Horribe clutch screech as soon as I touch the clutch lever.

[rich888 27]

Took the V11 Sport out today for a quick run. I noticed a horrible sounding screeching noise as I pull the clutch in.

Seems to start the moment I put some pressure on the lever and stops when fully pulled in.

Silent when let fully out.

I assume the clutch release bearing has gone bang?

Happened suddenly not gradually after a month or two of sitting in the garage.

It's a 2001 bike.

 

Any ideas? Cheers.

[docc 3,367]

Clutch release/ "throw out" bearing seems very plausible . There is certainly no very much to it.

    

Good news is that it is accessible beneath the slave cylinder rather than having to pull the entire gearbox . . .

[rich888 27]

1 hour ago, docc said:

Clutch release/ "throw out" bearing seems very plausible . There is certainly no very much to it.

    

Good news is that it is accessible beneath the slave cylinder rather than having to pull the entire gearbox . . .

Cheers Docc,

 

Not done much spanner time on my Guzzi, its been pretty reliable until today.

 

What needs to come off to get get access to the slave cylinder? (just been looking through a load of workshop manual PDF's and not found much about it)

[swooshdave 714]

Before pulling off the slave I'd confirm that's the area the sound is coming from.

[docc 3,367]

21 hours ago, swooshdave said:

Before pulling off the slave I'd confirm that's the area the sound is coming from.

That is, of course, very sensible. The slave is certainly easier to remove than getting to the clutch assembly, but still best achieved with the swingarm off (not a horrible job with a lift and a platform jack) and some fresh, sharp hex drives for the three fasteners that tend to be stubborn.

[rich888 27]

Just checked the gearbox oil level and its fine.

The noise has stopped now, so it could have just been dry from being laid up for a couple of months. It did sound bloody horrible though!

Now I just have the 'normal' Guzzi swish swish swish, clutch sound.

 

I'll keep an eye (ear) on it...

 

Thanks for the info though!

 

 

[swooshdave 714]

I suspect it may have been a little surface rust on the flywheel. It's not moist and cold in Dorset is it? 

[GuzziMoto 298]

I was going to say, if my Guzzi clutch makes a screech like that my first response would probably be to do a couple hard launches on the clutch. It could just be surface rust or glazing of the friction material.

[Tom in Virginia 138]

3 hours ago, swooshdave said:

It's not moist and cold in Dorset is it? 

Dorset, UK

Ten day outlook: Mon53°46° thru Friday 54°48°  Sat51°44°  Sun49°44° Mon

[rich888 27]

3 minutes ago, Tom in Virginia said:

Dorset, UK

Ten day outlook: Mon53°46° thru Friday 54°48°  Sat51°44°  Sun49°44° Mon

It's been cr@p here for weeks.... This last lockdown was a complete PITA.

Windy, continual rain/drizzle, just pants!

 

The noise didn't start immediately, which is odd. It started after I got out of the drive...

 

[Tom in Virginia 138]

28 minutes ago, rich888 said:

It's been cr@p here for weeks.... This last lockdown was a complete PITA.

Windy, continual rain/drizzle, just pants!

 

The noise didn't start immediately, which is odd. It started after I got out of the drive...

 

Not much better here mate, with exception of yesterday.  Rain and temps broke for a nice ride, but the outlook here is rain, wind and cold, just like the UK.  (I like that saying ... "Just pants!")

[swooshdave 714]

1 hour ago, rich888 said:

It's been cr@p here for weeks.... This last lockdown was a complete PITA.

Windy, continual rain/drizzle, just pants!

 

The noise didn't start immediately, which is odd. It started after I got out of the drive...

 

As soon as you got going enough to scrub off the rust?

[shaun 42]

Check that your starter button is not stuck in, thus engaging the starter although the engine is running, this will make the screech noise, this happened to my 2001, a quick dap of WD40 and the starter button and some adjustment on the cluster and it was fixed, 

[rich888 27]

On 1/8/2021 at 6:20 PM, shaun said:

Check that your starter button is not stuck in, thus engaging the starter although the engine is running, this will make the screech noise, this happened to my 2001, a quick dap of WD40 and the starter button and some adjustment on the cluster and it was fixed, 

And the prize goes to Shaun! Well done that man!

Got the bike out today and had the screech back again. I then noticed that the lights were dimming as soon as I touched the clutch lever along with the screech.... WTF I thought and then saw the poxy starter button was stuck in. The clutch lever switch was engaging the starter!

Came back on here to post the update and saw your post!

[Lucky Phil 1,758]

9 hours ago, rich888 said:

And the prize goes to Shaun! Well done that man!

Got the bike out today and had the screech back again. I then noticed that the lights were dimming as soon as I touched the clutch lever along with the screech.... WTF I thought and then saw the poxy starter button was stuck in. The clutch lever switch was engaging the starter!

Came back on here to post the update and saw your post!

Yes well done indeed. It all makes perfect sense. I've never experienced the starter button jamming in on any bike, one to put in the memory bank. No wait, better write it down.

Ciao