First ride of the year and clutch slipping

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

Not much of an update. My buddy had to call in someone else to try to figure out what happened. Still no news and I can only imagine what it is going to cost. Maybe time for a new ride. Who knows. Anyway it's still very much winter! No rush I guess.

Change the fluid and clean the system....use a small pin and clean the hot in the bottom of the master cylinder.

[davidhollinger]

I agree and so did my buddy. He did say that the washers or spring was backward or bent. I was so pissed I was zoning out. Now it's gonna be shifter or something internal. I heard the number $1500. Wtf? I am just sick of the not knowing and not being able to just have it right in the shed. Frustrated as hell guys. Thanks for everyone's help. I am hopeful that I will hear back this week.

[toogun]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

I agree and so did my buddy. He did say that the washers or spring was backward or bent. I was so pissed I was zoning out. Now it's gonna be shifter or something internal. I heard the number $1500. Wtf? I am just sick of the not knowing and not being able to just have it right in the shed. Frustrated as hell guys. Thanks for everyone's help. I am hopeful that I will hear back this week.

Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble getting to the bottom of this, I have followed this thread since you first posted because I also had a clutch issue with the same symptoms as you.
As you have posted the sequence of events some things don't seem to make sense. 1) If the new clutch springs went in a year ago then why did it take so long before it gave you any trouble?
When my clutch started slipping it was fine out of the driveway then as soon as it would start to warm up the clutch would slip to the point where within a few miles I was almost motionless. If I shut it off and let it cool down for a while it would be better but start to slip again within minutes.
When I posted my symptoms on here, gillsfire suggested when it started to slip to quickly crack the banjo bolt on the clutch master cylinder just until a bit of fluid appeared. I did that and the clutch was fine again but short lived. But what that proved was that the M/C was in need of a rebuild. I pulled the m/c apart and found a hole in the rubber cup that goes over the piston and there was no fluid coming out of the tiny return hole in the bottom of the m/c indicating a blockage (that hole is tiny and the smallest particle will plug it).
I ordered a rebuild kit and also did the slave m/c at the same time. I used a strand of wire from a 1/8" braided steel cable to clear the return hole in the bottom of the m/c and when I bled the system it shot fluid out of the hole about 5 ft across the garage where prior to clearing it there was no movement of fluid period. Took it for a ride and it was like a brand new bike! total cost including the 2 rebuild kits and brake fluid was about $35.00.
So what I'm saying is before you start tearing everything apart again I would check this out, if nothing else you'll at least have removed one of the possible problems and likely the cheapest fix.
BTW my bike is an 04 VN1500 and it had about 22,000 miles on it at the time.
Good luck.

[toogun]

BTW, I just wanted to mention that I have seen this exact issue posted a several times on this forum as well as some other Kawi forums, so it appears to be quite common and the fix is always the same.

[davidhollinger]

Great post and I appreciate it. I will be checking in with him this week with screen prints from here. Thanks again.

[davidhollinger]

Update! Finally got her back yesterday and got in about a 20 minute ride. Not sure how to explain what all was wrong but the washers were bent and 1 fell into the casing somehow is what I think he said. $1400 later it rides and shifts better than it has since I bought it.
Side note. When I bought it 3 years ago the PO had some rubber washers pushed into the rear of the clutch release. I assumed it was needed and left them there. When I changed the clutch spring last year I think he took them out and never could get the thing adjusted right. It was cooking and releasing at red lights if you all remember my posts last summer. Whatever the PO did finally caught up with me I assume. I'm just happy to be able to ride soon. Thanks everyone.

[toogun]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

Update! Finally got her back yesterday and got in about a 20 minute ride. Not sure how to explain what all was wrong but the washers were bent and 1 fell into the casing somehow is what I think he said. $1400 later it rides and shifts better than it has since I bought it.
Side note. When I bought it 3 years ago the PO had some rubber washers pushed into the rear of the clutch release. I assumed it was needed and left them there. When I changed the clutch spring last year I think he took them out and never could get the thing adjusted right. It was cooking and releasing at red lights if you all remember my posts last summer. Whatever the PO did finally caught up with me I assume. I'm just happy to be able to ride soon. Thanks everyone.

Glad to hear that you're up and running, been a long ordeal. Someone here posted an ad from Craigslist for a Nomad for sale who's owner had clutch issues and was fed up, and was selling it cheap and it was well equipped. Glad you stuck with it although the $1400 must hurt.
Happy riding.

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

Update! Finally got her back yesterday and got in about a 20 minute ride. Not sure how to explain what all was wrong but the washers were bent and 1 fell into the casing somehow is what I think he said. $1400 later it rides and shifts better than it has since I bought it.
Side note. When I bought it 3 years ago the PO had some rubber washers pushed into the rear of the clutch release. I assumed it was needed and left them there. When I changed the clutch spring last year I think he took them out and never could get the thing adjusted right. It was cooking and releasing at red lights if you all remember my posts last summer. Whatever the PO did finally caught up with me I assume. I'm just happy to be able to ride soon. Thanks everyone.

Man, that's and expensive fix for a 100.00 job. You must be loaded. If I had to do that I couldn't afford to ride. Hope it is fixed right. My problem is I couldn't trust anyone that could rip me off like that, ever.

[mick56]

I felt the in that and it's not even my money !

[paul]

David, glad to hear you found the issue. Sorry it took so much to correct. I'd say our original idea was right then, someone fouled up the install and washers. Makes sense, if your mechanic only replaced the spring last year, then he wouldn't have gone into the area where the washers are. I think the PO gave you a good schtupping with his shade tree fix. Too bad.

[davidhollinger]

I'm not loaded guys but I know what a monthly payment means versus a few hundred on repairs. Basically instead of the fairing or new gun I wanted I got to repair the bike.
Paul I think so too on the PO but I'm just ready to ride now. Hope the weather is good for 3-21. Already scheduled a ride and rally with friends.

[Peg]

Sorry to read of your problems Dave... I remember I was always keener on the color of our matching blonde bikes than you were - but you've certainly ended up sticking with your '02 for longer than I did mine.

We had our annual down under VROC rally a couple of weeks ago, and my old blonde Nomad was with us. Her new owner loves her like I did (I still miss that bike)... although he's having some clutch slipping issues now himself. He's also a lot bigger than me, and is finding the shocks are less than robust enough for two-up plus baggage riding on our very twisty NZ secondary roading network... The pipes are touching down fairly frequently.

[davidhollinger]

Wow Peg, I have had that happen on 2 up riding also but have been able to manage with the shocks. Just ready to get out and ride some now. I have some honey do's this weekend and some shooting planned but if the weather is nice Sunday/Monday, I am GONE!
Thanks again for everyone's input. I love this forum. Wish I had time to be on like I used to but its just crazy right now.