Pressureangle Posted June 12 Posted June 12 1 hour ago, JGP said: Does anyone know why the MG suggested procedure is to take the alternator off before removing the clutch? I am assuming that it relates to a complete motor tear-down and you need to block the starter ring gear in order to get the alternator off and once you remove that ring gear, then its not happening. As I have no plans to remove the alternator, then I am going to skip that step. I would be interested to know if I am missing something. I'll guess that you're correct, since removing the clutch and flywheel doesn't input meaningful impacts to the alternator and the alternator can be plenty tight enough to turn the engine. In the one time I had to work with the alternator with engine benched ('85 LeMans) I just stuffed some synthetic rope down the spark plug hole to prevent rotation. Now I have the flywheel holding tool, so... 2
JGP Posted June 12 Posted June 12 Thanks. I could not think of a good reason to take it off, so I won't. I have a holding tool too, it's a broken bit of plywood with a nice taper to it. Wedges in nicely against the ring gear and a stud. Not recommended, but if you want to get it done it works. Ease the bolts out, don't crank like a gorilla or you may be looking up the part number for a new stud. 2
JGP Posted June 12 Posted June 12 (edited) Well, it's the worst possible outcome. I can't see anything wrong. Nothing. There is clutch material dust, a tiny bit of oil that seems to be weeping from a seal in behind the breather tube and that's about it. There seems to be plenty of material on the clutch disk, both sides of the metal plate seem to have about the same amount of material 3/32 maybe an 1/8. My problem was not slippage, the opposite. I need to think about this. For what it is worth, the aluminium flywheel looks fine. I still need to clean one side but I don't see any points of concern. I am the original owner. It has 10,000 miles, totally stock. Very little city traffic, virtually zero. I don't baby it, but I don't drive it like I stole it either. That's not meant to imply that those who have had problems with the flywheel beat their bikes, just information intended as a point of reference. Edited June 12 by JGP 1
docc Posted June 12 Posted June 12 With the gearbox removed, does the pushrod and piston slide freely back and forth? Has the gearbox input hub remained properly staked?
JGP Posted June 12 Posted June 12 1 hour ago, docc said: With the gearbox removed, does the pushrod and piston slide freely back and forth? Has the gearbox input hub remained properly staked? Look at you! The rod by itself moves freely. When you put the outer thrust body and the related washers, it wants to bind, if I move it around, it moves, not great, and it seems to want to lock up rather than continue to move free. 1
docc Posted June 12 Posted June 12 2 minutes ago, JGP said: Look at you! The rod by itself moves freely. When you put the outer thrust body and the related washers, it wants to bind, if I move it around, it moves, not great, and it seems to want to lock up rather than continue to move free. So, the scrutiny falls back on the (Grimeca) slave cylinder? For certain, the Brembo "master cylinder", at the actuation hand lever, has been ruled out? 1
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 (edited) 1 hour ago, docc said: So, the scrutiny falls back on the (Grimeca) slave cylinder? For certain, the Brembo "master cylinder", at the actuation hand lever, has been ruled out? Maybe I was a little hasty. It's little tricky to get the outer thrust body set properly. Once it is, it will move in and out about a big 1/8th of an inch. When it goes in to the maximum, meaning flush with the inner transmission face, there is a bit of a "pop". If you move it back with the pushrod it travels with a little resistance about 1/8 or so. This is what I was noticing when I was actuating the clutch lever, the plunger in the slave would travel about 1/8". To answer your question, as I stated previously, I stacked a couple of big washers inside the old slave and reinstalled the plunger. So the plunger was fixed about 3/16" proud of the slave face. I reinstalled this arrangement with the screws which is essentially a bypass of the hydraulic system. After bolting in place, I still could not turn the drive shaft. So, I had ruled out hydraulics. Edited June 13 by JGP 1
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 1/8" is not very much, and when I look at the pressure plate, I am not 100% convinced that 1/8" on the pressure plate will do much, but everything seems to point to this being the correct length of travel. If anyone has better info, I would be interested to know.
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 3 minutes ago, docc said: Does your hand lever have a lot of "travel" before engagement? Do you mean when the clutch was working properly? If so, to the best I can recall, there was always a fair bit of free movement. It just started acting like a cable clutch going out of adjustment until there was no activation of the clutch. Most noticeable when you tried to come to a stop while in gear and the bike would keep chugging forward. 1 1
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 23 minutes ago, docc said: Worth rebuilding the master cylinder. Kits are available . . . I am waaay ahead of you. It was the first step in this odyssey. If it's not working with the washers in the slave, I don't think it's hydraulics related. But always ready with an open mind.
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 2 minutes ago, docc said: So, simply back to replacing the Grimeca slave cylinder since nothing else seems amiss? The bore that houses the piston could be the fault? I have already replaced the slave with a new one from Denmark. No change. So to recap. Rebuilt the master, no change. Installed a new slave, no change. Rigged the slave with washers, no change. Pulled the engine and the tranny and no visible damage. Not sure where to go from here. It could be that the pressure plate is out of spec. but I have no way to check that. I could buy a new clutch, but I have an aversion to being a parts cannon, until I figure out what is wrong. 2
gstallons Posted June 13 Posted June 13 IDK about the hydraulic clutch system on this bike BUT on cars , trucks , etc. , they are all constant contact , i.e. no free travel. Maybe this is affecting the clutch operation ? 1
JGP Posted June 13 Posted June 13 2 hours ago, gstallons said: IDK about the hydraulic clutch system on this bike BUT on cars , trucks , etc. , they are all constant contact , i.e. no free travel. Maybe this is affecting the clutch operation ? IDK either. I think I am going to try to assemble the clutch pack outside the bike and put pressure on the inner thrust body until I have about 1/8" travel and see if it frees up the clutch plate. If it does not, then I can only assume it's the pressure plate.
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