Clutch lock up

[duo1983]

Hi all its been a while, I have a 2006 nomad 1600 I am looking to do the work myself this time as it cost to much to pay a mechanic this will be my first time opening up part of the engine and I am a little hesitant . so my issue is that after my first clutch failure I had replaced all the clutch plates and the bike worked fine for about 500 miles but then it happened again 7 miles from home the shiftier would not move to any gear and along with that the clutch wouldn't keep the bike out of gear as well and I was dead/ stuck in the middle of the road at a stop light now that I have the money to buy the parts again Im hoping I can get some insight into knowing what to look for to tell if the plates are damaged or if I should be looking at something different. any helpful info would be great before I tear into it and miss or damage something also I hear that there is a type of oil that shouldnt be used do to possible damage to the clutch if thats true can saome one share that with me?

[DragonLady58]

OK, you changed your clutch discs, and 500 miles later your clutch started slipping, correct?

---- but then it happened again 7 miles from home the shiftier would not move to any gear and along with that the clutch wouldn't keep the bike out of gear as well----

By keep the bike outta gear as well....you mean the bike was still trying to move forward with clutch pulled in, correct?

OK, as your clutch is dragging, get that fixed first.... First of all, your old steel plates are probably fine, all you needed were new fiber plates.
If your engine is running, you pull in on your clutch, if you can't shift into gear, for the love of god, don't force your shifter or go stomping on it. Gently slip the clutch slightly will easing the gearshift up or down, it should slide into the gear easily....
The shafts and gears in the gearbox have to be turning for you to be able to shift gears....

Theres nothing that will cause a bike to start shifting really ill except a dragging clutch, no clutch or a broken gearbox. You gotta really do something to screw these bikes up....You gotta work at it. Ain't gonna happen by accident....
Get your clutch working 1st....

[vulcanscott]

Flush the fluid and make sure the return hole in the master cylinder is not plugged before you open it .

[degreaser]

the oils that makes the clutch plates slip are 'Energy Conserving' oil that contain friction modifiers,, --> MOLY, which is very slippery stuff, mostly found in some car oils

[DragonLady58]

Originally Posted by degreaser

the oils that makes the clutch plates slip are 'Energy Conserving' oil that contain friction modifiers,, --> MOLY, which is very slippery stuff, mostly found in some car oils

Yes! He is totally correct. ZDDP, which is a additive they used to include in engines to offset the friction on the rocker arms and lifters on cams....they never bothered the barnett clutches on the HDs, just the lighter clutches on the metric bikes.
But friction modifiers are the death to diapharamed clutches on most modern bikes....

[EdmontonNomad]

not being a motorcycle oil expert. I can only rely on what I see on line.

a lot of motorcycle oils contain moly. However, there are two types of moly. (apparently the new moly is organic) for instance you can check the following link and info apparently provided by an oil expert. https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/...?topic=42393.0. Rotella t6 for instance contains a type of moly that is not detrimental to wet clutches and apparently Honda NG4(?). see also https://www.visordown.com/news/gener...ike-engine-oil.
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB...m=1347581091/0

and for analysis https://www.cycleworld.com/sport-rid...s-well-part-2/
"looking at the moly graph data, however, shows that even Honda's "moly-free" product contains 71 ppm. " according to cycleworld

That being said I have had an opportunity of looking at a BMW motorcycle service manual which state not to use an oil with moly in it as it deteriorates the coating used in engine components on BMW motorcycles.