FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

Hello peeps how is it going?

I have a clutch problem over here.. Took the front chain cover off and now the clutch releases all the way to the top of the clutch handle. I've adjusted it from the screw but it doesn't make a difference.
I put that cover back without a gasket.(ordered one)

So any experts out there? Is it because the spacing is off between the cover , is it the clutch cable ,or is it the clutch?

Thanks

Yes, you need to adjust the clutch. First, get a repair manual in front of you and read the section on clutch adjustment. It is very hard to explain but I will summarize.

1. back off the cable adjustment at the clutch lever all the way until the cable is loose as a goose.
2. Look on the clutch cover. See that round plastic cover? Pry it off and you will see a bolt and a locknut in the hole.
3. Loosen the locknut.
4. Back off the adjustment screw in the center. Then tighten until you feel resistance. If you aren't sure back off and do it again a couple of times. The resistance that you feel are the clutch springs being compressed. At the point where you just feel the resistance back the screw out 1/4 turn.
5. Tricky part - while holding the adjustment screw in position, tighten the locknut.
6. Adjust the cable at the clutch lever - see book for proper adjustment.
7. Put the little plastic cover back on the clutch cover (assuming you still had one to begin with).

By the way, doing this adjustment correctly is very important to avoid clutch rod failure. Too tight and the rod can get welded to the ball and eventually cause the rod to fail. Too loose and the clutch doesn't disengage all the way.

yamaboy wrote:Hello peeps how is it going?

I have a clutch problem over here.. Took the front chain cover off and now the clutch releases all the way to the top of the clutch handle. I've adjusted it from the screw but it doesn't make a difference.
I put that cover back without a gasket.(ordered one)

So any experts out there? Is it because the spacing is off between the cover , is it the clutch cable ,or is it the clutch?

Thanks

Yamaboy,
+5 on Rotor said, but since the problem occurred after taking the front sprocket guard off & replacing it I would guess that something has dropped off.

Take the guard off again and see if the ball in the adjuster set into guard is still there, they wear and can drop out, then you cannot set the clutch to work.

The other thing it could be is you cleaning the push rod and did not notice the ball set inside the bearing tube drop out. Did you take the rod out ?

yamaha_george wrote:

yamaboy wrote:Hello peeps how is it going?

I have a clutch problem over here.. Took the front chain cover off and now the clutch releases all the way to the top of the clutch handle. I've adjusted it from the screw but it doesn't make a difference.
I put that cover back without a gasket.(ordered one)

So any experts out there? Is it because the spacing is off between the cover , is it the clutch cable ,or is it the clutch?

Thanks

Yamaboy,
+5 on Rotor said, but since the problem occurred after taking the front sprocket guard off & replacing it I would guess that something has dropped off.

Take the guard off again and see if the ball in the adjuster set into guard is still there, they wear and can drop out, then you cannot set the clutch to work.

The other thing it could be is you cleaning the push rod and did not notice the ball set inside the bearing tube drop out. Did you take the rod out ?

Thanks guys, I will try to remove that black cover and re-adjust it. Yes , the ball in the adjuster set is still there(cleaned it with air and sprayed a bit of white grease).

One thing that worries me is that I did take the push rod out to clean it. Is there supposed to be another bearing/ball for that long tube? If there is then I'm screwed Do I have to take the trans.out?

yamaboy,

Here are the parts that should be in the clutch actuation assembly. It should be no problem taking the rod out to clean it. The ball on the clutch end usually has to be extracted with a magnet. The part that contacts the rod on the left side of the engine is a ball that is part of a very short rod inside the actuator.



If you are missing the ball then you will not be able to adjust the clutch - it won't work.

That ball inside will roll out (bike on the side stand) can be dragged out by the PO making the rod magnetic (Oh yes seen that a few times). PO using grease on the rod end to the ball so it gets pulled out but drops off when clear of the hole.

Anyway of knowing for sure YUP the clutch will not work does not matter how you try to get it working !

rotortech wrote:yamaboy,

Here are the parts that should be in the clutch actuation assembly. It should be no problem taking the rod out to clean it. The ball on the clutch end usually has to be extracted with a magnet. The part that contacts the rod on the left side of the engine is a ball that is part of a very short rod inside the actuator.

