Hey guys I was hoping someone would be able to help me. The problem I'm having is that I just replaced the slave cylinder on my clutch and I was bleeding it with a vacuum pump. Well I though I had bled it correctly and ran probably about half of the container of brake fluid. Anyway now when I squeeze the clutch lever it has tension and is definitely moving the piston in the slave cylinder but the clutch will not engage. The way I tested this was to put the bike into first then squeeze the clutch and try to move the back wheel with my hand and it won't budge. I'm not sure what's wrong, could it be because I have the bike off of the floor? I was just trying to see if you guys had any ideas. Also near the clutch lever there are two wires coming out and I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the clutch or not. I tried my above method with the bike turned on, but not running (I'm still working on that). Thanks guys.
'84 vt700 clutch issues
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Yes the clutch used to work, I just got a new slave cylinder because the O-ring on the old one was shot. I had the bike running a few months ago but the gearshift fork was bent so I had to replace that, ever since then the clutch has not worked. I put everything back together exactly like the manual said. someone mentioned that there could be air bubbles still trapped in the top of the line and to try to bleed it through the master cylinder and I tried what they said and no bubbles came out. also if there are bubbles would the lever still be stiff?
Does the clutch lever feel about the same as when it did work before? Nice and firm all the way through the travel?
Or is it very stiff now? I wonder if the release rod through the case to the clutch assembly is off center if that is possible. Just a wild thought from some photos I saw of engines apart. But if the lever feels about the same then hydraulically it should be good. The wires you see from the clutch lever area is for starting with the clutch lever pulled if it is in gear while starting, not in neutral.
Or is it very stiff now? I wonder if the release rod through the case to the clutch assembly is off center if that is possible. Just a wild thought from some photos I saw of engines apart. But if the lever feels about the same then hydraulically it should be good. The wires you see from the clutch lever area is for starting with the clutch lever pulled if it is in gear while starting, not in neutral.
You use the bolt that goes through the banjo fitting instead of the bleeder valve. Crack the bolt loose a little, squeeze the clutch lever, tighten the bolt then release the clutch lever.
The lever feels a little more stiff than it used to. I think it might have something to do with the push rod as well, but how do I diagnose/fix that? it's also not consistently stiff, it's loose at the beginning then becomes really stiff.
Ok, I've encountered something that I think may be the problem. where the slave cylinder fits into the crankshaft cover there is a crack all the way through the cover on the bottom part of where the cylinder sits. I think this is causing the pushrod to be forced a little bit off center, and when I pull the clutch lever, the side of the pushrod that pushes against the pressure plate doesn't move more than like 5mm. could that have anything to do with it. I thought I'd ask before I try and order another crankshaft cover.
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