Clutch issue with 1986 VFR750

We took the bike out of storage and got it running. The clutch does not engage. We bled the clutch and added fluid but it still isn't engaging. Any ideas? I read somewhere about an O ring in the slave cylinder that might be bad.

 

Define "engage"... no pressure at the lever?

 

Right. No pressure. We bled it so some amount of fluid comes out when pulling the clutch, but there doesn't seem to be any pressure.

 

How long was it in storage? Sound like old fluid has gelled. Partzilla has the OEM slave seals and master cylinder kit if required. Did the same on my '83.

 

It was only in storage over the winter. We were riding it last fall. The fluid did appear to be pretty funky though. So, the next step is the slave cylinder rebuild kit? We'll give that a try.

 

Try taking off the lever and removing thd rubber and seeing if you got nasty calcified crud where the plunger comes out. You may get away with cleaning out the slave and cleaning out the master. I go for new clutch slaves as i had lousy luck with leajing rebuilds

 

You can usually get away with a good cleaning and reassembly.

 

my 86 started seeping after a sprocket change. I ordered a new slave cylinder assembly, problem fixed. At a minimum you probably want a new piston (the old ones tend to develop slight pitting from corrosion which messes up the seal with the ring) and a new seal ring.

 

How far should the piston travel in the slave cylinder when you pull the clutch in? We pulled the cylinder off and it barely moves in and out when the clutch is pulled.