Clutch sticking when warmed up

I know that I've seen previous posts on this topic, but I can't get the search function to work at the minute, so I wonder if someone can point me in the right direction. On the weekend my bike stalled when I was stationary in a queue of traffic waiting to turn right. I was in first gear.

I tried to push the bike to the side of the road so that I could restart it, but the clutch was engaged despite me having the lever full in; I had to lean down and put it into neutral; in fact I wonder if that is the reason why the bike stalled in the first place. I have noticed this a bit recently; the clutch operates just fine when the the bike is cold, but doesn't disengage properly when it is warmed up. What should I be looking for? Primary chain too tight? Clutch adjustment? Clutch plates? Or all of the above?

I also have a real problem finding neutral when the bike is warm. Would that be related, or an entirely different issue?

If you know to ask if 1' chain might be too tight then that's what to check first and then review best way to set it stable and proper loose enough when cold. Over tight chain in known to do stuff like that but if run over tight it shortens life of other components that might do similar so don't get to smug if just chain tension solves it shifts for a time. BTW forum search function only searches posted text not the subject line so not nearly as good as external google or such to find topics.
Oil cooked in cltuch plates is also suspect. Once gear box in nice function its not a good practice to sit with clutch held in at lights as wears the center bearing and clutch rod more but mainly risk of clutch cable breaking to lerch you into intersection before stalled dead stopped. Its also possible the pawl spring has given up its spring. I've had two do that on two Cdo's from one fine outting to the next not shifting in /out lower gears.

bear with me for just a moment here. i am not ,or claim to be a clutch expert, but i did have a similar experience not long ago. with the help of some people who ARE clutch experts, it came to light that #1, cable was worn, stretched, and stating to fray. #2 despite my assertions to the contrary (thanks dynodave) my plates were saturated with gearbox oil. #3 stack height incorrect. So, i guess what i'm saying here is you may have a bunch of things going on, and there has been a lot of clutch info on this forum. Dynodave is the main man on this topic (only my opinion, don't mean to offend anybody)

Open up the primary. Clean everything. Install Clutch seal kit. Use a lighter oil in there.

Torontonian said:

Open up the primary. Clean everything. Install Clutch seal kit. Use a lighter oil in there.

Click to expand...

+1 Just clicked off 5000 miles using DynoDave;s recommended stack, pushrod seal and ATF (intentionally way overfilled :mrgreen: ) and it works flawlessly, like a modern wet clutch.

thanks for the input guys. A question about the dyno dave seal.

I had assumed that this was good for bikes with belt drives, because they run in a dry primary, and therefore there is a benefit in keeping oil out of the clutch; but that when there is oil in the primary to lubricate the chain, some will be thrown on to the clutch anyway, so that there is little point for a bike with a primary chain using the clutch seal as the clutch will get contaminated with oil anyway. Is this not the case? i.e. is there benefit in keeping oil away from the centre of the clutch (and I guess in a manner that allows it to seep between all the clutch plates) even though some might be spashed onto the outer clutch plate or plates from the primary.

I think that I am answering my own question, provided that the level of oil is not too high (it never is in my case because I can't keep it in the primary no matter how fastidious I am about trying to seal it) I suppose that even though the oil could be thrown around the primary it is probably unlikely to move too much past the outer clutch plate, except at the bottom of the clutch housing where it might pool a bit.

I did the DD seal, cleaned up my clutch parts, and now I have a grabby clutch. Stack height measures fine. I'm not sure where I'm going from here.

Dave
69S

Dave what do you mean by "grabby"?

It's either on or off, there's no smooth transition. It disengages and engages just fine though, no problems shifting or finding N while stopping. Now I'm still using all my original parts, including the old 'postage stamp' fiber plates, but everything measures to spec. It was fine before I put on the seal and cleaned up the oily clutch plates. I'm thinking about just buying a new set of fiber plates.

The clutch has always been very critical with the adjuster in the clutch center.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

I did the DD seal, cleaned up my clutch parts, and now I have a grabby clutch. Stack height measures fine. I'm not sure where I'm going from here.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

What plates are you runnin?

I've had a grabby clutch once or twice that I couldn't adjust out, then discovered the TS main shaft end nut had backed off some so clutch cable on shifted the main shaft not the clutch plates apart. I love Barrnett plates is both Combats I've put em in. I have to feather clutch off pavement in loose steeps routinely and they work a treat slipping as long as needed then lock up solid w/o much skill on my part thankyou. If plates not oil cooked layered then likely not the plate type issue.

Original plates. Everything in it is original. It used to work fine with a bit of oil on it. Like I say, the stack height measures fine. I tried an extra plate to unload it a little, but then it slipped. I used an extra .078 Barnett plate. Sure made for a light pull, but no holding, I couldn't even tighten up the adjuster nut. I've got SAE50 in the primary, like I've always used, only difference now seems to be the plates are cleaner.

I had this thing down to the inner primary to measure for the DD seal and everything measures within DD's sheet and factory spec.

It used to feather just fine, if a bit on the hard side, I'd call it a 3 or 4 finger clutch, no one finger.

Dave
69S

Check to see if number 35 is snug.

http://www.oldbritts.com/1971_g7.html

I'll try that, I need to put in the new pawl I've been meaning to do for a while also.