Help! I'm out of clutch fluid

Message

sfoley1 · #1 Post by **sfoley1** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:34 pm

I thought getting in to neutral was bit difficult and just now on the way home the bike still wanted to travel when I was stopped and in first with the clutch lever depressed and the lever doesn't feel right either.

Checked the resevoir and it's empty. Need to ride the 30 miles to work tomorrow and there's a bike shop round the corner.

As a get to work measure is putting 3 in 1 oil in ok or is that likely to cause problems??

This is very bad timing as I may be part exchanging tomorrow!

Thanks all and possibly for the last time!

joecrx · #2 Post by **joecrx** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:39 pm

it might work , if your changing your bike tommorow i wouldent worry as long i it got there , but do tell the guy that the fluid needs changed

sfoley1 · #3 Post by **sfoley1** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:44 pm

I'm not changing it tomorrow, possibly Saturday.

I can get clutch fluid tomorrow so just need to know if the 3 in 1 will cause more damage or is it harmless? Will it prevent my clutch from giving up completely on the way to work?

Cheers

HowardQ · #4 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:03 pm

I have never thought about doing this before but I wouldnt risk it if you can get some brake fluid.
Sounds like you will need a new seal at the clutch end in order to do a quick fix, before you sell it, or get the bike shop to do it and knock £20 off the trade in.
If you keep the bike, it is a good time to fit an uprated cylinder, various options have been covered on here.

D-Rider · #5 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:41 pm

You can get a seal for about £2 (which is a lot less than Aprilia charge) - details on the Technical section ..... but you won't get it in time to Part Ex on Saturday.

As for the 3in1 .... well it's never occurred to me .... my thoughts are:

3in1 is a lubricant, Hydraulic Fluid is an incompressible liquid designed for brakes and clutch.

Will they mix without consequences? - I have no idea

Will the oil damage anything? - I don't know

Would I try it? - no way - I'd ride without the clutch to get me home and then do the job properly. I do realise the Part ex is inconvenient but surely that can be delayed?
There again doing this to the clutch would be a lot less risky than contemplating the same for the brakes ..... but without knowing what it would do I'd not advise it .... and the same goes for milk, petrol, tea, beer or even refined ostrich-piss as a potential substitute fluid.

Falco9 · #6 Post by **Falco9** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:04 am

Noooooooooooooooooo don't do it, please don't do it!

3 in1 is purely a light lubricating oi, it could do untold damage to your seals and as Andy says it's probably not compressable anyway, most garages stock DOT4 fluid just use that

I have a spare slave cylinder I could sell you but I couldn't get it to you before Saturday

As you're wanting to P/X it anyway. I'd fill with DOT 4 put your straightest face on and claim ignorance if it leaks out

F9

scorpio24v · #7 Post by **scorpio24v** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:38 am

Good god man dont do it!!!!!!!

Mixing brake fluid with any mineral based oil will form a gloopy sludge that will then involve stripping and replacing seals in both master and slave cylinders, at great cost both in time and effort. Only use dot 4 brake fluid.

sfoley1 · #8 Post by **sfoley1** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:21 am

Thanks guys

I didn't put the 3 in 1 in and got to the bike shop near work after a bloody difficult ride.

They put some brake fluid in which sorted it.

It's now completely empty again though and it's only ridden literally 2 mins down the road to work so I'm assuming that's the seal gone.

Bugger it, that's my weekend plans right down the swanny.

Thanks again for saving me a much larger workshop bill!!