Before I start looking at other things, I wanted to ask around and see if this condition is normal. I know from experience my 2009 696 clunks into 1st gear from Neutral. However, I never really noticed or observed it clunking into 2nd gear when switching from Neutral. Is this normal?
I started up my 696 this afternoon in 20F ambient, and waited until it just got to 2 bars. However, I think the engine oil is still thick at this temperature. It clunked pretty hard into first gear. I switched to Neutral, then went to 2nd gear and it made the same clunk. Then as I switched up gears just idling in the garage, it started to make all kinds of weird noises. After it warmed up more, it felt better but it still clunked going from neutral to 2nd.
Maybe you need to bleed the clutch fluid, but my first guess is that you still have some fine tuning to do after the lever issues. On a rear stand (warm oil), the wheel should almost not move. Riding in 3-4th gear at 6-7,000 revs, full throttle should not make it slip. In my wet clutch experience, that doesn't leave much room for error.
That being said, cold oil and clunk is a pair.
I'll have to do some more testing with the rear stand to see if the wheel spins with the clutch lever fully closed. What did you mean by almost not move? I figure if I close the lever with the oil warmed up, the rear wheel either spins or doesn't spin, or spins slowly. But what is the proper behavior?
Since this topic was moved, I have another topic in the same forum about my aftermarket levers. I know you're going to say, "it's the levers". but I checked the plunger screw adjustment by opening the clutch reservoir and observing the fluid movement. I also examined the angle of the aftermarket levers, etc... and setting "6" is the same as the OEM lever. I'm trying to figure out if it is the cold weather and the cold oil that is causing the odd behavior.
With the wheel off the ground, first gear, clutch lever in - the wheel should not spin, but it does because of oil drag between discs. More so with thick and/or cold oil. I'm usually able to stop/hold the wheel with my shoe, but after a couple of seconds it slowly starts to move again.
How hard the wheel needs to be held can depend on less than a quarter turn on the adjuster. One full turn out, as described by you, is a good starting point before fine tuning.
At one full turn out we're talking minor adjustments required, so the loud clunk is probably more because of the cold oil than adjustments. Fine tuning should still be done - good for your clutch and gear box.
Quote from: metroplex on March 03, 2013, 04:12:51 PM
I'll have to do some more testing with the rear stand to see if the wheel spins with the clutch lever fully closed. What did you mean by almost not move? I figure if I close the lever with the oil warmed up, the rear wheel either spins or doesn't spin, or spins slowly. But what is the proper behavior?
Since this topic was moved, I have another topic in the same forum about my aftermarket levers. I know you're going to say, "it's the levers". but I checked the plunger screw adjustment by opening the clutch reservoir and observing the fluid movement. I also examined the angle of the aftermarket levers, etc... and setting "6" is the same as the OEM lever. I'm trying to figure out if it is the cold weather and the cold oil that is causing the odd behavior.
Setting is 6? I think you may be confusing two adjustment. There's a thumb clicker that adjusts the position of the lever by way of a stepped cam. - This is not the important adjustment to get right, first.
There will be some method of adjusting the point in the levers pull at which it actually makes contract with the piston in the slave an starts moving fluid. That clicker is pretty irrelevant, if you do not have this free play adjustment done correctly.
Set you clicker to the position where the lever is furthest from the bars. Now text your lever pull - pulling gently and slowly, there should be a couple mm of travel (measured at the end) before you feel any resistance. That measure is the free play. You need to have a couple mm. If you have more, you can take up the slack. There will be some method to do so - on a 696, it's probably a barrel type screw, in the lever facing the bore of the master, near the pivot. Turn it in by small increments, like 1/4 turn and check the free play as you go.
If there's no detectible free play, back that adjustment out an amount you can recall, say 2 full turns) and check. Just take note of you much you go turning things, so you can put it back in the event it gets worse.
All that said, stopintime has valid points on the clutch bleed, and cold oil fronts.
The reason I mentioned the lever setting is because it does impact the amount of piston travel. On setting "6", the longest reach, it has the same amount of travel as the stock lever. On setting "1", the end of the lever will hit the grip well before full travel.
So the barrel screw for the plunger of the master cylinder only adjusts freeplay/tightness? I can usually feel the freeplay although the piston seems to always be engaged (even as you insert the pivot pin).
Do I err on the side of having more freeplay?
I'm aware that the clicker setting effects piston travel - hence my comment about setting it it the spot where it's furthest from the bar.
Correct - that barrel screw only adjusts the free play. As you insert the pivot pin? Come again?
The pivot pin is that bolt that slips in and keeps the lever in place. I have to push in the piston just a tad to fit that pin and this happens even with the OEM levers.
If that's the case - then it's possible you have little to no free play. As I mentioned before, set the clicker to the furthest position and then back out the free play adjustment a set number of turns and check to see if you have free play.