GL1000 Hydraulic Clutch Conversion

[joedrum]

If I could use a cable on hooch it would be there lol.....

 

[desertrefugee]

It's the slave. Looks like I might have tweaked the seal when I was muscling it in. I seriously might be going back to the cable, Joe. This is not fun any more...

:nea:

 

[joedrum]

Well after further review of my bike today Darrel ....I didn’t take the motor out to install clutch slave ...I cut the dam frame out ...and can actually replace the clutch rather easy also ....I guess my memory will never come back to anything close to normal after all those fevers I had lol ...I was quite impressed with the work I did there shoring up the frame and all ...really nice work done ...didn’t remember a thing about it till this thread made me look at my bike today ...while I was working on the house where the bike is at .....my my sometimes I really get floored by the work I do and totally forget

 

[brianinpa]

desertrefugee » Sat Oct 28, 2017 5:23 pm[/url]":1aex0p1d]
It's the slave. Looks like I might have tweaked the seal when I was muscling it in. I seriously might be going back to the cable, Joe. This is not fun any more...

:nea:

Hmm... As easy as it is to drop the motor, I'd pull the motor and replace all the seals and try one more time. I've broken two clutch cables on the 1100 and had to limp home too many miles to count one time. When I switched the 1100 to hydraulic, that problem went away.

 

[desertrefugee]

I'm finding that it's not impossible to get this thing in and out with the motor in place. I've done it a few times now and am actually getting pretty good at it. Looks like pulling the motor for this job is not an absolute requirement. But, it would sure make it easier. :head bang:

But, I must be cracking up. Recall that, as noted above, once installed, I found that the slave was sucking air and would not allow me to bleed the system. Heck, I coudn't even register a vacuum while trying to pump it down. So, I pulled it. Again. While in my hand, the blasted thing will hold a vacuum just fine with the input port (from the master) closed off.

So, I finessed the thing back into place and snugged up a few of the bolts. Wanna guess? Yep. Won't pull a vacuum. There's a very small amount of leakage around the bleeder screw threads, but the slave cylinder itself just appears to suck and blow.

Anybody got any ideas? I suppose that when the slave gets bolted in and the actuator rod gets force applied, maybe it pushes hard enough on the piston to compress the seal? Heck, I don't know, but I'm tired of messing with what should have been a simple thing. All I want to do is ride the danged motorcycle. The season is here and the stinkin' bike is still lounging on the operating table.

 

[joedrum]

Put a cable on lol...and go riding

 

[desertrefugee]

Joe, I'm so damn close you wouldn't believe it. But, I've got like $150 in parts here and it's seriously pissin' me off. Now it's principle.

I'm pretty much done messing with it. I probably will go back to cable, but will revisit if I feel ambitious.

 

[joedrum]

Good plan

 

[slabghost]

Back the bleeder out two full turns abs smear rtv in the threads. Turn it back in one turn. Let it sit overnight. Use the vac bleeder and tighten the bleeder to the seat. Might work. I've never had that issue.

 

[desertrefugee]

This is what a 1978 GL1000 that almost had a hydraulic clutch looks like. I got sick of bumping my head against the wall, seeing it on the table and having perfect riding weather. I went back to cable...for now. A series of obstacles finally forced me to temporarily throw up the white flag:

1) The slave seals fine when off the bike, but put some pressure to it - including the actuator - and it sucks air. Needs a kit.

2) I discovered that the lower OEM rubber to the slave has a leak. (It's all metal until that last 10 inches. There's a small leak in that last rubber transition). I should have done as recommended and gone with a new hose and abandoning the pipe. Trust me, I will when I go back after this.

3) My new ebay master cylinder is dripping fluid. Luckily I a) have a rebuild kit and b) had the paintwork covered.

I'll acquire a few new bits and revisit this when I finish licking my wounds from this round.

I took the bike out for the first time without the Viper fairing and kind of like it! I may put it back, but it is totally naked for now. But, for all my troubles, I now have more leaks.

1) The tach cable is now leaking at my modified housing and needs a seal.
2) My newly re-installed clutch cover is leaking. I'm not surprised as I had that thing on and off 3 or 4 times and the poor gasket took a beating.
3) My final output drive is leaking like h*ll. Need a seal there.
4) I was smelling fuel at a light and looked down and saw dark evaporated gas stains. One of my new electric fuel pump hose connections was loose and I snugged it up in the spot pictured above.

So, no hydraulic clutch for now, but I'll be back.

 

[slabghost]

Sorry it didn't work out for you. This time. But I'm sure you'll make it work.

 

[Ansimp]

At least you are riding it again Darrell. :good:
What’s that old expression? “If it ain’t broke, don’t F*ck with it”! :smilie_happy: