Clutch bleeding not working

5848 Views 16 Replies 6 Participants Last post by oldmansan, 4 mo ago

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · May 5, 2022

Clutch bleedong problem

Today i was bleeding the clutch on the 2005 fireblade after putting in fresh brake fluid.

At some stage the clutch felt more stiff than usual and after releasing some pressure i had to start the bleeding process again.

I kept bleeding at the bottom opening and closing the bleeding valve screw at the bottom but pressure never builds up on the clutch lever.

Air was coming out as i seen it in the bleeding tube i added to the bkeeding opening.

When the air stopped coming out it was pushing fluid into my bleeding bottle and the reservoir was draining. But pressure never built up.

What could be the problem and ho
w can i check it?

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

mountain CBR

· #2 · May 5, 2022

I don't have a real answer, but I had the same problem on my 05. I just kept bleeding and pumping the clutch lever and it eventually worked. Don't let the reservoir go too low when bleeding. Maybe 09_Blade can help more.

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 5, 2022

What would be a symptom of bad seals ?
It comes to a point where its pumping fluid just fine but pressure is not building, there are no fluids leaking. Also some talk about banjo bolts ? I have no idea where it is ?

mountain CBR

· #4 · May 5, 2022

Well, I'm about to rebuild my slave cylinder, so I'm going to find out a few things. I have a little leak under the slave cylinder, so I suspect the "o" rings and or the oil seal on the inside of the cylinder are leaking as well as the gasket on the case. I have no problems with the clutch operation, just want to fix the leak. I have all the new components to rebuild it.
Don't know if you have "O" rings or oil seal leaking inside. If your case gasket is good, you may not know what is going on inside the cylinder.
The Banjo Bolt is the fitting on the line going to the Slave case.

mountain CBR

· #5 · May 5, 2022

3

Here is info on the Clutch Slave Cylinder....

Font Material property Parallel Motor vehicle Paper

Font Art Pattern Line art Document

Font Parallel Paper Document Monochrome photography

I guess it's possible there's a problem with the clutch Master Cylinder????

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09_Blade

· #6 · May 5, 2022

2

It's very likely to be caused by air in the hose and master cylinder, because the OEM master cylinder does not have a bleed port. Air tends to rise, and settle at the top of the system, where it cannot come out because there is no bleed port. It's hard to get the air out through the bottom bleeder, because fluid sinks and air tends to not want to go down the line.

My recommendation for OEM master cylinders that lack a bleed port is to replace the stock banjo with a special banjo bolt that has a built in bleeder.

Motor vehicle Organism Font Art Stock photography

Auto part Metal Fashion accessory Font Cylinder

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mountain CBR

· #7 · May 6, 2022

That's pretty cool!
Based on that thought, it might be good to keep the handlebars all the way to the right while bleeding. That keeps the master cylindar more level, maybe trapping less air in it???

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 6, 2022

09_Blade said:
It's very likely to be caused by air in the hose and master cylinder, because the OEM master cylinder does not have a bleed port. Air tends to rise, and settle at the top of the system, where it cannot come out because there is no bleed port. It's hard to get the air out through the bottom bleeder, because fluid sinks and air tends to not want to go down the line.

My recommendation for OEM master cylinders that lack a bleed port is to replace the stock banjo with a special banjo bolt that has a built in bleeder.
View attachment 264962

View attachment 264961

Can i not undo the stock bolt just a little to bleed. ?

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09_Blade

· #9 · May 6, 2022

Some people do it that way, but it's messy and a banjo bleeder works better long term.

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 6, 2022

Thank you sir, i will have to do it the messy way for now as i really hope its not the MC gone bad or seal gone bad.

When i pump the fluid comes out at the SC but it just does not create resistance in the clutch lever.

The only solution in my head now is to try bleed from the MC screw failing that try get a MC repair kit but is expensive from honda in south africa. Will post results of the mc bleed.

Rcannon409

· #11 · May 6, 2022

Does your CBR have a clutch lever adjustment that lets you move the clutch lever closer, or farther away from the grip?

My Concours 14 does. I typically leave the lever close to the bar. I'm trying to bleed this clutch, and no matter what I do, it sucks. The feel is wrong. Air in the line. I fought it for hours.

The next day, I remembered the adjustment and move the lever to the extreme, far away position. Within 3 or 4 attempts, all was good again. The short adjustment didn't let the master cylinder go through it's cycle as well as the far setting did . I felt like a fool, but at least he clutch worked.

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 6, 2022

Well you'll feel like a king and i'll be the fool "no contest" after you read this:

The manual calls for silicone grease between SC boot and clutchrod

Low and behold i put silicone sealant.

So as this concoction dried out blissfully unaware of the crime i commited to my poor slave clutch boot. I sat and bleed for 4 hours not getting any pressure in the clutch.

By chance i read the manual again and shockingly realized what i did.

Opened it up clutch rod sticking firmly to the boot. Cleaned it for 2 hours.

Closed it all. Put new fluid AND turned the handlebar to the right, added dot4 and like magic my clutch lever pumped back up with barely half a pump ! Needless to say i am lucky the SC was not entirely ruined !

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Reactions: 2

TrevorG

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 6, 2022

Now my question is.

Is there anything i can do or should not do.
So that my clutch setup stays unhindered when i remove the front sprocket cover for its next clean ?

It seems lime just moving the SC causes issues ?

mountain CBR

· #14 · May 7, 2022

Rebuilt my Slave Cylider today. All seems good.
If you just unbolt the SC to remove the sprocket cover, it shouldn't change anything on the clutch. Just don't use silicone sealant....

Reactions: 2

Rcannon409

· #15 · May 8, 2022

I've done that before. I was rebuilding an expensive industrial compressor. They made you use alcohol to clean any surface you touched. They said you had to follow their instructions to the letter. The theme was clean, clean and clean again.

When they called for "pure mineral oil" we all know what that is. That's the oil they sell at the pharmacy. What these a-holes really meant was "motor oil, non synthetic".

I made them change their instructions. It's difficult to take a second look, at instructions, when you think you understood the first time.

Nilson Nelly G

· #16 · 4 mo ago

TrevorG said:
Clutch bleedong problem

Today i was bleeding the clutch on the 2005 fireblade after putting in fresh brake fluid.

At some stage the clutch felt more stiff than usual and after releasing some pressure i had to start the bleeding process again.

I kept bleeding at the bottom opening and closing the bleeding valve screw at the bottom but pressure never builds up on the clutch lever.

Air was coming out as i seen it in the bleeding tube i added to the bkeeding opening.

When the air stopped coming out it was pushing fluid into my bleeding bottle and the reservoir was draining. But pressure never built up.

What could be the problem and ho
w can i check it?

This is exactly what I am experiencing now after replacing the sprockets and Chain, what could be the remedy to this issue?

I'm new here

oldmansan

· #17 · 4 mo ago

Nilson Nelly G said:
I'm new here

I would start a new thread, as your problem is completely different from the OP's.

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