funny clutch noise

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by turbo snail, Nov 25, 2010.

  1. turbo snail

    turbo snail New Member

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    hello all
    During yesterdays ride I heard a new niose. it happens when the clutch is disengaged and the trans is in gear and the bike is stoped, these conditiond make me think that it could be the needle bearing between the clutch outer and the trans input shaft but the niose is random and it sounds like it's comming from the front of the gas tank. Also the clutch is working perfectly, no draging or slipping. my bike is a y2k with 39k miles.
    Any ideas?
    thanks
     
  2. Davis5g

    Davis5g New Member

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    Is it a rattling sound? kind of like a BB rattling around in a soda can? Cause if it is, then forget about it cause every 5g does it, mine included. My theory is that its the clutch plates rattling in the basket, think of how much clatter open dry ducati clutches make.
     
  3. Heatmizr

    Heatmizr New Member

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    Describe noise please!
    beepbeep, whirrr, clack-clack, etc??
     
  4. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    If clutch plates rattling inside the basket is the cause, then an accurate throttle body synch could be the cure.
     
  5. FLYNVFR

    FLYNVFR New Member

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    Now that is a funny clutch noise!

    Mine starts to shift a little harder and make a little noise, was told to change the oil. Shifts great and quieter. BTW 3500mi on the oil.
     
  6. Davis5g

    Davis5g New Member

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    Yes, old oil will make pretty much any bike shift harder, some more susceptible than others. I know on my friends katana it will practically notify you of when to change the oil based on shifter feel. As far as the noise goes, there have been other threads on here about noise at idle on the 5th gens. Most owners seem to notice a slight rattling sound at idle when the bike is fully warmed up.
     
  7. turbo snail

    turbo snail New Member

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    I found the couse of the noise, it had nothing to do with the clutch. Since the noise was coming from the front of the gas tank I figured it was the veriable intake flapper rattling. So I was in the process of removing it when I found a pea size rock hiding under the flap. I removed the rock and replaced everything and went for a ride, the noise was gone. Why the rock only rattled when the clutch was pulled I do not know.

    I guess funny noises have funny couses.
     
  8. intrcptr

    intrcptr New Member

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    wierd, my bike makes this small crackle/beebee rattle noise when i pull in the clutch.... I replaced the clutch with all new upgrade parts, a semi-slipper clutch. Its from barnett. I can almost feel the noise, and it comes from what seems like the front under the tank. I've taken my bike apart twice to replace the filter and plugs and its all CLEAN! Is that the normal sound?? PLUS! the barnett heavier spring upgrade is a "universal" kit and it doesn't fit without major modification.... go figure. So now I have to have my clutch lever extended out all the way and pull it in ALL THE WAY to the handle grip. I've blead the slave cylinder 3 times and still have this problem. Clutch works fine, just kind of annoying. Any suggestions?
     
  9. Davis5g

    Davis5g New Member

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    Eeeshh... the words universal and motorcycle clutch should probably be never used in the same sentence. That being said, does the lever feel spongy? Clutches can be a pain to bleed sometimes. You might want to try gravity bleeding or vacuum bleeding with a mityvac.
     
  10. Rollin_Again

    Rollin_Again Member

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    I get a very annoying high pitched sound everytime I start my motorcycle. After lots of investigation it turns out that it was just my wife telling me not to be gone too long :biggrin:

    Rollin
     
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  11. intrcptr

    intrcptr New Member

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    no its not spongy and it works great! It hooks up immediately like it should. I think the stock springs aren't long enough for the thicker plates from the barnett clutch pack. Barnett makes an upgrade clutch pack but no springs. Go figure..... So, if i feel ambitious i may put new sotck springs in there to see if it gets cured or any better.

    Thank god I don't have a wife noise when I start my bike.... geesch ;)
     
  12. danny_tb

    danny_tb New Member

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    I have the same wife noise too. The way I fix it is to stick in some earplugs, put on my helmet and yell "What? I can't hear you. I've got earplugs in." The wife noise then seems to get sick of the situation and goes away. ;)

    I also have a strange noise when pulling in the clutch. It sounds like dropping a few large ball bearings into a tin can, or like crushing some gravel. It used to only last for half a second while moving the clutch lever through a position that's close to fully pulled, but since I did an oil change, it has gradually changed, and it now happens when the clutch lever is pulled all the way to the hand grip, and it now happens a lot, as in "crunch... crunch crunch... crunch... crunch crunch crunch... crunch" without needing to move the lever from the fully pulled position. Letting it out a little bit (to where it used to go crunch) now makes it silent. Interestingly though, I've only noticed it when I've stopped, in gear, and with the clutch pulled in. If I let the clutch out a bit, it goes away. If I put it into neutral (even with the clutch pulled in), it goes away. If I put it into neutral and let the clutch out, it's also silent. I'm running a semi-synthetic oil (Shell Advance VSX4). I have no idea what the oil was before because it was the oil it had when I bought it at 85,000km. It now has 91,000km (1000km on the new oil).

    I've also noticed that the gear shifter doesn't always "click" into place after a gear shift (usually down shift), and I have to push the lever a couple of times to get it to "click in" and change gear... This was rare with the old oil, but it happens more often with the new oil. There's also a ticking noise when I'm travelling in 6th, and I put on anything more than a very light load. The engine doesn't feel like it's lugging, and putting it into 5th and pullng the wrist on hard doesn't produce the ticking noise, so I doubt that it's pinging.

    Any ideas?

    PS: it's a '98 5th gen.

    PPS: Just figured out why the lever position changed... I must've knocked the position of my adjuster on my shortie levers... So at least that one isn't oil related... Gonna check out the clutch switch/relay and flapper valve. However, the shifter and ticking in 6th still have me scratching my head...
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2011
  13. Amdek

    Amdek New Member

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    Does it sound like dry leaves being crunched? or maybe a loud paper bag being crumbled? I had something similar, I could only hear it when stopped with clutch lever pulled. For me, and possibly you based on your description, it is actually a relay switch by the clutch lever. The leads get corroded over time (or after rain/washing the bike) and for whatever reason makes that crunchy sound.

    The Relay switch by the clutch comes off with one screw, you can file down the metal connections inside and whaaala no more sounds! I have to clean mine regularly after riding in hard rain or washing the bike.

    Would have NEVER found the problem if it wasn't for VFRworld!
     
  14. ElPolloDiablo

    ElPolloDiablo New Member

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    Hello all,

    Sorry for kicking an old topic, but I have the same thing going on. Let me do a short story:

    Last weekend I bought a Honda VFR800FI from 1999. Did a testride and everything perfect. No strange sounds. But it needed some maintenance, so as the nerd I am I refreshed all the fluids and synced the starter valves. Runs like sunshine again. But then I noticed the same, strange sound as the topicstarter:

    First I started noticing it while riding very slowly. For example, when I brake for a red light and engage the clutch just before standstill. It looks like it's coming from somewhere under the front of the gas tank. So, I lifted the gas tank and simulated it first engaging in first gear and engaging clutch. Aha! Found it! It's the valve in the front intake on the airbox that is dancing. Here's a movie, you can see/hear it from 0:25:

    But the thing is, I don't have a stone/pea like the topic starter. How do I make it stop dancing? Thanks so much!
     
  15. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Hi and welcome to the Madhouse - when you get time please visit the introductions forum and say Hi to the rest of the folks on here tell us abit about your riding history and post up a photo of your VFR.

    As for the noise - Google VFR "Flapper Valve" mod. You will find loads of Youtube videos which show how to disable the flap. However it is far from clear whether this mod actually improves things or not but it will stop that clacking noise?
     
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