nasty clutch fluid

[Privateer]

I recently put on some new pumps and they seem to be working great.

The last couple weeks the clutch lever feel has been a little weird.  By weird, after traveling at highway speed for any extended length of time (~10 mins) without using the clutch, when I would shift I noticed the clutch pull was spongy.  No feel in the beginning of the pull, just mush.  I also noticed there was very little modulation.

I was planning to do my oil change this weekend so I figured I'd just bleed the line and it'd be fine.  I uncover the res and the fluid was black.  Uh, that's not normal.  After pumping through 3 refills of the reservoir I had this:


At that point in the picture you can see the line is clear, i emptied the bottle about 1/2 way and kept pumping because there were still traces of bleh in the line as I pumped.

I admit I am no expert, and I have seen skudge in clutch fluid before, but never to this extent.

Is there something I should or can check?  Is this something that should concern me?


Thanks,
andy

[scduc]

I have a black EVO slave, and my fliud turned really dark after about a year. I had the 7000 checkup done and they flushed the lines and put new fluid in. About 1 year later, and the fluid is dark again. I was told not to worry about it. I do think I will start changing once a year just to keep it looking clean.

[J5]

quite normal

something i planned to do this week but couldnt find the bleeder kit since i have moved

[Howie]

Black clutch fluid is normal, or should I say common and not to worry about.  There has been much discussion about the cause with no definite conclusion.  If your mushy clutch problem remains gone with the bleed thre is nothing to be concerned about.

[Privateer]

thanks everyone.  Considering it was just flushed 6k miles ago (november) I didn't expect it to be so dirty so quickly.

I didn't get a chance yesterday or this morning to ride and check the clutch feel.  I'll report back if the problem didn't go away.

[Privateer]

I recently put on some new pumps and they seem to be working great.

The last couple weeks the clutch lever feel has been a little weird.  By weird, after traveling at highway speed for any extended length of time (~10 mins) without using the clutch, when I would shift I noticed the clutch pull was spongy.  No feel in the beginning of the pull, just mush.  I also noticed there was very little modulation.

So I couldn't get this problem to go away no matter how much I bled the damn thing.  So I thought either it's a problem with my master, or it's just how the evo slave worked.

Yesterday I was cleaning the chain lube gunk from the counter shaft area.  I had to remove the slave to get the case saver out and I find a spot on the clutch line that has the black part of the case rubbed/melted off.  On the engine side cover is a corresponding mark in the paint where it looks like the paint melted.  The line isn't leaking as far as I can tell.

I zip tied it away from the engine case and rode to/from work today as I normally do.

Problem solved.  And not just placebo effect.  The problem is gone.  Clutch functions as it should, feels firm with pressure all the way through the stroke.  Has a little bit of slack at the beginning of the pull as it should but then it firms up in a linear fashion until it runs out of room. 

I was going to take a photo but wife has the camera and she's out for the afternoon.  Maybe later tonight.

[Privateer]

[Speeddog]

Hmmm....

Gotta think about this one.

[Desmojet]

Black clutch fluid is normal, or should I say common and not to worry about.  There has been much discussion about the cause with no definite conclusion.  If your mushy clutch problem remains gone with the bleed thre is nothing to be concerned about.

+1

Many years ago my mechanic told me not to worry about dark clutch fluid. He said it got that way due to a gasket Ducati use.

[Howie]

There is a tendency for clutch fluid to turn black.  Lots of theories.  I don't think anyone knows for sure.  This is not just a Ducati phenomonon.  My buddie's '92 R1 does the same thing.

[Privateer]

There is a tendency for clutch fluid to turn black.  Lots of theories.  I don't think anyone knows for sure.  This is not just a Ducati phenomonon.  My buddie's '92 R1 does the same thing.

I'm not worried about it turning black, but how quickly it turned black.  It seemed to happen way faster than before.

More than anything the spongy lever pull was mystifying me.  That seems to have been alleviated.

[Amlethae]

So I couldn't get this problem to go away no matter how much I bled the damn thing.  So I thought either it's a problem with my master, or it's just how the evo slave worked.

Yesterday I was cleaning the chain lube gunk from the counter shaft area.  I had to remove the slave to get the case saver out and I find a spot on the clutch line that has the black part of the case rubbed/melted off.  On the engine side cover is a corresponding mark in the paint where it looks like the paint melted.  The line isn't leaking as far as I can tell.

I zip tied it away from the engine case and rode to/from work today as I normally do.

Problem solved.  And not just placebo effect.  The problem is gone.  Clutch functions as it should, feels firm with pressure all the way through the stroke.  Has a little bit of slack at the beginning of the pull as it should but then it firms up in a linear fashion until it runs out of room. 

I was going to take a photo but wife has the camera and she's out for the afternoon.  Maybe later tonight.

I was riding today and came across the SAME issue you described about spongy clutch feel... it happened only occasionally (when I was turning to the right), I'd lose all clutch control until I pumped it a few times... but the issue was completely intermittent... BAD for a second and then all good again.... I bled the line but I came on here to ask what the hell was going on.

So I found your post and I just looked at the clutch line on my bike, and sure enough it was resting on the engine case.  I too have an EVO Slave and the banjo bolt seems to aim the line at the engine a bit.  I zip tied it away, in the same spot you did, and tomorrow I'll find out if it worked or not.

I gotta say that riding home I thought my troubles were a LOT worse.  This seems to be the ticket.  *FINGERS CROSSED*   Thanks for the post!!!

[Privateer]

So I found your post and I just looked at the clutch line on my bike, and sure enough it was resting on the engine case.  I too have an EVO Slave and the banjo bolt seems to aim the line at the engine a bit.  I zip tied it away, in the same spot you did, and tomorrow I'll find out if it worked or not.

I gotta say that riding home I thought my troubles were a LOT worse.  This seems to be the ticket.  *FINGERS CROSSED*   Thanks for the post!!!

tonight I flushed and bled the clutch and brakes (brakes needed it anyway) and I rotate the slave's banjo outward a little so it pointed a little more parallel with the center line.

Seemed OK to and from work today.  supposed to rain this weekend so we'll see if that resolves everything.

[Amlethae]

Well my problem persists.  Whenever I'm going 50-70mph with my hand off the clutch the clutch lever loses pressure and I have to pump it a couple times to get it back.

Theory: bearing in the evo slave has seized and is heating up at speed.  Going to replace it with the stock slave tomorrow.  Need to get fluid.  What kind of fluid are you using?  What can/should I get from Advance auto parts?  I don't have time to order fluid online.

[Privateer]

when I was originally having the problem with my leaking pushrod/new slave, I was told DOT 4.  I just grabbed whatever brand name I recognized at Checker.