Storing bike with clutch disengaged?

[raygrilli]

I have an ongoing problem where the clutch system gets air in it when stored. This happens even in 24hours to an extent where the clutch needs bleeding before it will disengage properly. I spoke to the helpful chap at gas gas uk and he advised that i should store the bike with the clutch system pressurised to ensure that the seals are under pressure and therefore sealing properly. This sounds like ii might work, but haven't tried it yet. Does anyone have any experience of doing this - wondering if long term it will cause any problems.

Cheers,

Ray

[jse]

I have an ongoing problem where the clutch system gets air in it when stored. This happens even in 24hours to an extent where the clutch needs bleeding before it will disengage properly. I spoke to the helpful chap at gas gas uk and he advised that i should store the bike with the clutch system pressurised to ensure that the seals are under pressure and therefore sealing properly. This sounds like ii might work, but haven't tried it yet. Does anyone have any experience of doing this - wondering if long term it will cause any problems.

Cheers,

Ray

I doubt it will cause any problems, but it will only treat the symptoms and not the cause. My first guess it that you will eventually want to put a rebuild kit in the master cylinder. In the meantime, give it a try, it should get you by for a while. Double check the tightness of the fittings on the hose, they loosen over time as the crush washers settle.

Jon

[raygrilli]

I doubt it will cause any problems, but it will only treat the symptoms and not the cause. My first guess it that you will eventually want to put a rebuild kit in the master cylinder. In the meantime, give it a try, it should get you by for a while. Double check the tightness of the fittings on the hose, they loosen over time as the crush washers settle.

Jon

Thanks for the info. I've put new orings in he slave cyclinder, so without replacing the engine side plate and top hat slave cylinder there's not much more I can do at that end of the system (Bike is a Gas Gas 2002 250 Pro). As for the m/c, I do know that something there is not in good condition as it does weep hydralic fluid out past the piston during a day of usage. May well take the m/c apart and see if there's anything obvious there, but the problem is - to get air in at rest then I have to have two leaks I reckon, one for fluid to get out and another for air to get in. All a bit confusing to be honest and I don't want to really start throwing expensive new bits at the bike unless I'm at least a little confident they might fix it....

[axulsuv]

Rebuild your M/C ... Seals can leak when sitting and not when in use . And if fluid is coming out , air has to be getting in to displace it,or it would cause a slight vacuum and not leak !

Glenn

[jse]

Rebuild your M/C ... Seals can leak when sitting and not when in use . And if fluid is coming out , air has to be getting in to displace it,or it would cause a slight vacuum and not leak !

Glenn

I'm with Glenn.

Rebuild the M/C, from the symptoms you later describe, it's the problem.

Jon

[chewy]

When I was a lad ; we used to call this the block of wood treatment, ie pump up the brake pedal and jam a bit of 4x2 twixt it and the steering wheel; if it was still there next morning the job's a good un. doesn't sound like your cluth hydraulics are too good.

[tltel]

Hi

A leak is a leak and will go both ways. You should be able to get a M/C repair kit for less than

[raygrilli]

Well, I've now stripped and rebuilt the m/c. The seals and the bore look absolutely fine, but there was a bit if dirt/swarf on the main pressure seal as i took the piston out, so I've put it all back together clean and I'm now attampting to store it deisengaged to see what happens. If it works then I'll have another go at storing it engaged and see what happens. Many thanks for the advice.

Ray