Clutch lever & cruise control

[frankd]

On my 89 with 45,000 miles on it, the cruise control works great.....if I hold the clutch lever all the way out with my hand. When I bought the bike 2 years ago, I relplaced the bushing, but that didn't help much. There is quite a bit of play between where the clutch cylinder quits pushing the lever outward and the end of travel where the cruise control senses that the clutch is released. It seems to me that maybe I want to replace or stretch the spring that is between the clutch cylinder and the lever bushing?? Anybody have any experience with this problem??

 

Frank D.

[dingy]

Does the lever have the same amount of play in it after the bike has sat overnight?

 

If not maybe the small hole in bottom of master is plugged and not allowing fluid back into master very quickly.

 

Gary

[frankd]

It feels the same after sitting. I also intend on changing the clutch fluid so I'll check that when I do.

 

Frank

[mbrood]

I would also pull the lever, plunger and spring and lean down and see if the master cylinder piston is seated back fully against the circlip... they can build crud in there and the piston stops early (= sloppy lever).

 

If you are changing the master fluid, I would go ahead drain the reservoir and lines and use some right angle circlip pliers and pull the master piston, bushings and spring to check them out and any cleanup. It might be easier on the refill and bleed proceedure to crack the banjo at the reservoir to bleed air trapped there (with plenty of protection underneath).

Edited April 20, 2011 by mbrood

[frankd]

I finally had a little time to start on the clutch lever problem. I tried using my vaccuum bleeder to suck the brake fluid out of the system, but I couldn't empty any of the fluid out of the reservoir. I removed the fluid cover, but still couldn't pull the fluid through the system. I emptied the reservoir with a turkey baster and removed the master cylinder. I found that the rubber boot had fallen apart. I pulled the boot pieces out and pushed the master cylinder plunger in and when I released it, it "thumped" against the C clip. I tried it several times, and every time it returned to the C clip properly. I re-installed the lever, and now it was against the switch stop properly. I suspect that there was a piece of the rubber boot jamming the plunger and preventing it from moving to the release position fully.

 

The only way a replacement boot is available is with a rebuild kit, so now that's on order.

 

Frank

[frankd]

I put the master cylinder back on the bike today, and when I put the electrical switch back together, the lever was pushed away from the stop by the switch spring. I compressed the spring a little to weaken it, and now it seems to work better (at least the starter control half of the switch---I've got the travel trunk loose so I can't ride it yet and check cruise operation). If the cruise still drops out, I will stretch the spring that goes on the pin that pushes the master cylinder plunger a little to force the clutch lever outward more.