Topica Loopframe_Guzzi Archive


Subject: RE: Grabby clutch reappears

Author: lio-@aol.com

Date: Sep 7, 2003, 8:35 PM

Post ID: 1714434415



Time to check the clutch cable. Binding?
Ian Adkins wrote:
 
Hey All,

Well....after 200 miles, and what I thought was a good fix to my grabby
clutch woes on the White Eldo, the problem is reappearing. The good news
is
that I now have some experience with the progression of this problem and
can
come to some concrete answers. Let me know if you folks agree with my
hypothesis.

When I first bought the bike the clutch was VERY grabby...almost
unrideable.
As I would ease out the cluth, trying to feel for the plates to make
contact, nothing would happen and then all of a sudden it would grab and
lurch forward (hey...maybe the bikes new name :-)). This problem was
less
evident when the engine was cold. The bike operated fine once rolling.

I pulled the engine but there were no noticable indicators of something
wrong. The splines of all components looked good....the clutch plates
had
lots of thickness. There was a fair bit of clutch dust in there but
nothing
gummy. I replaced the clutch plates....realigned the flywheel (it was
off),
lubed the splines and bolted everything together.

When I first ran the bike everything was nice and smooth. Clutch plates
engage evenly and the bike worked like a dream....until 20 miles ago.
After
spending a good day with my buddy Ed....riding about 80 miles the
grabbiness
is reappearing...getting progressively worse. I can feel the uneveness
of
the plates making contact as I engage the clutch. The grabbing appears
to be
consistent with engine rotation.

The clutch operates smoothly so I don't think there is any binding in
the
cables. If the problem was with the tranny I think it would have been
evident as soon as I ran the bike after the apparent fix. I don't think
the
problem is in the splines of the tranny hub. I replaced the clutch
plates
but not the intermediate plate.....

My thinking is a warping intermediate plate as it gets hot. I have yet
to
retest the bike when cold but will do that sometime today.

Any thoughts?

...Ian

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