did my clutch engagement point just change?

Been putting some good miles on the GRiSO in the last month and I'm very, very pleased with it...

Out on a 3 hour jaunt through the mountains today and I noticed about halfway through I suddenly had just a smidge more free play at the clutch lever... just a smidge... seems odd, as hydraulic clutches shouldn't move about as I understand it. No other symptoms, bike shifting sweet

Years on Tontis have taught me to be vigilant concerning any changes at the clutch lever..

I'm due to take a long trip in 10 days time so was just wondering if the experts out there think it's worth investigating, or ?

I guess I'd be checking the tightness of the cylinders and looking for any leaks...? Or maybe it's just telling me that it's time to change the fluid? How often do you guys change the fluid?

It's been beautiful dry warm weather here and the bike lives in a heated garage

My first hydraulic clutch motorbike so excuse the naivete of these questions

thank you

Hi Lazlo
You are rigth, the bite point should not change on a hydraulic clutch.
Check that the fluid level is still correct.

Most hydraulic systems benefit from an annual fluid change... few get it,

If the fluid level has not dropped i would look for something mechanical in the lever assembly or possibly the slave or "command" cylinder screws. I hope it is not the latter as they are hard to get at

Change the clutch fluid every 10,000 km. CARC Guzzis are murder on clutch fluid. No idea why.

WRT the friction point changing check the plunger in the barrel on the clutch lever. It is threaded into the barrel and secured with both Loctite and a grub screw but they can come loose. If they do then the point at which the clutch starts to engage will change as the plunger moves in and out of the barrel.

cheers guys

will have a look and change the fluid at a minimum

is the correct procedure as simple as pumping the old fluid from the handlebar reservoir out through the bleed nipple under the seat?

couldn't find this in the workshop manual anywhere....

yes
squeeze lever (hold it it in)
open bleeder
catch fluid
close bleeder
release lever
add new fluid to reservoir as needed
repeat
repeat
repeat until brown fluid is all gone.

easy

if you have a vacuum pump like a mighty vac , it can speed the process up - slightly different technique though

changed the fluid, stuff that was in there wasn't too nasty...

no change, still got more play at the lever than I used to have

I'll check the plunger next

Pete Roper wrote:

Change the clutch fluid every 10,000 km. CARC Guzzis are murder on clutch fluid. No idea why.

WRT the friction point changing check the plunger in the barrel on the clutch lever. It is threaded into the barrel and secured with both Loctite and a grub screw but they can come loose. If they do then the point at which the clutch starts to engage will change as the plunger moves in and out of the barrel.

nailed it

yes, there was no grub screw in evidence!

Beware the wearing master cylinder. Mine did the same thing recently and it turned out to be the master cylinder was beyond redemption.

As Pete says, change your clutch fluid every 10,000 km. This is something I did not do and I paid the price.

I changed both my brake and clutch fluid in November and about 3,000 miles ago (4828km. I checked them a couple of weeks ago. The brake fluid looked new but the clutch fluid was noticeably dirty. Just a testament to what Pete and Tony describe. I plan to do at least the clutch every year. I sucked out the master cylinder this time and replaced with new and didn’t do the entire system.

I used to see my clutch fluid turn from honey-golden to "blecch" in about a week, when I had the see-through sticky-upper reservoirs.



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No that I have these, I don't see nothin'. Ignorance is bliss.



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Just kidding. I change it a couple of times a year.