Lost Clutch Hydraulics '01 1150GS

[craig10]

Hi all,

Bike is 51 plate 1150GS, 35000 miles.

Heading home from Portsmouth, got onto m-way, all ok, pulled in at services about 80 miles later, half the clutch lever travel has gone, still working but now the biting point has moved to about 15mm from 'bars after adjusting lever span to the max. Decide to press on to first night stop at Southend, still ok.

Set off next day with clutch still working with half travel, got up to around Peterborough, went to pull into services, clutch not operating, very little back pressure on lever. Recovery home last 300 miles, a blessing really given the weather...

The fluid level has not gone down at all which leads me to think it's the master cylinder seals.

It's not the usual corroded pipe and I'm thinking if the slave cyl seals went I'd be losing fluid into the bellhousing or somewhere.

Didn't try bleeding it up as there's no way air should be able to get into a sound, sealed hydraulic system.

Was thinking as well that it could be the clutch release bearing gone but it wasn't any noisier than normal before total failure, is this part of the slave cyl assy?.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Craig

 

[Voyager]

The same thing happened to my '04 1150 GSA on the way home from Morocco in Oct 2007.

Heading up the A38/M5 fom Plymouth the lever started to go slack.

I pressed on but by the time I turned off the M74 near Lanark I was having to pump it to get any response. I managed to nurse it home, pushing the bike across road junctions and so on.

There was no obvious fluid loss.

I bled the system (fluid was very black and aerated), but it only lasted a few miles.

I changed the Clutch Master Cylinder and it has been fine since.

Changing the cylinder was a fiddly job

I was not impressed by the quality of the master cylinder that came out - and they cost around £80


Bob.

 

[how much]

most likely cause is the clutch slave cylinder seal leaking (far more likely than master cylinder)


this is the smallest leak so you wont notice loss of fluid

you will have to replace the whole slave cylinder as seal not available


its an arse of a job too





hm

 

[craig10]

Hi Bob, if it cost £80 then I take it you mean the slave cylinder at the back of the gearbox, or do you mean the master cylinder on the handlebars?

Thanks howmuch, I'll probably change the slave cyl anyway. Don't want to spend £40 on the master cyl then find it's the slave at another £80. I'd been thinking about renewing the slave cyl before I went away, just ran out of time, seem to go at about that mileage from posts I've read on here. Better to do it before it gives out in the middle of nowhere

Ta, Craig

 

[Brian s]

I had a leak at my slave cylinder recently,which turned out to be the alloy washers on the banjo bolt corroding and leaking.A couple of new washers and it was sorted
Brian

 

[Voyager]

Hi Bob, if it cost £80 then I take it you mean the slave cylinder at the back of the gearbox, or do you mean the master cylinder on the handlebars?

Ta, Craig

Doh . . .

Yes, I meant the Slave Cylinder on the gearbox.

(Engage brain before operating keyboard ).


Bob.