Just limped into Bridgeport, WV in middle of a 6 day ride. My clutch has lost serious hydraulic pressure. I can still get up and down the gear ladder by pumping the lever before each shift. There is no leaking of fluid, and the eye glass shows fluid in it. Thoughts on a diagnosis and the closest BMW dealer?
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Emergency advice 2004 RT rider stuck in Bridgeport, WV on clutch hydraulic pressure
- Thread starter scxpress
- Start date
PGlaves
#13338
You have air in the system. You need to bleed/flush the system.
Get the appropriate fluid (mineral oil or DOT 4 brake fluid depending on the bike) and bleed the clutch like you would brakes the old fashioned way. With luck it will gravity flow with no pumping needed. Keep the reservoir full as the fluid goes out the bleed valve.
You might need a bleed valve to go into the fitting on the end of the hose.
Sorry to hear about the troubles! I think that the nearest BMW dealer is Holt BMW in Athens, Ohio, due west of you about 125 miles or so. http://holtbmw.com @ 9000 Cycle Lane.
There's quite a few members listed in the Anonymous Book for Morgantown, WV, just up the road. If you have the book, check out some of the numbers. The online book is available here:
http://www.bmwmoa.org/page/abook
The online version doesn't work with my Windows machine, but likely would work with an iPhone, hopefully an Android phone.
If you need more help than that, get back to the forum, or PM for more details.
There's quite a few members listed in the Anonymous Book for Morgantown, WV, just up the road. If you have the book, check out some of the numbers. The online book is available here:
http://www.bmwmoa.org/page/abook
The online version doesn't work with my Windows machine, but likely would work with an iPhone, hopefully an Android phone.
If you need more help than that, get back to the forum, or PM for more details.
Thanks, Paul and Kurt! I really appreciate your help.
FYI, my wife and I are riding separate bikes. My wife has only been riding for the last 18 months but is booking lots of miles. When this happened today, she asked what I was going to do. I said get to a hotel and post a message to see if "Paul" responds. I always show her your columns in the BMW mag. She laughed at me. But she really laughed when you responded!
I have a note into Holt BMW to see if they will perform the bleed in the morning if I can get over there in the morning.
Thank you for all your help and quick response!
Onward & Upward!
FYI, my wife and I are riding separate bikes. My wife has only been riding for the last 18 months but is booking lots of miles. When this happened today, she asked what I was going to do. I said get to a hotel and post a message to see if "Paul" responds. I always show her your columns in the BMW mag. She laughed at me. But she really laughed when you responded!
I have a note into Holt BMW to see if they will perform the bleed in the morning if I can get over there in the morning.
Thank you for all your help and quick response!
Onward & Upward!
roger 04 rt
New member
My 2004 clutch never needed fluid nor got spongy but when I check the slave, it had a slow leak and had a buildup of brake fluid turned into a greasy consistency.
My concern for your situation is that the clutch slave cylinder, at the back of your transmission has a serious leak. If you merely bleed the cylinder and more fluid leaks out and air leaks in, you may find yourself with a clutch plate fouled with fluid. If I was in your situation, before bleeding the brakes, I’d check the cylinder.
My concern for your situation is that the clutch slave cylinder, at the back of your transmission has a serious leak. If you merely bleed the cylinder and more fluid leaks out and air leaks in, you may find yourself with a clutch plate fouled with fluid. If I was in your situation, before bleeding the brakes, I’d check the cylinder.
FWIW, I have never seen air just "get into the system". In order for air to get into the system, something had to happen. Most of the time it's a loss of fluid that causes this situation. How the fluid is or has been lost needs to be addressed. At the bike is at the +12 year mark, you need to be careful of disrupting this hydraulic system without readily available parts.
On a system of this age, if it's never been apart, there will usually be a rust (or other) ring near where the internal parts are "used" to being. Aggressive or movement past these "rings" can and frequently will tear what is left of the seal(s) and make things worse.......hence when you hear of "honing" the inside of cylinders.
Anyway, that's my experience and $.02
OM
On a system of this age, if it's never been apart, there will usually be a rust (or other) ring near where the internal parts are "used" to being. Aggressive or movement past these "rings" can and frequently will tear what is left of the seal(s) and make things worse.......hence when you hear of "honing" the inside of cylinders.
Anyway, that's my experience and $.02
OM
The OP reported that the fluid slight glass remained full. Therefore, I disagree that there's a leak past the seal in the slave cylinder. Were that the case, the fluid level in the reservoir would drop.
Instead, I think the master cylinder piston seal is failing. No fluid is leaving the system, but the master cylinder piston — now imperfectly sealing to the master cylinder bore — is unable to move sufficient fluid with one stroke of the hand lever to actuate the clutch; several squeezes are require to get enough fluid in front of the piston.
The repair is to replace the master cylinder piston seal, or the entire master cylinder.
Instead, I think the master cylinder piston seal is failing. No fluid is leaving the system, but the master cylinder piston — now imperfectly sealing to the master cylinder bore — is unable to move sufficient fluid with one stroke of the hand lever to actuate the clutch; several squeezes are require to get enough fluid in front of the piston.
The repair is to replace the master cylinder piston seal, or the entire master cylinder.
roger 04 rt
New member
That could well be the case. But if the slave cylinder failed, that would be a bigger problem, which is why I’d check it.
I agree that would be a bigger issue.
Clutch hydraulics
There is a way to check the master cylinder seal for fluid seeping by it. Using a piece of flexible plastic to protect the flex hose from damage, pinch off the flex hose midway on its length. Clamp it with vice grips and then squeeze the clutch lever and hold it. If it eventually moves toward the grip, fluid is most likely leaking past the master cylinder seal. If it holds pressure for a good period of time, 2 or 3 minutes at least, then the problem is elsewhere.
I know some will disapprove of pinching the flex hose and that's fair however, the chances are damaging the hose are very slim if you protect it from chafing. Those hoses are very tough and can withstand a great deal of abuse. This method has been used for years to find leaky cylinders on cars and determine where the leaky seal is located or to confirm a suspected master cylinder issue.
There is a way to check the master cylinder seal for fluid seeping by it. Using a piece of flexible plastic to protect the flex hose from damage, pinch off the flex hose midway on its length. Clamp it with vice grips and then squeeze the clutch lever and hold it. If it eventually moves toward the grip, fluid is most likely leaking past the master cylinder seal. If it holds pressure for a good period of time, 2 or 3 minutes at least, then the problem is elsewhere.
I know some will disapprove of pinching the flex hose and that's fair however, the chances are damaging the hose are very slim if you protect it from chafing. Those hoses are very tough and can withstand a great deal of abuse. This method has been used for years to find leaky cylinders on cars and determine where the leaky seal is located or to confirm a suspected master cylinder issue.
PGlaves
#13338
Not exactly a clutch slave cylinder, but Voni's F800 has always and consistenty drawn air into a rear brake circuit with never a sign of a leak. I have carefully marked the pedal position fully depressed and watched it change over time. So every so often I bleed a little air out of the system, never needing to add fluid, and it goes back to normal pedal travel. It purely and simply is air - but not fluid - past the seals. The same could be true of the clutch.
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