Clutch won't disengage

[OldButNotDead]

I took my 2003 (02) V11 Naked out for it's annual trackday last weekend and maybe had a little too much fun . After a couple of sessions, I found myself unable to shift out of first gear. Ahhha thought I, the shift return spring has finally let go (~9000 mi on bike).

 

Nope. Gear selector seems to work OK when the motor's not running. Starts fine in neutral. When clicked into first gear, it pulls forward a bit, then stalls. Seems like the clutch isn't disengaging. Pulling in the clutch lever when running in neutral gives little of that rattle I'm used to hearing. I tried bleeding the hydraulic line, with no change.

 

I've searched a bit and found mention of loose rivets on the friction plates and warping of the intermediate plate. Anyone want to take a stab? It was a hot day and it's fair to say I wasn't at all easy on the clutch.

 

Off to the shop it goes. I'm guessing ~5-6 hours labor to swap what's not right? It sounds like none of the aftermarket plates are particularly heplful, but I'm wondering if anyone here has tried the intermediate plate modification described on guzzitech.dk?

[Guest Nogbad]

Here's my stab:

 

The clutch operating rod has welded itself to the spinning part inside, causing it to wear down, and now there is insufficient throw in the system to disengage the clutch completely.

[OldButNotDead]

Here's my stab:

 

The clutch operating rod has welded itself to the spinning part inside, causing it to wear down, and now there is insufficient throw in the system to disengage the clutch completely.

 

Thanks Nog-

 

I've never been into a Guzzi engine and have little idea of how this clutch works. I found diagrams of the pressure, friction, and intermediate plates. I'm thinking that my squeezing the clutch lever pushes the pressure plate forward to allow the clutch to disengage, but I've got no idea of the bits involved that make that happen. Did I miss a diagram in the manual?

[g.forrest]

be warned here! you are dealing with possibly the most complex clutch-clutch's clutchless ever fitted to one single vehicle in the whole world.

Thanks Nog-

 

I've never been into a Guzzi engine and have little idea of how this clutch works. I found diagrams of the pressure, friction, and intermediate plates. I'm thinking that my squeezing the clutch lever pushes the pressure plate forward to allow the clutch to disengage, but I've got no idea of the bits involved that make that happen. Did I miss a diagram in the manual?

[mike wilson]

Never owned a Velocette, have you..............?

[g.forrest]

my big mouth...finger.

Never owned a Velocette, have you..............?

[mike wilson]

I was being unkind. The Velocette clutch is actually very simple but unique. The Guzzi clutch is similarly unique (I think...) and simple. It's the fact that there is nothing (even remotely, in the case of the Velo) like it that gives it the impression of being problematic.

 

In fact, the Guzzi clutch may be worse than the Velo as people assume that it is the same as some similar looking clutches, then get caught out because it works differently.

 

I think I've convinced myself that you were right in the first place.......

 

8-)))))

[pete roper]

While Nogger's suggestion is a possibiluty I have to say I think it unlikely in this case. The usual scenario with the welded pushrod is on bikes with a cable operated clutch whhich has not had the arm adjusted. The situation for pre-loading the actuating system simply shouldn't exist with a hydraulic clutch and given the circumstances where the problem occured my best guess is that either the friction material has started separating from the plates, one of the pates has torn it's centre out or the intermediate plate is warped. Any-which-way I think you're going to have to go into the clutch for a looksee. Tedious and for a beginner time consuming but not particularly difficult! There' are probably instructions in a thread on this board somewhere otherwise we can puppy-walk you through it.

 

Pete

[OldButNotDead]

While Nogger's suggestion is a possibiluty I have to say I think it unlikely in this case. The usual scenario with the welded pushrod is on bikes with a cable operated clutch whhich has not had the arm adjusted. The situation for pre-loading the actuating system simply shouldn't exist with a hydraulic clutch and given the circumstances where the problem occured my best guess is that either the friction material has started separating from the plates, one of the pates has torn it's centre out or the intermediate plate is warped. Any-which-way I think you're going to have to go into the clutch for a looksee. Tedious and for a beginner time consuming but not particularly difficult! There' are probably instructions in a thread on this board somewhere otherwise we can puppy-walk you through it.

 

Pete

 

Hey Pete, thanks for the "learning opportunity", but finding time for this just isn't going to happen right now. I looked through some of your engine teardown docs - looks like it would be more involved than my old XS650 was. Dragging that lump down into the basement workshop was trouble enough.

 

I've switched my vote from warped intermediate plate to: I tore the center out of a friction plate. I'm going to try and stop by the shop while it's apart to get a better idea of the innards.

 

My latest theory is that I need to keep track of what gear I'm in. My V11 doesn't seem to like it when I downshift into first and drop the clutch at 70 mph .

[OldButNotDead]

While Nogger's suggestion is a possibiluty I have to say I think it unlikely in this case.

...CLIP...

given the circumstances where the problem occured my best guess is that either the friction material has started separating from the plates, one of the pates has torn it's centre out or the intermediate plate is warped...

 

Pete

 

 

DING DING...give that man a rubber chicken. I'm posting to get this archived in case anyone else is silly enough to do this.

 

I stopped in at Detroit Eurocycles after Keith and Jeff had opened it up - a nice big chunk had separated from one of the friction disks. If I can't find a slipper clutch, I may be forced into learning how to downshift properly .