No Clutch - Any tips

[mikeinreadinguk]

Hi

Gradually lost hydraulic pressure in clutch and after 3 miles or so it was gone completely. Popped off the master cylinder cover and was surprised to see it was full.

Clutch lever offers little resistance and no fluid seems to be coming out. I imagine the lever is pumping fluid though.

Had a quick look at the manual and am just about to take a closer look at the slave cylinder at rear of bike in the sub frame. Looks like a sod to get to.

Does anyone have any tips?

 

[Steptoe]

Hi

Popped off the master cylinder cover and was surprised to see it was full.

Clutch lever offers little resistance and no fluid seems to be coming out. I imagine the lever is pumping fluid though.

Had a quick look at the manual and am just about to take a closer look at the slave cylinder at rear of bike in the sub frame. Looks like a sod to get to.

Does anyone have any tips?

The fluid rises as the clutch wears.

Check you haven't got clutch fluid leaking from pipe corrosion at the salve cylinder, or a loose banjo bolt. The ali washer on the banjo bolt can also corrode causing lose of pressure.

Try bleeding the clutch, and see if it makes a difference. It maybe only temporarily but may get you where you want go.

The rear shock needs removing to replace the slave cylinder. Looks impossible, but easily do-able.
You'll also need a new slave cylinder/gearbox gasket gasket

 

[mikeinreadinguk]

Hmmm - Sounds like a Saturday job

Thanks

It does all look tight back there and there is a very suspicious dribble of what looks like fluid for sure.

I'll order the parts and tackle it at the w/e.

In your experience can you get in to tighten banjos and replace washers with the shock on?

Looks like I'm commuting to London in the car this week

 

[Steptoe]

Thanks

It does all look tight back there and there is a very suspicious dribble of what looks like fluid for sure.

I'll order the parts and tackle it at the w/e.

In your experience can you get in to tighten banjos and replace washers with the shock on?

This picture has been posted many times before -

What parts are you ordering ?? No need for a slave cylinder if it's the pipe ?
or vice versa.

It all depends on what tools you have if your going to try and tighten anything with shock still attached - the bolts are on top of the slavecylinder and you can't reach them from above.

 

[Tony T]

I changed my pipe on saturday. Went for a ride the previous weekend and when I stopped for petrol, with the bike in gear and clutch held in, it started to pull away itself. My friend noticed fluid dripping around the cat and it was fairly obviously clutch fluid. When I checked the master cylinder it was still showing plenty of fluid!? I looked in to the area of the slave cylinder and sure enough it was wet on top. Ordered a new pipe but when it came to fitting I was loathe to remove the electrics box and loosen the frame as per the BMW CD manual. I achieved it quite easily by removing the rear wheel and the spring-shock unit. Then by cutting down the shorter end of a 4mm allen key so that it will fit over the top of the banjo bolt (beneath the electrics box)with the cylinder still in place, I could loosen the bolt and remove the pipe quite easily. When it came to bleeding the system through the BMW "bleed fitting" of course the allen bolt would not remove without damage. I replaced the bulky fitting with a standard stainless bleed nipple which worked very well.
Further to the pipe, BMW have fitted a soft rubber sleeve around the clutch pipe to protect it as it routes through the frame, this pipe is quite a lot wider than the pipe but fits very closely around the end (steel) fitting. This allows water to enter but not escape from the the pipe and it sits rusting out the end steel fitting until (like mine) it rusts through and becomes porous! We checked my friends bike which looked at first glance to be ok but when we pushed the rubber sleeve back, rusty water dribbled out and sure enough the end fitting was growing rust and expanding! He has moved the rubber sleeve further up the pipe and coated the steel with grease.
I would strongly recommend that everybody checks theirs and moves the sleeve away from the end fitting!!

 

[cookie]

I would strongly recommend that everybody checks theirs and moves the sleeve away from the end fitting!!

good advice. i stuck a scalpel up inside the sleeving & slit it, to allow water to get out.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Dribble some ACF 50 on mine on a regular basis.

 

[mikeinreadinguk]

Still Struggling HELP (please)

Some good advice here so thanks guys. I took the shock off and had a good look, seems like the fluid is coming off the heavily corroded end of the clutch line where is goes into the slave.
Made up the shortened allen key but no joy, all siezed up. Got to the 3 cap heads holding cylinder on and got that off but now can't get the clutch line bolt off even though I can get a get the allen key in properly. Can't get a good hold on the slave cylinder.
There appeared to be no fluid behind the slave piston so again that points to the line I guess.
So the next thing is to disconnect the clutch line? So I can pull the whole lot through and get it on the bench.
Any other advise greatly received.

Tnx, Mike
.

 

[mikeinreadinguk]

no worries its all out now

clutch line very rotten - bmw could'nt have made a simple job harder if they ploughed millions into it.

 

[flooky]

I read this thread and though i had better check mine,glad i did,rusty water dribbling out of the cover.
wd40 all over it now..cheers steptoe

 

[GSART]

Had a similar problem of clutch pressure loss 12000 miles ago.... also clutch was slipping. However i had also lost fluid with the master resevoir nearly out. Bled the clutch and all happy again with no clutch slip.

Today i lost the clutch pressure again and was surprised to see a loss of fluid again. bled the clutch again and pressure at the lever back.

After reading this thread though i think that i must be losing a tiny amount of fluid at the slave end. I see no visible signs of fluid but i think i will have to strip out the shock and have a closer look....... my initial reaction is it must be the pipe as the bike has now done 61k through rain, sun and winter with no other problems to date....