If you are missing the ball then you will not be able to adjust the clutch - it won't work.

Thanks bro , this picture is gold! I was just being dumb and had the clutch cable was too tight(adjuster too far out) . I backed it up a bit and now the clutch engages a bit over half way instead of all the way up.

yamaha_george wrote:That ball inside will roll out (bike on the side stand) can be dragged out by the PO making the rod magnetic (Oh yes seen that a few times). PO using grease on the rod end to the ball so it gets pulled out but drops off when clear of the hole.

Anyway of knowing for sure YUP the clutch will not work does not matter how you try to get it working !

So where would that ball fall off? In the trans or between the clutch discs? Good thing mine did not..I would not be a happy camper.

yamaboy wrote:
So where would that ball fall off? In the trans or between the clutch discs? Good thing mine did not..I would not be a happy camper.

Although it is not shown on the schematic above, the long rod runs down the center of the trans input shaft. I believe if the ball was loose it would roll down the shaft and come to rest right at the seal. I am not sure of the clearances there but I also believe that the ball can not fall down into the crankcase.

You wrote that you clutch works now. Good. Please go back and do the adjustment as I described or you will be back here next month telling us that the long rod is welded to the ball and broken in half. That is what will happen if you don't have that 1/4 turn of play in the actuation rod. So go do it. It only takes a few minutes.

yamaboy wrote:So where would that ball fall off? In the trans or between the clutch discs? Good thing mine did not..I would not be a happy camper.

The clutch actuation rod runs in a complete tube within the transmission & the ball can roll downhill as the rod is removed with the bike on its side stand and just drop on the floor as the rod is actually removed from the engine.
DO NOT ASK ME HOW I KNOW :-}

Also, 2 things I have learned. When putting the push rod back in it's a wise idea to put oil on it when reinserting the rod. Also lithium grease works but will run dry with temperature changes. If you can, get some 4 wheel drive or ball bearing grease, and coat the tensioner. The nasty blue stuff works. It helps me to keep the dirt out of the tensioner too. Just my 2 cents and someone else might have another opinion. But if it helps keep a fellow rider on the road, I'm good.

Chris.

yamaha_george wrote:

yamaboy wrote:So where would that ball fall off? In the trans or between the clutch discs? Good thing mine did not..I would not be a happy camper.

The clutch actuation rod runs in a complete tube within the transmission & the ball can roll downhill as the rod is removed with the bike on its side stand and just drop on the floor as the rod is actually removed from the engine.
DO NOT ASK ME HOW I KNOW :-}

Oh ok! That's a bit comforting I guess. Better to roll out than into the trans.

kilika2 wrote:Also, 2 things I have learned. When putting the push rod back in it's a wise idea to put oil on it when reinserting the rod. Also lithium grease works but will run dry with temperature changes. If you can, get some 4 wheel drive or ball bearing grease, and coat the tensioner. The nasty blue stuff works. It helps me to keep the dirt out of the tensioner too. Just my 2 cents and someone else might have another opinion. But if it helps keep a fellow rider on the road, I'm good.

Chris.

I thought about this while I had that rod out. Do I grease it , do I put normal oil on it, do I not , Is it gonna make the clutch slip??
Finnaly said screw it and lubed it with Royal Purple synthetic oil 10w30(which I use in the engine). I just got the clutch cover gasket today so I'm going to grease the rod with red high temp grease when I'm at it. Have a grease gun and bought the red grease from Walmart. I lubed my suspension a while ago and still found traces of it while taking it apart again.(swingarm rod, shock pins ..)

Hy Yamaboy.
Been a while since we last talked. I don't think that high temp grease is the correct thing to put on the clutch rod as the rod gets in contact with the oil that runs trough your transmision and trough the engine, so the grease might clog up some channells trough wich the oil runs and the engine or tranny might suffer of oil starvation. Use only engine oil when you put it back in or just put it back in dry, it will make no difference.