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CLUTCH FAILURE
Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 10:15 pm
by TOMCAT
I was on a trip with 3 friends today and my clutch started operating oddly. At first it seemed to just be a little sensitive, (grabby/no feel). Then we came upon consruction trafic and the clutch/engine wouldn't disengage. The clutch fluid apeared to be burnt, but we deceided that it smelled like 90 wieght gear oil. I nursed it home and removed the clutch slave cylinder(no easy task). It was covered with gunk, a greasey/pastey like goo. - I don't know, maybe a clogged gearbox vent. Something transfered gear oil into my clutch (dot 4) oil. Any thoughts/expirence????
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:46 pm
by CycleRob
TOMCAT,
First a few questions.
-- What year?
-- How many miles?
-- Do you have the BMW GS handguards installed?
-- In removing the slave cylinder, did you have to remove the long, transverse frame bolt that blocks access?
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:52 pm
by iowabeakster
Very strange. The clutch lever/slave cylinder (actuating mechanism) system is a "closed" hydraulic system. The clutch plate is a "dry" system. I can't imagine a way in which gear oil from the tranny could wind up in the clutch fluid.
Could be a bad seal in the clutch system and the fluid became "real ugly".
Could always be a "human" error on a maintenance job. When/where/who replaced the clutch fluid last?
Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 10:48 pm
by TOMCAT
I've deceided the garlock seal at the gearbox input shaft has failed. The parts,(slave cylinder, seal, washers) should arive on saturday. To answer the questions, - 2002 r1150r with 26,000 miles, - I have followed the servicing recomdations(give or take a mile or two). Also, yes the clutch fluid and gearbox oil should not mix. I checked my gearbox vent - not clogged. The g/b oil level shouldn't be as high as the slave cylinder. No real help from BMW shop, so I'm going to reassemble with new seals and slave, then hope for the best. Oh yeah - I opened my g/b vent up a little by triming some of the vent body seal.