SuzukiSavage.com - Issue #2 - Clutch or cable?

M38A1

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Issue #2 - Clutch or cable?
04/26/10 at 12:21:48

Hello again...

My friends 2003 Suzuki Savage currently has 6,600 +/- on it. Yesterday it was running fine (short of Issue #1 posted earlier) on her way to an advanced MSF class. While there, they were doing clutch slowing drills. She said she went to lunch but couldn't get more than 42 miles per hour as the engine was rev'ing way faster than the corresponding speed increase. A couple people there looked at it and determined it was the clutch. The bike was trailered home from that point.

Now I'm sitting here thinking 6,600 miles on a wet clutch? Something doesn't seem right with that unless it's been horribly abused in the 1,185 miles she did not own it before her.

So I'm thinking one of a couple things to include the use of any "energy conservation" oils that have a tendency to not work well on wet clutches, or the cable now being 7 years old could possibly have stretched past the lever adjustment capability or down at the clutch housing. I'm still not thinking (or ready to believe) clutch discs.

Before I go in and tear it apart for new clutch discs, do most of you think it's probably the cable?

Again, looking forward to some replies!

.

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BurnPgh Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1732	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #1 - 04/26/10 at 12:40:02 check and lube the cable. If it isnt snapped or damaged in any way adjust it according to the manual. If it still isnt better change the oil out.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #2 - 04/26/10 at 13:07:27 I'd definitely try for the easy fix first.... lube and adjust the cable... then see how it goes....
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #3 - 04/26/10 at 14:12:46 While you're in there... http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1191167029
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #4 - 04/26/10 at 14:16:20 Info on clutch... http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1270678838/11#11
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dasch

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Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable?
Reply #5 - 04/27/10 at 08:51:09

And what "energy conserving" oil are we talking about?? Motorcycle oils are made to allow friction between clutch plates. I don't want to get into the oil war, but there should be no energy saving oil in that bike. None.
If the cable stretched - clutch would not slip. Quite the opposite. She couldn't shift smoothly.
My bet is - wrong oil or worn clutch pack.

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #6 - 04/27/10 at 09:13:00 Put some Sea Foam in the oil and it will clean off the clutch plates.
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dasch Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1137	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #7 - 04/27/10 at 09:35:18 bill67 wrote on 04/27/10 at 09:13:00: Put some Sea Foam in the oil and it will clean off the clutch plates. Bill is on the roll today!!
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Charon Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 1811 Harvard, NE Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #8 - 04/27/10 at 09:59:40 I wonder if Bill owns stock in the companies that make Sea Foam and Klotz oil?
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #9 - 04/27/10 at 11:24:55 Certainly, start w/ a clutch adjustment. Knowing what oil is in it would be a grand thing. When was the oil changed last? If you just changed the oil & suddenly ya have a clutch prob, ,, well.. might have poisoned your own well.
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M38A1

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Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable?
Reply #10 - 05/08/10 at 11:26:25

The fix is becoming murky now....

Clutch cable adjustment checks out OK.

I warmed up the bike today then tried to get an open end on the drain pan bolt. Whoever put that one previously must have had popeye arms as I had that sinking feeling I was going to round off the bolt head. No worry, quick trip to Imperial Tool Palace (Harbor Freight) and a 14mm box wrench was secured. A quick tap of the hammer with the new wrench and off it came. The oil drained and the first thing we both thought was "BBQ". Man that stuff smelled just like a bbq shack grease drippings coming out. Black/gray in color, nasty looking and smelling.

Got the oil filter cover off next and pulled out the filter. Rut-row.... lots of sludge in the base of the housing and lots of little brass/copper looking flakes in that sludgie mess. I wiped out the housing, put the new filter in, cleaned the o-ring and buttoned the filter housing back up.

Reinstalled the drain plug and 2.5 qts motorcycle specific oil and fired it up to warm once again. No leaks and proper oil level at this point. I geared up and rode 17 miles of stop and go with the slipping evident the whole time. I could only get up to 42 mph before the force required to maintain that speed just couldn't be overcome by the slippage.

First gear, second, third, fourth didn't matter. Slipping clutch through them all.

I've also learned she thinks everything was fine on the 45 mile ride down to her class, then they were doing clutch drills (quick stops, rolling stops) and all was fine. But when she went to go to lunch, the group took off and she tried to keep up when she just had no acceleration due to slippage.

So...... any thoughts/suggestions on what to do next? Another oil change? Bite the bullet on a clutch/spring pack?

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #11 - 05/08/10 at 11:42:43 1st, w/the burnt oil, I'd go a oil change before deciding what to do next. that check done, I'd order the extra clutch rods along w/ a couple of gaskets. A quick change and around the block will confirm what needs to be done. Next I'd order a new pack and get one on order
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #12 - 05/08/10 at 11:48:53 Sea Foam in the oil.
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M38A1 YaBB Newbies Offline Where to next? Posts: 16 Central Tejas	Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable? Reply #13 - 05/08/10 at 11:53:04 bill67 wrote on 05/08/10 at 11:48:53: Sea Foam in the oil. OK, total serious question. Is the Sea Foam comment a running joke? I've not heard of that product and my own bike clutch system is dry. Just trying to understand wet clutches and troubleshoot-fix my friends bike so she can get back on the road..... .
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dasch

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Re: Issue #2 - Clutch or cable?
Reply #14 - 05/08/10 at 12:35:36

What do you mean you haven't heard of it?? We all did. From Bill. Wink

Here's a few links. It's a product that cleans gas passages in carbs, cleans engine internals, whatnot. Lots of people use it, and it seems it does help with some problems. Decide on your own.

http://www.google.com/search?q=seafoam&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UT...

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