Clutch Props - Help needed
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
Clutch Props - Help needed
Has anyone any ideas as to why my clutch has suddenly started slipping from 8000rpm the needle surges without any power increase and then it catches up!
Background, bike has done 26k, not sure if the clutch has been changed (only just bought the bike) i changed the oil a week ago, after much reading I went for 15-50 so that shouldn't ave caused it!, Ive not bled the cluch yet, so will try that tomorrow.
Is putting a new clutch in a tricky job? I have only basic mechanic skills!
cheers
Oli
Background, bike has done 26k, not sure if the clutch has been changed (only just bought the bike) i changed the oil a week ago, after much reading I went for 15-50 so that shouldn't ave caused it!, Ive not bled the cluch yet, so will try that tomorrow.
Is putting a new clutch in a tricky job? I have only basic mechanic skills!
cheers
Oli
"Merda taurorum animas conturbit"
- mangocrazy
- Admin
- Posts: 3944
- Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:24 pm
- Location: Sheffield, UK
Re: Clutch Props - Help needed
I think that is probably the significant part... what oil did you put in - was it semi synthetic or full synthetic? Also was it a motorcycle-specific oil or was it a general automotive type oil?Olig7475 wrote: i changed the oil a week ago
I believe that earlier Falcos are susceptible to clutch slip if fully synthetic oil is used. The recommendation is to use a semi-synthetic 15W50 oil formulated for bikes (JSMA specification). Or so I believe.
- Aladinsaneuk
- Aprilia Admin
- Posts: 9503
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:37 pm
- Location: Webfoot territory
Also check out Thumper's post from today in the following thread (not Thumper's post that started the thread)
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=4015
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=4015
- mangocrazy
- Admin
- Posts: 3944
- Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:24 pm
- Location: Sheffield, UK
- Aladinsaneuk
- Aprilia Admin
- Posts: 9503
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:37 pm
- Location: Webfoot territory
yeah a bit strange really, everything works fine for 5-10mins and then it starts to slip!! I used this oil
http://www.bitzforbikes.co.uk/-ref-13471-149.html
Clutch fluid level is good, I'm going to try bleeding it see if that helps.
http://www.bitzforbikes.co.uk/-ref-13471-149.html
Clutch fluid level is good, I'm going to try bleeding it see if that helps.
"Merda taurorum animas conturbit"
- Firestarter
- Twisted Firestarter
- Posts: 1429
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:28 am
- Location: Northwich, Cheshire
Bleeding is worth a try, but I'd be surprised if that makes a difference, unless you've made any other changes to the bike recently that might have affected the clutch? The oil is the most obvious one, but if it's semi-synth, that shouldn't be the problem. If you get no joy, I'd suggest swapping the oil out again before swapping the clutch out, try a different brand of oil just in case there's an additive that's causing the clutch slip.
Aprilia SL1000 Falco '04 in Black & Red
- Falco9
- Aprilia Admin
- Posts: 1154
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm
- Location: Wakefield. West Yorkshire
I'd be tempted to swap the oil . I'm not too up to speed on oil ratings but I note the "Hi-Rev" oil meets API-SM standard. Aprilia state the oil must meet API-SG standard
Now of course "SM" might be a higher standard than "SG" I don't know, but if it isn't that could be contributing to the slip problem (I'm sure someone will dive in here with the right info)
Even if the clutch is knackered it's easy to change the plates, you don't even need to drain the oil
F9
Now of course "SM" might be a higher standard than "SG" I don't know, but if it isn't that could be contributing to the slip problem (I'm sure someone will dive in here with the right info)
Even if the clutch is knackered it's easy to change the plates, you don't even need to drain the oil
F9

I've spent 50% of my life riding motorcycles, the rest I've wasted!
-
- SuperBike Racer
- Posts: 1424
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
- Tweaker
- Clubman Racer
- Posts: 372
- Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:10 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
- Main bike: BMW R1250RS
If the clutch still slips after the oil change, you can take the plates out and roughen the steel plates on some coarse emery cloth. So long as the friction plates are ok, just pop them back in and the clutch slip will be gone. Did mine and it's done nearly 10k since. The whole job takes less than an hour and, best of all, costs nothing 

The ride is the reason ........ the destination is just the excuse.