Clutch baffling mechanic

Hello,

I am the owner of a very reliable VFR800, year 2000. It has 100,000kms on-board, with the original clutch, which shows no signs of wear.
I have recently purchased a low mileage VFR from the same year, (10,000kms) to replace my own.
No problems other than the clutch grabbing at the far end of the lever travel, as if the plates were used up. I though, no biggie, probably the previous owner slipped A LOT the clutch. So I give it to my trusted mechanic to replace the plates, but he's saying everything is in order, plates look great, and all parts are the same as in the microfiche with the exception of the last metal plate, which is a different part number, but has the same thickness as stock. He said the cover had been opened before. He's baffled as to why the clutch engages so late.
Any ideas?

Radu

 

If the last metal plate is a diff part number, does that part number supercede the one on the fiche or vice versa? Is the odd plate, the one that is different from the all the others, in the correct position? In otherwords, is it the first one in, last one out when replacing the clutch? This might have an affect on the clutch. Also what about the slave cylinder? Is it in good working condition? It might need to be replaced/rebuilt. Is the master cylinder and its parts in good working condition?

 

Did your mechanic actually measure the thickness of the fiber and steel plates, or just eyeball them? The fiber plates especially can look pretty good as far as looking at the depth of the oil grooves, and still be just a tad too thin to get normal engagement.

 

I went to see the bike last night and that last cork plate (not the metal plate) is actually the "noise reduction" plate that's been replaced by a regular plate. The spring plate for the above is also missing. But he's saying that he measured all of them and they're in spec, very little usage. He checked the slave cylinder and rod, and they look fine (although it's hard to tel if the rod is stock).
I'll bring my old VFR in and he'll take the clutch appart on that one to compare.
He said a possibility is that the engine was swapped with a '99 model which has a bit different of a clutch layout. I dunno..we'll see once the second clutch is out.

 

i wonder if after market springs were installed?

 

Mistery thickens...
Second VFR (the high mileage one) has identical parts for the clutch, thicknesses are close to identical. Mechanic to continue investigating.

Microfiche is wrong, no noise reduction plate. Can anyone else confirm this? I'm kinda questioning this, I expect errors on a microfiche, but not a different design.

R

 

Well, you do have an extra plate like the rest of us. It is a friction plate. Ron Ayers has the following numbers:
Friction plate (8) - 22201-KG0-980, 22201-KM4-000, 22201-MS6-620, 22201-MAS-E00. Your dealer will know the correct number. There should be a total of 8 plates, (at least it is on my 93)
Steel Plate (8) - 22321-ML7-000, 22321-MR7-000, 22321-MAS-000. Again, same as above.
Friction Plate B (1) - 22202-ML4-611, 22201-MAE-000. There will only be one of these. When replacing the clutch pack, it is the last one out and first one in. It will also look a little different, if I remember correctly the inner diameter is larger than the other friction plates.
Clutch Springs (5) -22401-MBG-000, 22401-MBG-D00.

My guess is that since both spring judder plates appear to be missing and a regular plate has been installed in their place, that this could be the cause. I would get replacement spring judders and put in the correct Friction Plate B at the very least. But that's me. Actually, I would replace the whole clutch while I was at it. Again, thats just me.

Here is the link to the fiche on Ron Ayers http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/200_0366/clutch/clutch.cfm?man=ho&groupid=11730&parent=11700.

Hope this helps. :smile: