Notchy, clunky gear change? Change your brake fluid!

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by JIMLARCH, Oct 14, 2016.

  1. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Notchy, clunky gear change? Change your clutch fluid!

    My 1995 vfr750 is only the third bike I've owned with a hydraulic clutch. The difference about the other two bikes from my present Vfr, is that I didn't have them long enough to do any maintenance. My 4th gen I've had 5 years. Love the bike but have never been happy about the gear change, which on too many occasions has been notchy and clunky. It has been getting really bad lately.

    Now I am sure you're thinking, just bleed the clutch. Well every spring I would do so. Pump and fill the reservoir 5 or 6 times. No bubbles. Not great afterwards but better.

    Yesterday I decided to do it again, only this time I fitted a speed bleeder. Just fit the hose, open speed bleeder and pump. Works great, and was going to do the usual 5 or 6 reservoir fills. Only I screwed up and didn't notice until too late that I had emptied the reservoir and now had major air bubbles in the hose.

    So I kept filling the reservoir numerous times until all the bubbles disappeared. Took a whole 350 ml bottle.

    Time for a test ride. I can't believe the difference in the gear change. Smooth as butter. Feels like a new bike.

    The point to the story, as I have discovered, is that the fluid needs to be changed completely. I thought my usual 5 or 6 reservoir fill ups would do it, but I was wrong. Change it all!
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2016
  2. Jeff_Barrett

    Jeff_Barrett Member

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    I generally suck all the old fluid out with a vacuum bleeder, then run some fresh stuff through, suck it out.

    Then I fill and bleed with all fresh fluid. Yes, it makes a difference.

    :)
     
  3. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    Could also be a very loose chain----


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  4. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    MMM we are talking clutch action. LOL can't wrap my head around what bleeding the brakes has to do with shifting, or did i miss something?
     
  5. MFTIC

    MFTIC New Member

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    LOL, so i'm not the only one?
     
  6. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I agree that a loose chain causes a lousy gear change. So does a poorly adjusted non hydraulic clutch. In my case it was simply the fluid needed changing.
     
  7. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    No you didn't miss anything. You caught my brain fart. Amendment made from brake to clutch. I read your post and thought "what's this guy talking about?". Now I realise how you felt, lol.
     
  8. mhzpower

    mhzpower New Member

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    Yeah I've had a less desirable shifting experience on my 5th Gen. I bleed and did a simple flush. But you for me thinking about a full fluid change.

    Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
     
  9. zoom-zoom

    zoom-zoom Member

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    I also use a soft bristle brush and gently scrub the inside of the master fluid reservoir (clutch and brakes actually) and use a vacuum bleeder or syringe to suck out the dirty fluid and gunk. I'll do this a couple or three times and then completely flush and refill the system. This helps prevent sucking the sludge from the master cylinder into the brake system. Just don't scrub too close to the small holes in the bottom of the reservoir tht lead to the master cylinder and don't pull the lever until you've cleaned the fluid out a couple times.
     
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