Clutch troubles 95 VFR750

Hi all, this is my first post here. Thanks in advance for any advice.

First off, we've (my brother and I) owned this bike since new, but it sat for probably 8 years. It has less than 5200 miles, never raced or wrecked. Here's my issue, as best as I can describe it.

When sitting at a light, in gear, holding the clutch in, the clutch will eventually begin to engage, especially if I begin to let off on the lever and pull back in (as can happen at a light when inching forward).... If I don't put it in neutral when I stop, it will be difficult to do so until the bike stalls and I pull the lever in several times. I've bled the clutch several times. There is only clean new fluid, but I can't seem to correct the issue. I've even put teflon tape around the threads of the bleeder as it seems that I could be getting air from there while bleeding. There are no fluid leaks that I can see and the level doesn't go down. I'm thinking that from it sitting so long, that the problem is that the master cylinder and/or slave cylinder could be gunked up and need to be rebuilt.

Does this sound like the case? Is there any real check, other than disassembling both, to see if one or the other (or both) are the issue? I'm not looking for the easy way out...but I do want this issue resolved. This thing isn't even broken in yet...and damnit..I want to ride without worrying about the clutch.

Thanks again,
Gregg

 

You will need a rebuild kit for the master cylinder, most likely the rubber piston seal has lost it's mojo and can't hold the pressure anymore--the pressure is leaking down past the seal and letting the clutch engage. Should be a fairly cheap and easy fix DIY.

 

Ordered the K&L Master Cylinder rebuild kit...hopefully I'll get it by the weekend and can get it back on the road! Many thanks.

 

While you are at it, you may want to pull apart the slave cylinder as well. Over time, with fluid not being changed, coat of rust forms and settles in the slave cylinder, since it is the lowest point of the clutch hydraulic system. This crap will not come out with bleeding, since it is too big and too stuck to get out of a little nipple, but it will slowly cause issues down the road again, so I suggest you take it apart, clean it good with some brake cleaner, inspect the rubber, and put it back together. It is a fairly simple operation, I would even say far simpler than the master rebuild

 

Hi Gregg

A quick informal welcome to the MadHouse! :welcome: Its great to see the folks on here have already been able to help and with luck the clutch problem will be sorted soon.

Meantime in time honoured fashion it would be nice to see you post up a word or two about you in the Intro section and indeed a photo or two of your VFR.

Take care




SkiMad

 

Do NOT use brake cleaner on the rubber seals of your slave cylinder - clean it only with a rag, or tear it apart and clean it out with brake cleaner.

Brake cleaner and rubber seals are known enemies - the brake cleaner will literally pull all of the oils out of the rubber that keeps it pliable, and leave it mushy. This tactic is a surefire technique to having to re-do the entire job!!!

 

Hm, I guess different strokes for different folks. I never had any issues with brake cleaner affecting seals on anything built after 1980. Carb cleaner has MEK, and that is known to swell up the rubber parts and pull out the rubber oils, brake cleaner does not have it. Carb cleaner will also strip paint, brake cleaner will not. I personally use brake cleaner on every brake job and on every caliper rebuild, without any issues. I have used it on my clutch slave cylinder rebuild as well, about 25k miles ago. No issues were ever observed.

Now, I do have to say that I never soaked rubber parts overnight in the brake cleaner, so I can not speak of long term consequences, but spraying the rubber parts never did anything, in my experience, except clean them very good. Heck, after all, brake cleaner is used on brakes in all the repair shops, and no one ever had any issues with destroyed rubber parts.