Dead clutch?

[macmac]

Serious case of the Gremlins! This is more than one thing.

Some dead gas in the tank, causing the engine to run bad. Time running the engine with seafoam in the fuel will help.

There may be a vac leak any where behind the throttle plate. Check any caps you may have used, and any and all hoses off the throttle body at both ends for loose, splits, cracks, or plain blown off their ports.

You could even start the engine and pass a propane torch not lit behind the throttle plate area listening closely for any change in RPM. This is how you seek vac leaks.

The hydralics part of the clutch is the master and slave cylinders. This system is just a hand moved piston at the master, pushing the piston at the slave and all it does is release the clutch via the long push rod.

Basic problems it can have is a leaking seal, and so then you get no pressure to release the clutch.

If somehow the slave gets over heated, fluid can expand and then that incorrect psi may cause the push rod to be pushed IN and so release in part the clutch. Pretty much can't happen on a Nomad.

Popping out of 5th to be in a neutral??? That's hard to believe. If this is true, there are internal issues with the tranny.

Sometimes if the Nomad is shut off in 2nd gear, the 'Neutral Finder" will prevent fishing to 1st unless the bike gets rolled around rather a lot.

What I do is just get solo on the bike and go a ways in 2nd and then fist up 1st. So long as I don't forget my pillon things seem to work out right.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

I believe you're talking about the clutch pushrod seal, Jeff. That shouldn't have anything to do with the operation of the clutch. Its purpose is to prevent crankcase oil from leaking around the clutch pushrod shaft. If it's out of place, you make leak some oil, but the clutch would still work.

You said you changed the oil...what kind of oil did you use?

I used Shell Rotella T6. When I changed the seal, I was dealing with major oil leaks.

[cnc]

After reading Brad's post, the only way in my mind that it is the clutch is if:

It is somehow mechanically jammed in the disengaged position, the slave cylinder is jammed, or there is a blockage in the hydraulic line that is not allowing the fluid to return once the clutch lever is released. I have seen this blockage a few times on cars when the inside of a rubber brake line starts to break down.

Does the clutch lever feel Normal?
You could determine if it is a problem with the hydraulic system by unbolting the slave cylinder, if there is, the clutch would then be in the engaged position.

That then leaves the possibility that the clutch it's self is somehow jammed,
or something in the transmission. I would suspect more the transmission. Popping out of gear, not really going into gear, I would guess, and I am just guessing here, that it may be a bent shifter fork and or something in that part of the shift linkage.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by cnc

After reading Brad's post, the only way in my mind that it is the clutch is if:

It is somehow mechanically jammed in the disengaged position, the slave cylinder is jammed, or there is a blockage in the hydraulic line that is not allowing the fluid to return once the clutch lever is released. I have seen this blockage a few times on cars when the inside of a rubber brake line starts to break down.

Does the clutch lever feel Normal?
You could determine if it is a problem with the hydraulic system by unbolting the slave cylinder, if there is, the clutch would then be in the engaged position.

That then leaves the possibility that the clutch it's self is somehow jammed,
or something in the transmission. I would suspect more the transmission. Popping out of gear, not really going into gear, I would guess, and I am just guessing here, that it may be a bent shifter fork and or something in that part of the shift linkage.

It does feel normal and functioned normally when the bike would engage. Thinking back, if I was in 5th gear and I started losing power, I would turn the throttle repeatedly, sometimes wide open but the engine wouldn't be revving at higher rpms. It would be losing power. I wouldn't be in gear either and would have to shift down to 4th or even 3rd before it would finally get into gear.

[cnc]

From what you just described, it is still 2 issues, or a least two separate symptoms. Out of curiosity how much oil did you put in when you did the oil change? If by chance there is way too much oil in the engine, it could cause both loss of power and hard shifting, but this would have to be a lot more than there should be. Losing power and revs not increasing when you twist the throttle is not a slipping clutch.

[socwkbiker]

I put in the regular 3.5 quarts, but used a new oil filter than i normally use. I used a Fram filter instead of the wal-mart brand.

[Cajunrider]

Jeff, wasn't the shift fork bent for the warranty repair? Could this be a repeat?

[Idaho]

Go back and read Mac's reply. The very first thing that came to mind when I read your post was a vacuum leak. Been there. I had a cap on one of the vacuum tubes fall off. They are capped because of the air kit from Chuckster that I've installed. The throttle had little effect. Idle was all crazy. You could easilly assume it was the clutch in the heat of battle.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

Jeff, wasn't the shift fork bent for the warranty repair? Could this be a repeat?

I believe it was replaced when the work was done.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by Idaho

Go back and read Mac's reply. The very first thing that came to mind when I read your post was a vacuum leak. Been there. I had a cap on one of the vacuum tubes fall off. They are capped because of the air kit from Chuckster that I've installed. The throttle had little effect. Idle was all crazy. You could easilly assume it was the clutch in the heat of battle.

Would that account for the bike not moving when I put it into first gear?

[cnc]

Originally Posted by socwkbiker

Would that account for the bike not moving when I put it into first gear?

I would think even running badly, the bike should at least lurch forward as you let out the clutch in gear. Can you get it back into neutral?

[Idaho]

Hell, I don't know Jeff. The first part of your post sounded like a vacuum leak. The tail end where you describe problems getting it into gear and don't mention anything about the engine running rough seems to throw that out the window. Good luck.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by cnc

I would think even running badly, the bike should at least lurch forward as you let out the clutch in gear. Can you get it back into neutral?

Yes, it easily goes back into neutral.

[socwkbiker]

Originally Posted by Idaho

Hell, I don't know Jeff. The first part of your post sounded like a vacuum leak. The tail end where you describe problems getting it into gear and don't mention anything about the engine running rough seems to throw that out the window. Good luck.

It ran rough until it wouldn't move when I put it into first.

[cnc]

Originally Posted by socwkbiker

Yes, it easily goes back into neutral.

OK and when you put it into first does it feel like it goes in with the normal positive clunk? And from your comment to Bud is it idling right at the moment?