Where has my clutch fluid gone?

Elmer Fudd

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Gents,

Just pulled my 1150GS out of the shed to start her up after several months of inactivity. Pulled the plugs out and span her over for a 20 seconds or so to try to pump some oil into places where it needs to be. Put everything back together and she fired up first press - brilliant and I thought I'd be out for a ride in a while..

However.... Pulled in the clutch lever and to my horror there was absolutely no resistance whatsoever... Removed the cover and there was a little bit of fluid inside the rubber gasket but when I pulled this out it was bone dry underneath so the fluid is leaking somewhere...

My initial thought was to refill it with DOT4 and then try to work out how to bleed it (BMW Manual I have is rubbish and in the clutch section actually refers only to how to bleed brakes!) but I'm guessing this wont cure the leak - unless its just evaporated due to lack of use!

I'm guessing this might be the slave cylinder but can anyone point me in the direction of some fairly comprehensive destructions to enable me to have a go at sorting this myself or is it a job best left to someone else?

As always any help/advice appreciated - thanks.
 
I don't know if the 1100s are the same but the 1200s use special mineral oil in the clutch, if hydraulic oil is used it wrecks the seals.

As for the loss of oil, if there is no external evidence of an oil leak then the most likely culprit is the slave cylinder seals and the oil has leaked into the clutch/flywheel housing.
Remove the starter motor and see if anything looks oily, it should be dry.
 
Thanks Sparky, no external evidence of a leak and so I've just removed the starter motor and unfortunately yes it is oily in there and it would appear to be brake/clutch fluid...

So, back to my original post and does anyone know or a comprehensive guide to how to change the slave cylinder or am I best to hand it over to someone like Steptoe or Brian Giles to do for me?
 
well your always better handing it over to steptoe!
 
The seal in the slave cylinder gives up especially if the fluid hasn't been changed in a very long time. This allows the fluid to run in along the pushrod to the clutch plate where it gets flung all over the plate and you end up needing a new clutch too.

It's not a big job to replace the slave cylinder but if you end up needing a clutch too then it's probably best if you take it up to Steptoe. You are in the fortunate position of not being very far away from him, so if I were you that's what I would do.
 
Hmm, but how do you know if you need a new clutch? Bike was running fine when I last used it and now nothing at the clutch lever at all as no fluid in the master cylinder, so with any luck I might not need a new clutch (fingers crossed!)

Can anyone give me a contact number for Steptoe please and I'll give him a bell - thanks.
 
Clutch change is a really easy job to do over one Saturday: see Steptoe's oft-posted method of hauling trans and rear wheel off in one hit. There is a lot about the procedure on Youtube etc.

My RT's slave failed while touring in France and was a bit of a pain. Lucky yours went while at home. I changed everything on the RT while apart inc clutch kit and a trans rebuild with Herr Scriminger up in Lincoln - it rides like a new one now. Every cloud has a silver lining!
 
That’s what I was thinking Mikey especially as the slave leaked while the bike was laid up rather than being ridden.
 
Buckingham said:
That’s what I was thinking Mikey especially as the slave leaked while the bike was laid up rather than being ridden.
Click to expand...

In which case the fluid won't have touched the friction plate. It would have run down the rear of the engine case.
 
Elmer - to repeat - as you prolly won't have suffered a contaminated clutch whilst the bike was laid up, as Steptoe points out there, just take it to him for a refill of the hydrau fluid and a checkover. Simples ( tsk ) .

My mechanic José pointed out the other day, during a discussion about the paltry Magura slave cylinder that operates the hydraulic clutch*in our Beemers. that KTM uses the same unit for the same purpose, but fills its system with mineral oil, like the old Citroën suspension spheres operate with : "LHM" - "Liquide Hydraulique Minerale".

Ah, those were the days - the year-1974 DS23 Injection Pallas 5-speed manual in metallic Beige Tholonet.
A magic-carpet throne on wheels. A totally restored one in Belgium has just sold for 61 thousand snoojits.

Citro_n_DS23_injection_Pallas.jpg
 
sykospain said:
My mechanic José pointed out the other day, during a discussion about the paltry Magura slave cylinder that operates the hydraulic clutch*in our Beemers. that KTM uses the same unit for the same purpose, but fills its system with mineral oil, like the old Citroën suspension spheres operate with : "LHM" - "Liquide Hydraulique Minerale".
Click to expand...

Earlier Citroens used a red hydraulic liquid, not be mixed with the later green LHM. :D
 
Quite, Steptoe. A so-called Citroën garage in Huddersfield nearly did that to my beloved Pallas. If I hadn't been standing around just outside the workshop door, bored out of my brains whilst the monkey did the wrenching, the red stuff that he was about to pump in would have wrecked all the seals - or something...
I suppose the reason why DOT4 is specified by Berlin for the oilhead hydrau-clutch is because of possible seal damage if summat else is used as the liquid. Maybe.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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