SuzukiSavage.com - Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher rpm?

schleppy

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Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher rpm?
04/17/14 at 15:19:50

Here is the deal:

96 LS650, dyna muffler, jetting, stock airbox, stock everything else, almost 7000 miles. The other night I put on new bars, and today I put on VS800 shocks. Tonight I took it for a ride (it's in the 40s), and at higher RPMs the engine would keep revving, but the bike wouldn't go any faster (and no, I wasn't hitting the limiter). It almost felt like clutch slipping. The bike has never done this before, and was totally fine on the last ride I took it on prior to the bars and VS800 rear shocks. I'm guessing it's a few things:

1.) Could the VS800 rear shocks have made the belt looser from the angle change? Would a loose belt cause this "slip" at mid/upper RPMs?

2.) Maybe the new bars (they are basically drag bars) did something funky with the clutch cable and that's slipping?

3.) Maybe the clutch is really tired? Seems odd for 7k on the motor, and living a pretty easy life.

And the bike seems fine toddling around town. Any ideas?

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28804 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #1 - 04/17/14 at 15:24:03 schleppy wrote on 04/17/14 at 15:19:50: 2.) Maybe the new bars (they are basically drag bars) did something funky with the clutch cable and that's slipping? Most likely. You should have some lever free play (about 1/8") and check with the bars at full turn.
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schleppy

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Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r
Reply #2 - 04/17/14 at 15:30:47

verslagen1 wrote on 04/17/14 at 15:24:03:

schleppy wrote on 04/17/14 at 15:19:50:

2.) Maybe the new bars (they are basically drag bars) did something funky with the clutch cable and that's slipping?

Most likely. You should have some lever free play (about 1/8") and check with the bars at full turn.

I will check that first thing in the AM. The odd thing is that given how much shorter the new bars are, they should have given the clutch cable MORE slack. Who knows. I'll take a look.

If anyone else has experienced something similar let me know.

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Trippah Serious Thumper Offline I ride, therefore I am. Posts: 2517 central Mass Gender:	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #3 - 04/17/14 at 16:15:34 Did you change the oil while doing the mods?
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schleppy YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 35	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #4 - 04/17/14 at 16:26:10 Trippah wrote on 04/17/14 at 16:15:34: Did you change the oil while doing the mods? Nope, still has the same oil in it. It's basic Autozone oil. I don't think it has any of the energy conservation modifiers in it either. It's the cheap stuff.
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schleppy YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 35	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #5 - 04/17/14 at 16:27:11 I checked the free play on the clutch lever, it was definitely pretty tight. I put some slack in it and will test it tomorrow. Do you have to Jack the bike up to adjust the belt tension?
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shorty Serious Thumper Offline be careful out there gentlemen Posts: 547 southern NM Gender:	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #6 - 04/17/14 at 16:41:49 no need to jack-up for belt adjustment
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oldNslow Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2679 Rochester, NY Gender:	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #7 - 04/17/14 at 16:57:15 belt adjustment: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1335401723
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schleppy YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 35	Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r Reply #8 - 04/17/14 at 17:13:47 Thanks all! I'll report back tomorrow with my findings.
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Dave

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Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r
Reply #9 - 04/18/14 at 03:27:12

schleppy wrote on 04/17/14 at 16:26:10:

Trippah wrote on 04/17/14 at 16:15:34:

Did you change the oil while doing the mods?

Nope, still has the same oil in it. It's basic Autozone oil. I don't think it has any of the energy conservation modifiers in it either. It's the cheap stuff.

It could be that the oil does contain something that is not good for a clutch, and the plates have been contaminated with something slippery. Not sure why you would use cheap Autozone oil....when Rotella is readily available and just about as cheap as any other oil. Not only are you taking chances with your clutch - you are taking chances with your cam as the oil may not have enough ZDDP. What are the ratings listed on the oil bottle?

There are reasons that "We The People" are trying to get the word out about oil. The wrong oil causes problems....some of them are expensive. Rotella T is a good basic oil for our old bike engine.

What do you do now? If the exterior adjustments don't help - then you have to go inside and clean your clutch plates, and start buying and using an oil that is compatible with a wet clutch. To clean your clutch plates you will need to take the clutch apart, clean the oil off the fiber and metal plates, lightly sand the plates by putting (220 sandpaper for the fiber discs, 400 for the metal plates) on a sheet of glass or flat surface and rub them back and forth until the glossy sheen is gone, clean the plates, lightly oil them, and put everythig back together. Then run a proper oil designed for wet clutches.....I seem to remember reading somewhere that Rotella T is a good, affordable oil. Grin

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schleppy

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Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r
Reply #10 - 04/18/14 at 04:19:57

The bike was going to get Rotella next, it's the oil I normally use for the reasons you listed. When I bought the bike it hadn't been started in years, and this oil was just the "let's see if it lives" oil.

The Autozone 10w40 is SN, SM, and SL rated. The label does not have "energy conserving" in the circle, and I was also under the impression that 40 weight can't fall under the energy conserving class. It seems like I'm AOK based on everything that I see on the bottle.

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schleppy

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Re: Bike feels like clutch slipping under higher r
Reply #11 - 04/18/14 at 14:45:59

Update! I adjusted the clutch cable to have the correct amount of free play and all is well again. The lesson here kids? Even if you think you're adding slack to your clutch cable, check the free play when you make a change to the bars.

And now that Dave has put the oil god fear into me, I will putting in some fresh Rotella this weekend just in case. I still don't think the oil I put in will harm it, but better safe than sorry.

Thanks all!

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