Heavy leaking clutch?

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damci
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Heavy leaking clutch?

#1 Post by damci » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:21 am

Hi all

I recently fitted a new genuine Aprilia clutch slave seal and replaced the fluid with Motul dot 5.1 and it has made the clutch lever a fair bit lighter.

I have never tried an MPL or Oberon slave so can’t really compare but the seal cost me £12 and was a piece of cake to fit. Highly recommended and worth trying before you spunk out £80+ on a new clutch slave!

Oh and it doesn't leak :smt004

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dyzio
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#2 Post by dyzio » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:29 am

How many miles did you put on since the change?

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damci
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#3 Post by damci » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:41 am

I've done about 200 miles since the change. It didn't feel any different to start with but the last 100 miles or so I have really noticed a difference. I don't know if everything has now bedded in or something has broken but it certainly seems lighter

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#4 Post by dyzio » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:47 am

Put another 10k on it and then come back to say if it leaks or not.

Sorry if I come across a bit rude but 200 miles in my opinion is nowhere near enough to make that kind statement.

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Re: Heavy leaking clutch?

#5 Post by D-Rider » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:08 am

damci wrote:Hi all

I recently fitted a new genuine Aprilia clutch slave seal and replaced the fluid with Motul dot 5.1 and it has made the clutch lever a fair bit lighter.

I have never tried an MPL or Oberon slave so can’t really compare but the seal cost me £12 and was a piece of cake to fit. Highly recommended and worth trying before you spunk out £80+ on a new clutch slave!

Oh and it doesn't leak :smt004
I was recently reading a thread on another forum and it does seem that dot5.1 will help a bit with lightness - in fact there was a view that the dreaded dot 5 is good for clutches - though keep it away from the brakes ..... and ensure that the whole system is THOROUGHLY cleaned and flushed before using it to avoid the problems that mixing it with dot4/5.1 can cause. Apparently it lubricates better.

Oh yes ... and just so that others are saved from shelling out the ridiculous sum of £12 for an Aprilia slave seal, I will point you to our Technical section with the details of the equivalent seal that Chabby sourced that costs about £2:
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=4982
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
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damci
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#6 Post by damci » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:21 am

dyzio wrote:Put another 10k on it and then come back to say if it leaks or not.

Sorry if I come across a bit rude but 200 miles in my opinion is nowhere near enough to make that kind statement.
Well the bike has 10k on it so I would expect the new seal to expire within another 10k if not sooner. I had to keep refilling my clutch resevoir every 80-100 miles with the old seal fitted so the new seal has certainly made a difference as the level hasn't dropped a bit.

Didn't realise you could get a seal for £2!

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HowardQ
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#7 Post by HowardQ » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:50 am

Don't understand all this DOT4/DOT5/DOT5.1 business I just keep using the normal black clutch fluid. :smt003

At least it matches the colour of the Bike. :smt004
HowardQ

Take a ride on the Dark Side :smt004 :smt096 :smt004

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Noeli0
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#8 Post by Noeli0 » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:07 pm

Don't understand all this DOT4/DOT5/DOT5.1 business I just keep using the normal black clutch fluid
the difference is the boiling temperature of the liquid (5.1 highest)
Dot 3,4 & 5.1 are chemically similar, Dot 5 isn’t

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rick
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#9 Post by rick » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:17 pm

Mine is still leaking and I need to order one of those seals at some point... just haven't got round to it yet... I'm finding I need a top up every 200miles or so :)
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#10 Post by furygan man » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:20 pm

My Pennies worth

AA had to bleed clutch about 5-6 weeks ago, then it started slipping again on Fri so had it bled again, but the resevoir wasn't going down!! Strange, good job i'm seeing Griff on Friday for seal/jet and slave replacement!

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#11 Post by D-Rider » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:25 pm

My Pennies worth

Bleeding it won't stop it slipping.

Either you're using oil that the early ones don't like or your clutch steels need roughening.

OK there are a few other potential causes but these are the most likely.
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#12 Post by furygan man » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:51 pm

I kind of thought the same thing, the AA guy proberbly would have put in what he had to hand, I trust the guy i used on Sat more. After the AA guy it was fine then started slipping and got gradually worse after about 300miles, was going to see Griff last Fri but i had a nightmare jouney back in the thunderstorns (no wet weather experience) i've re-arranged to see him this Fri, so hope he'll sort it out along with the other stuff he's doing

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#13 Post by Falcopops » Sun Aug 15, 2010 11:40 pm

If the clutch is getting worse over time you may have the plunger rod at the lever too far out and its gradually pumping the clutch. You should have a little free play at the lever. Over filling the reservoir can cause this too.

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rick
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#14 Post by rick » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:06 am

I've finally ordered some of these seals... a new cylinder was on my shopping list for my winter work, but the rate of fluid loss at the moment and the fact I missed out on a MPL on eBay a few days ago meant that I need a new seal NOW (I'm not prepared to pay full whack for the MPL).

The price has increased however! Each seal is now £2.94 (£2.50 not including VAT) and their cheapest delivery is £3... and there is a 2.5% surcharge for using a credit card (which I didn't!). I ended up ordering two of them in the end... I didn't want to pay more in postage that the item cost!
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#15 Post by D-Rider » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:31 am

rick wrote:I've finally ordered some of these seals... a new cylinder was on my shopping list for my winter work, but the rate of fluid loss at the moment and the fact I missed out on a MPL on eBay a few days ago meant that I need a new seal NOW (I'm not prepared to pay full whack for the MPL).
Took me more than a year of scanning ebay to get an MPL at a price I was willing to pay ... patience paid off and I got mine for £40.
..... the £8 postage was on top of that though.

rick wrote: The price has increased however! Each seal is now £2.94 (£2.50 not including VAT) and their cheapest delivery is £3... and there is a 2.5% surcharge for using a credit card (which I didn't!). I ended up ordering two of them in the end... I didn't want to pay more in postage that the item cost!
Ouch! I hate it when delivery is stupidly expensive.
.... still a lot cheaper than buying the Aprilia seal though ....
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein

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