Clutch slipping???

[JAYMPIERCE]

Just returned to Ky after a beautiful 2 week 5000 mile tour of the west. My 2002 1150 RT performed great with the exception of developing a very intermitent clutch slip on hard throttle. Never happened before. After a search here it appears one possible problem could be a leaking slave cylinder. Before departing I had the bike serviced at my dealer who suggested a "flushing" of the brake fluid which had never been done before.

Could they be related? Any other thoughts on possible causes? I have 23000 on her now.

Thanks for help.

[JAYMPIERCE]

:dunno No ideas? No help??

[RTNewbie]

Check the adjustment per the owners manual.

[jingdog]

Sounds exactly like the symptoms of a lunched transmission. But it could also be the clutch. To check the transmission: drain the oil in it. If you get metal flakes, a LOT of metal junk on the magnetic drain plug, and/or abnormally discolored oil its the trans. If not...probably something else. Good luck!

[BubbaZanetti]

Check the adjustment per the owners manual.

no adjustment as the 02' doesn't have a clutch cable.

it could be any number of things. leaking slave cylinder is one possibility, as is a leaking rear main seal, or a leaking transmission input shaft seal. i personally had a leaking rear main cause the same symptoms as you describe. check the seam between the transmission and the engine cases on the right side. a smear of black "gunk" (oil and dust from the clutch) might indicate what type of leaking seal you have.

check that area out first.

[mtboulder]

Look under the bike where the gearbox and engine meet and check for any oil seepage there. If the is oil leaking it's either engine oil (i.e. rear engine seal) or gear oil which has a very distinctive smell to it. If its gear oil it's a input shaft seal on the gear box. Or one of the other gearbox oil seals.

If it's dry underneath then it could be that either the clutch friction plate is worn and slipping or there is clutch fluid leaking from the slave cylinder through the clutch push rod housing and onto the friction plate.

A slipping clutch is usually noticeable when you get on the throttle in a higher gear going up a hill.

Flushing out the clutch fluid should not have caused this problem but you never know.

[JAYMPIERCE]

Thanks much guys. And the symptoms are exactly what mtboulder described, first noticed it in hard throttle roll ons while passing in 6th gear in the crazy hard wind while riding through Oklohoma.


THANKS;)

Jay

[Andy VH]

I very much doubt it is a "lunched" transmission. Simply sounds like a fouled clutch friction plate, most likely caused by a leaking clutch slave cylinder. If you can demount the clutch slave cylinder and find the actuator rod is wet and seeping oil, well there you go.

How many miles on the bike? If its low, you "may" be able to clean the clutch friction plate by removing the starter and generously spraying carb or brake cleaner directly on the clutch friction plate. If your bike has 60K miles or more it could be needing a clutch job in 10K to 20K miles anyway.

Then if the clutch slave cylinder is leaking, have it rebuilt. But before reinstalltion, drill a small drain hole in the cavity where the slave cylinder mounts. That way if it leaks again in the future, the oil won't get on the clutch.

Yet another reason why I appreciate the simplycity of a cable operated clutch on my 94 R1100RS that has worked flawlessly (other than normal wear) for 129K miles.

[JAYMPIERCE]

Only 23000 miles.

Thanks Andy, useful info.