unless one of the steels is definitely warped

I have inspected the other side of the clutch assembly, pushrod/lever/cable adjustment can be ruled out. Two diferent people have also looked at that area and said its ok.

Wrong oil choice - Interesting, I did not think about that?

Worn plates - what am I looking for when checking to see if they are worn? (never actually seen what new ones look like).

The steels dont appear to be warped, but I will check them with dial indicator.

Cheers Frosty

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 16:00

Ok checked the steels and they are all straight.

The only suspect one is from the centre of the pack - dark and blue in places and I can see the ridged impressions from the fibre plates on it... that one looks like it got VERY hot at some point.

**FROSTY:Me** · 5th June 2007, 16:05

buy new fibres and just 1 steel then

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 16:08

Originally Posted by FROSTY

buy new fibres and just 1 steel then

Cheers Frosty will do

...at least next time I work on the clutch I will hopefully remember the smegger is going to dump its load of oil when the side cover comes off...

*what a dumbarse*

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 16:12

Now to work out where the 'chunks' of metal in the sump have come from... and all the 'fillings' in the oil.... *sigh*

I was really hoping it would be a shattered clutch... off to investigate.....

**avgas** · 5th June 2007, 16:13

Yeh without knowing the plate tollerances i wouldn't know if they are all good. sounds ok though.
I had a similar occasion where my clutch was slipping hard out because previous monkey had put motor-up in the sump.
Took plates and found them sweet for tolerances....even better than sweet as i found it was a race clutch.
Only clutch i have ever had to replace was back in 95 when i had a Kwaka 100 with the original 1971 clutch plates.
Even the RG had good plates and that had done countless burnouts in the short 24,000ks of its life. That poor bike - should have seen me coming.

**rogson** · 5th June 2007, 17:42

Service limit for the 7 outer plates is 2.62mm. Inner plate is 3.12mm

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 18:20

Originally Posted by rogson

Service limit for the 7 outer plates is 2.62mm. Inner plate is 3.12mm

Cheers for that information, which plates does that refer to? fibres/steels?

I have now ordered new fibres and one steel plate plus gasket set from Motohaus. Geez those guys are good!

**Blackbird** · 5th June 2007, 19:37

With respect to oils, it has to be asked: have you been running a fully synthetic car oil such as Mobil 1? It's a long shot but part of the additive package is unsuitable for wet clutches; that's why they make Mobil 1 4T Racing for bikes.

**Disco Dan** · 5th June 2007, 19:42

Originally Posted by Blackbird

With respect to oils, it has to be asked: have you been running a fully synthetic car oil such as Mobil 1? It's a long shot but part of the additive package is unsuitable for wet clutches; that's why they make Mobil 1 4T Racing for bikes.

Motul 15/50

Most likely - old bike, old clutch and me revving the snot out of it.. too red line in every gear...

**Disco Dan** · 8th June 2007, 20:37

Ok, so heres the update....

Parts arrived today (cheers motohaus!) and everything fitted together perfect.

Now, clutch should be sorted. The electrical fault is sorted.

all that remains now is to find out where the alleged metal in the sump came from? Mechanic told me he found metal in the sump. I took the sump plug off and drained the rest of the oil and then dredged the container with a magnet. Only found two very tiny bits of metal.

Should I be worried? Shall I just stick fresh oil in her and not worry about it?

What are common places for metal to get into the oil? Rings? Valves?