Need help fixing braided clutch line leak...

[Shuriken]

Howdy,

My bike has a braided clutch cable, which works ok, except that it leaks at a fitting down by the left peg where it goes under the clutch cover. There is a solid tube that comes up out of the clutch hosing; this tube has a nut that fastens to the aftermarket clutch line. Fluid leaks from this fitting. I don't know any details of this setup because it was on the bike when I got it.

Can any of you help me figure out how to address this problem?

I don't want to go back to rubber hose, but I don't want hydraulic fluid all over everything. If I bought an OEM clutch hose, would it include all fittings necessary to attach from the master cyl all the way to the clutch unit or can I get a new solid tube peice with a new fitting to attach between the clutch assembly and the braided line?

Thanks

 

[vmaxinID]

Sorry bro, but i'm too stupid to help ya with this one.

But Welcome to the forum!

I'll try to help more in the future.

 

[Buster Hymen]

I have an aftermarket braided clutch line with no leak where it connects. You may have to put some Teflon tape on the threads to stop the leak. I think I did that with mine, but I can't remember.

 

[one2dmax]

I would not buy a clutch line (I could give you a stock one if you wanted to trade). All it probably needs is cleaned up and maybe put some teflon tape as Buster suggested.

Sean Morley

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Mine did the same thing when I reinstalled my engine after rebuild. Disconnected it, cleaned both the end of the metal tube and the clutch line, reconnected, and viola no leak. There was a very small piece of schmutz in the end of the clutch line that was causing the leak. The teflon tape idea would be some good cheap insurance against a leak.:thumbs up:

 

[Robbarrie]

You can try to re-tighten, if you already have, you'll have to do like they said - with the teflon tape.

You will have to bleed to make sure you don't have air bubbles. Actually, you may want to bleed dry first and suck out all the fluid so you won't make a mess.

 

[Shuriken]

Thanks for the help, guys. I will try to clean it up, use teflon, bleed it, etc.

Can the tube piece that emerges from the clutch housing be replaced?

 

[one2dmax]

yes, it is a small part that bolts to the slave cylinder. It's not too expensive either. You do have to remove the middle gear cover to get to it so you would want to order a gasket for it too if you decide to go that route.

Sean

 

[Shuriken]

Thanks. I must have been looking at the wrong schematc online as I didn't find it. I'll look again.

 

[vmaxman99]

Use some teflon tape on the fitting.

 

[Shuriken]

Teflon didn't seem to work. Went out to get on the bike today and the clutch lever was limp and saw a bunch of fluid on the ground.

 

[Shuriken]

I again disassembled the stainless line and cleaned and re-tightened the clutch tube / line fitting. This seemed to stop the leak from that joint. However, I'm still seeing hydraulic fluid on the floor.

Where else could the clutch system be leaking? What else should I check?

 

[Buster Hymen]

I again disassembled the stainless line and cleaned and re-tightened the clutch tube / line fitting. This seemed to stop the leak from that joint. However, I'm still seeing hydraulic fluid on the floor.

Where else could the clutch system be leaking? What else should I check?

Are you sure it isn't leaking from a seal in the clutch slave?

 

[Shuriken]

Buster,

I'm not sure. How do I get to all of that to tell?

 

[Shuriken]

The diagram on BikeBandit shows a bunch of stuff underneath the slave cylinder clutch pipe and also underneath the slave cylinder itself. Is it possible to get to these with the bike on the centerstand? Now that none of the clutch hose lines are leaking, what would the likely source of the leak be?

 

[maleko89]

Are you sure it's brake fluid? It could be oil coming from the shift shaft seal.

To answer you question, you can get at the slave with the bike on the center stand. You'll have to remove the middle gear cover to get to the two bolts. Be careful of the engine dowels, I think there are two. Also be aware of the stator wires that run under there.

 

[Shuriken]

It's definitely brake fluid.... nice and clear. I am getting a few oil drips consistent with neglected gaskets, but I have the valve cover and other gaskets on the way.

I think all of the piping is fine. I don't want to tear into the slave cylinder but if there is a leak, I'm betting it's coming from there. Have any of you ever worked on the clutch slave cylinder before?

 

[Buster Hymen]

It's definitely brake fluid.... nice and clear. I am getting a few oil drips consistent with neglected gaskets, but I have the valve cover and other gaskets on the way.

I think all of the piping is fine. I don't want to tear into the slave cylinder but if there is a leak, I'm betting it's coming from there. Have any of you ever worked on the clutch slave cylinder before?

I replaced mine a few years ago because it was leaking. I think there might be a rebuild kit, but it wasn't that much to get a new one. It is held on with 2 Allen head bolts. Make sure you use the correct Allen head wrench as the bolt head strips fairly easy and is a bitch to get at after that... not that I'd know that...:whistlin:

 

[one2dmax]

Yea, I agree about the bolts stripping the heads out easy!

You can take the assembly apart very easily and then just polish/clean the two surfaces (piston and bore) and seals and reassemble. Most of the time this works well. There is a rebuild kit which is simply two seals.

Sean Morley

 

[Shuriken]

Thanks for the help, guys. I haven't so much as touched the slave cylinder, but if the allen bolts are in as bad of shape as nearly all the other screws that I've replaced, I might be in for some fun.....