Clutch bizarreness on an ADV

[Fanum]

How's this for odd??

On the recce for the fords run I got well and truly dug in a couple of times......on one ford where the entry point is 60 yrds upstream from the exit point, I got so deep I got off (leaving it running on high idle 'cos me exhaust was a good few inches underwater ROFL) and walked around it wondering how the heck I was going to pull her out, with the bike sitting on the sump bash plate on the river bottom.

Anyway, shortly after that particular ford, I lost my clutch action, but I could still pump it up to change.

I got some Dot4 fluid, and after a quick call to Tippytoes, discovered how to bleed an ADV (and what a top bit of design it is )

The fluid was black and watery, slightly frothy and obviously fekked, So we bled it through until it ran clear again, but within 20 mins I'd lost it again.

On the actual fords run on Saturday, my glamourous assistant Timolgra and I bled the beasty at least 8-10 times, and the fluid looked the same each time.

The penultimate time though, it lasted a bit longer, then after the last bleed, it didn't go again.....getting me not only all the way back to ther Hotel, but also down to BHT's on Sunday then back home to Kent.......still with normal clutch action.

Tippytoes was scratching his head- aopparently the slave cylinder sits above the gearboox so it's not in a casing where it could get swamped in water, but obviously it will get wet.

It's a sealed system....there was no sign of ay leaking or actual loss of fluid, but evidently water was getting in.

So there you are Ladies an' Gentlemen........how the fekk did that happen???

 

[Fanum]

Just in case anyone wants to know BTW, there's a pipe cable tied up the rear end of the frame under the seat on the RHS of the bike (sitting on it) with a couple of inches of foam lagging type stuff on the end of it.

You just cut the tie, remove the small grub plug with a 5mm allen key and inside the end you'll find a small ball bearing......I used the puncture plugger bradawl to push in the little ball while my glamourous assistant squeezed the lever (gently or you'll get fluid down yer tank )

We ran it through until it was clear (and there's no need to open and close the ball valve like you'd imagine 'cs it's higher than the slave and as long as you hold it correctly, you won't get any air sucking back)

That's it....piece of pish.....we got the whole operation down to just a minute or two

 

[Steptoe]

Tippytoes was scratching his head- aopparently the slave cylinder sits above the gearboox so it's not in a casing where it could get swamped in water, but obviously it will get wet.

NO, i said it sits at the back of the gearbox - it would get covered with water, but if it's not leaking fluid, couldn't work out how water was getting in -

I used the puncture plugger bradawl to push in the little ball while my glamourous assistant squeezed the lever (gently or you'll get fluid down yer tank )

or use a standard bleed nipple from a brake caliper, screws in and you bleed it the same as a brake - but you don't have to close it, inbetween pulls on the lever - just pump the lever and keep the reservoir filled .

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

was old fluid with moisture in it - that 'maybe' was hot until it was rapidly cooled by water - then condensed and formed water and air bubbles ?

a theory ?

either that or the m/c or slave piston seal is on its way out.

 

[Steptoe]

slave piston seal is on its way out.

I think that is more likely

 

[Greg Masters]

Water molecules are smaller than brake fluid molecules and can get in where the brake fluid can't get out.

Greg

 

[Fanum]

Water molecules are smaller than brake fluid molecules and can get in where the brake fluid can't get out.

Greg

That makes sense

I'll keep an eye on it but it seems to have stopped doing whatever it was doing

 

[Den]

I think that it was bugger all a do with brake fluid.
Yer clutch plate swelled up when immersed in water. As it dried, it shrunk, therefore getting thinner and requiring more pumpin.
The colour of you fluid was just the shit in yer pipes.

Maybe wrong, there is a first time for everything !!