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hey guys

ive had some clutch slipping issues and i was wondering if you guys could shine a light on it

it all started a while ago when i changed the oil
before this the bike was running spotless

i went with 10W30 and hated it
i noticed the slippage almost right away but ended up putting maybe 4 hours of hard riding time on it

i then switched to ATF and it works much better but the clutch still slips

are the plates just worn out or is there something else i can consider?

Time for a clutch kit.

I have heard of people putting motor oil in their tranny and it slips really bad.
They had to flush it with ATF a few times to get all of the bad oil out so that the clutch would stop slipping.
Before you go buying a new clutch run a couple quarts of ATF through and see if it helps.

If not then I guess next step is remove the clutch and inspect/clean the plates thoroughly.

sounds like a plan Thrahl

ill do a few fushes

i thought it might have been something like that, since the issue started the very moment i put the 10W30 in there

hopefully i can fix it without breaking the clutch cover seal :)

diymirage wrote:hey guys
it all started a while ago when i changed the oil
before this the bike was running spotless...

...the issue started the very moment i put the 10W30 in there.

Changed it with what? What type, spec?

I see no mention of it being 'Energy Saving' oil. That won't work.

Regarding the API 'donut' insignia:

Energy Conserving and CI-4 PLUS Designations
The bottom of the donut tells whether the oil has energy conserving properties when compared with a reference oil in an engine test or if an oil meets CI-4 PLUS requirements.

Oils labeled as "Energy Conserving" have passed the test that measures an oil's ability to conserve energy. Widespread use of engine oils with this designation should result in an overall saving of fuel in the vehicle fleet as a whole, but a particular vehicle operator may not experience a fuel savings as a result of using these oils.

Used in conjunction with the CI-4 category, the "CI-4 PLUS" designation identifies oils formulated to provide a higher level of protection against soot-related viscosity increase and viscosity loss due to shear in diesel engines.

From another site:

Is SL or SM better than SF/SG for my Motorcycle?
API's Standards Rating is influenced by government mandates (such as pollution control), and thus oils meeting newer ratings do not necessarily perform better (or even the same as) oils meeting an older rating, depending on your motorcycle engine type. API standards are created for automobile engines, not motorcycle engines. For their rating system explained, see the API MOTOR OIL GUIDE (current guide with SM classification on it).






Not good. Don't use.


You need to use an oil designed for wet clutch applications. They are higher in zinc and phosphorus than most newer engine motor oils.

Use a JASO rated oil. That rating includes a wet clutch specification.

Basically:

JASO OIL RATING:
Unlike the API, which is an petroleum-specific institution, JASO is a consortium of major vehicle manufacturers in Japan. JASO stands for the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (although translated from Japanese it might be more accurate to say Japanese Vehicle Manufacturer's Organization). JASO rates oils for compatibility with their products (cars and motorcycles), and all the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha) specified a JASO standard for compatibility with their four-stroke motorcycles' oil needs starting in 1998, called the JASO-MA standard. Most non-Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Triumph, etc.) now also specify a JASO standard for use in their motorcycle engines.


Note: JASO has changed spec over the years. Know what you are using, what you are supposed to use..and 'why' is good.

Rotella, for one. It's relatively cheap and widely available. That's simply 'a' brand. Any SF/SG oil should work.

thanks for the info carver, as far as the oil, i honoustly dont know what it was, cheap wally world or something
i didnt expect it to be energy conserving because of its low price, but it might have had that in there

right now the bike is filled with cheap wally world ATF type F aswell but i will flush all of that when i get home (away for worknow)

maybe ill pick up a qaurt of that rotella and see how it does for me

the cheap oil is probably the problem. id rather spend the extra money and get the life out of my vehicles :)

Not plugging rotella, but I use it in all my bikes and change it often. No oil-related problems ever.

I have no problems with cheap type F. Wally world brand or otherwise.

Another type f advocate here. Smoother shift action too

'What kind of oil is best?' :ohmy:

Knowing full well that's where this was headed, that wasn't the point.

Most riders have their favorite oil..presumeably part of why it's their favorite is that they think it works.

I have no interest in..and there is no point to trying to change anyone's mind on the issue.

'All oil is the same' just like 'all bearings are the same', 'all tires are the same', and any other collection of different 'stuff' is 'the same'.

You'll receive no argument from me. I have my personal preferences, but so do my bikes, it would seem. My old F11 hates ATF, and is much happier on a more expensive oil such as Honda's HP trans oil. My KDX is the opposite. Strange, but true.

I tried all different oils in my KDX ranging in price from $3 - $15 a quart and the best oil I have found so far is the $3 a quart NAPA Type F ATF. Clutch works good, shifts a lot better, and seems to last longer before any shifting issues come back. But like has been said, to each their own. You just need to try different things until you find what works best for your bike.

well, quick update, i checked the trash and found the oil canister....energy conserving label and all
so that was most likely the problem

ive been out of town for work so i havent ridden the bike all week

i went out and got a qaurt of oil recommended by my local yamaha dealer (cant remember the name right now, but ill look it up)

i also found my new handle bars that i ordered last week and decided to install those first
(i wrecked my bars when i fliped the bike last month and was using the 30 inchers off my project bike. i had to use the bark busters off my project bike aswell and its clutch perch and lever since i busted the ones from the daily driver)

now this is where it gets interesting, once i hooked up the new bars and a stock clutch perch i found in my toolbox and it is good as new
(keep in mind, i did NOT change the ATF out yet)
the bike pulls much stronger, lifts the front end higher and quicker and rides much faster
on top of that, i dont feel it slip anymore

now, i KNOW i had the other clutch lever (which also came off a 96 KDX) adjusted well, there was a few MM of free play on the clutch pull and when taking off it grabbed with the lever about halfway out)

I'd chalk it up to taking some time to get all the slippy oil out of the clutch fibers. It's possible that the clutch perch was related, but unlikely, as long as there was slack in the cable.

well, today i noticed another strange thing with the bike
i was leaving the video store and i had just kicked the bike on, clutch still pulled in

i put the bike in first and let off the clutch to take off...nothing happened
i checked the cable and it was loose , checked down to the actuator and that could move too, so it looks like the clutch rod that is inside the engine case was sticking?

it came loose after a few seconds but i wonder if this might have been (part of) my issue all along ?

is this common, or is there something i could do to prevent it from happening again?

What does your clutch basket look like?

wouldnt know, i havent opened that bike up...ever

Oh, I wouldn't bother looking in there. I'm sure there is nothing at all worth looking at under the side cover if all you are having is clutch problems. Really what could possibly go wrong with a 15 or so year old clutch assembly.