Clutch Problem

[dlopes]

Ok, the clutch was working. I took the master cylinder off to clean the corrosion off and paint it. I also pulled off the clutch cover to paint it as well. I put it back together, filled it up, and there is no resistance when I pull the lever. I tried and tried to bleed it and pumped the crap out of it and still no go. Any suggestions???

 

[lankeeyankee]

I dont know if you removed the lever from the master cylinder.
Make sure you didnt drop the brass bushing located in the clutch lever that pushes the plunger in.
Make sure you installed the push rod into this brass bushing when installing the clutch lever back on.


If all is well up top than I would gravity feed the clutch system.

Ok, the clutch was working. I took the master cylinder off to clean the corrosion off and paint it. I also pulled off the clutch cover to paint it as well. I put it back together, filled it up, and there is no resistance when I pull the lever. I tried and tried to bleed it and pumped the crap out of it and still no go. Any suggestions???

 

[dlopes]

How do you gravity feed it?

 

[Buster Hymen]

Get a Mity Vac ( http://www.mityvac.com/) or something similar. It makes bleeding the brakes and clutch line much easier and faster.

 

[lankeeyankee]

In the 7 years ive owned my VMAX and all the times I have bled hydraulics I have never had an issue gravity feeding. I agree a mighty vac pump may be faster.
I am sure he doesnt have a mighty vac pump at 1AM in Hawai and like all of us we want it fixed now.

Pumps are nice, I am just old school when it comes to motorcycle bleeding and always had great success with gravity bleeding.

 

[dlopes]

Well, after gravity feeding the system, I still have problems. I'm just going to take it apart, flush, inspect, and rebuild both the master and slave. Found kits on ebay for under $50 for both. I just got this 97' beast and probably need to go through it anyway.

 

[maleko89]

I recommend getting the complete slave. Others have add trouble with rebuild kits.

 

[lankeeyankee]

The key here is "Ok, the clutch was working."

He induced a problem. Either 1 or 2 things.

1) He doesnt have the plunger installed properly in the clutch lever bushing.

2) He has air in his lines.

One of the 2 things happened. I cant see the slave cylinder taking a shit when messed with the master cylnd.

He is new to the VMAX and didnt install something back properly or he isnt familiar with how to bleed a hydraulic system.

 

[dlopes]

I just tore apart both the master and the slave. The master looked pretty good, but the slave had a TON of shit in there. I cleaned it out and now I'm just waiting for the rebuild kits. Trust me, I had the master cylinder assembled right and I have bled many of hydraulic systems in my time. I didn't know if there was something unique about the VMAX system that I was uneducated about. Thanks all for your help. I'll let you know the outcome after I rebuild and reassemble.

Also, what kind of problems did people have by rebuilding the slave cylinder? It looks really simple and basic. Not sure what could go wrong by rebuilding it unless the aluminum housing has some pitting from corrosion. This housing looks good as far as I can see. Let me know.....:icon_jook:

 

[maleko89]

Probably problems with housing or not being cleaned correctly. Leaks.

 

[jfeagins]

I have encountered this exact same scenerio while doing both my Vmax and Venture Royale clutch, brake masters. Each time that happened I was able to get the darn thing to 'pump' up by loosening the banjo bolt at the master and bleeding there FIRST, then going ahead and bleeding the rest of the way down to the slave and/or wheel cylinder.

I've also encountered situations where the darn clutch would start acting like it had air in the system even weeks after a fluid changeout or rebuild (usually only in the hottest midsummer time period. When that happens, I can always seem to find a minute amount of air up at that same banjo bolt. Trying to get air to bleed straight downward, when the tiny air bubbles are constantly migrating upwards apparently leaves some small amount of bubbles hiding somewhere. My theory is that when the temp gets hotter out, the fluid thins and allows all the tiny weeny air bubbles to migrate upward and form a large enough bubble to cause grief.

I'll bet you did everything right in your rebuild, and just need to re-bleed starting up at the banjo bolts.

 

[dlopes]

Thanks for the info. So did you pump and hold the clutch in when you opened the banjo bolt or do you just open it before you pump the clutch? I would think if you pump it, it would force the air bubble downward and only pressure from the master would come out instead of the bubble traveling back up to the banjo.

 

[fasterlapdunn]

Thanks for the info. So did you pump and hold the clutch in when you opened the banjo bolt or do you just open it before you pump the clutch?

pump, pump, pump , pump HOLD

crack open top banjo bolt...fluid drips out...close banjo bolt...unhold

pump, pump, pump, pump HOLD

crack open top banjo bolt...fluid drips out...close banjo bolt...unhold

repeat at lower bleeder after the top banjo is bleed

pump, pump, pump , pump HOLD

crack open lower bleeder...fluid squirts out...keep squeezing lever (not pumpumping lever just keep squezzing back to the bar) unitl it goes all the way to the bar keep holding... tighten bleeder....unhold

hook a clear hose on the bleeder... repeat above until you see no air bubbles in the fluid coming out of bleeder into the hose...the lever will get more more stiff as you go along unk:

 

[dlopes]

Rebuilt both slave and master and it works like a champ. :eusa_dance::eusa_dance: