What a drag... clutch drag that is, on my DR350S!
daniel.m.obrien
finding neutral is nearly impossible. Attempted remedies include: adjusting
clutch cable/level to spec & changing back to 10w40 Castrol from 20w50. This
bike has had non-abusive, mainly on-road miles. (I know, no fun..., but this
was my choice of low-cost reliable x-portation.) This wasn't a problem the
first year of life, but soon after the warranty expired, I noticed this
problem. It got progressively worse, until the ``remedies'' and now appears
to be stable.
1) Anyone else experience this?
2) Is this normal?
3) Was this problem recalled by Suz?
4) Any permanent fixes? Major (split engine)? Minor (tweek something?)
5) Should I live with it?
(Main reason for choosing the DR350S for road use is that I live in the
country and the roads are pit-i-full, literally, and all that suspension
travel really soaks up the bumps, plus I grew up as a kid on 4stroke singles,
thumpa-thumpa.)
Thanks in advance.
Scott R. Nelson
> When my '90 Suz DR350S gets hot, the clutch tightens up to the point that
> finding neutral is nearly impossible. [Etc.]
>
> 1) Anyone else experience this?
My son has the same bike and he has complained recently about the clutch
not disengaging fully. It's not impossible to find neutral, but if you
lean it over on the side stand and stick it in gear while the engine is
running, the rear wheel will spin, even with the clutch lever to the bar.
> 2) Is this normal?
We now know of at least two bikes that do it. How many miles does your
bike have? My son's has 11,000.
> 3) Was this problem recalled by Suz?
> 4) Any permanent fixes? Major (split engine)? Minor (tweek something?)
Dunno, dunno, dunno, don't know.
> 5) Should I live with it?
When I had this problem on various Yamaha 2-strokes I've owned, changing
the transmission oil to straight 30-weight oil completely solved the
problem. However, on a 4-stroke engine, it's more important to properly
lubricate the engine, so I wouldn't use less than 10-40.
I would live with the problem. I wish I had more advice to offer.
---
Scott R. Nelson srne...@eng.sun.com
Sun Microsystems
Soon to be the owner of a '90 DR350S, after I trade a college
education for it. (I think my son's getting the better deal.) :^)
Mike Baxter
>When my '90 Suz DR350S gets hot, the clutch tightens up to the point that
>finding neutral is nearly impossible. Attempted remedies include: adjusting
>clutch cable/level to spec & changing back to 10w40 Castrol from 20w50. This
>bike has had non-abusive, mainly on-road miles. (I know, no fun..., but this
>was my choice of low-cost reliable x-portation.) This wasn't a problem the
>first year of life, but soon after the warranty expired, I noticed this
>problem. It got progressively worse, until the ``remedies'' and now appears
>to be stable.
>
> 2) Is this normal? Yes and No
> 3) Was this problem recalled by Suz? Ask them!
> 4) Any permanent fixes? Major (split engine)? Minor (tweek something?)
> 5) Should I live with it? Only if you can ...
Your problem is quite possibly that your clutch basket has grooves worn into
it from the cltch plates. These grooves happen on most bikes over a certain
amount of time. They can be filed down smooth/er or the basket can be
replaced.
_____________________________________________________________________________
DoD #359 '91 CR250 | Mike Baxter
AMA #607249 #P61 |
TCCRA #P61 "Team D." | bax...@spdc.ti.com
Pro Class - Texas Cross Country Racing |
Sponsored by: ACERBIS, RACE TECH, | Texas Instruments, Dallas Tx.
WISECO & TWO WHEEL WORLD |
_______________________________________|_____________________________________
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are my very own, becuase
if they were worth anything TI would patent them.
Christopher Macbeth
|> In article <CAoEB...@cbnews.cb.att.com> d...@cbnews.cb.att.com (daniel.m.obrien) writes:
|>
|> From: d...@cbnews.cb.att.com (daniel.m.obrien)
|> Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.dirt
|> Keywords: HELP, IDEAS, FIXES, SUGGESTIONS
|> Date: 24 Jul 93 15:42:38 GMT
|> Organization: AT&T
|> Lines: 24
|>
|> When my '90 Suz DR350S gets hot, the clutch tightens up to the point that
|> finding neutral is nearly impossible. Attempted remedies include: adjusting
|> clutch cable/level to spec & changing back to 10w40 Castrol from 20w50. This
|> bike has had non-abusive, mainly on-road miles. (I know, no fun..., but this
|> was my choice of low-cost reliable x-portation.) This wasn't a problem the
|> first year of life, but soon after the warranty expired, I noticed this
|> problem. It got progressively worse, until the ``remedies'' and now appears
|> to be stable.
|>
|> 1) Anyone else experience this?
|> >>>> but it is pretty close). It also makes it very difficult to start in
|> >>>> gear.
|> 2) Is this normal?
|> >>>> No
|> 3) Was this problem recalled by Suz?
|> 4) Any permanent fixes? Major (split engine)? Minor (tweek something?)
|> >>>> possible, good after market clutch plates
|> 5) Should I live with it?
|> >>>> expect I'll soon need to put plates in it anyway so...
|>
|>
|> (Main reason for choosing the DR350S for road use is that I live in the
|> country and the roads are pit-i-full, literally, and all that suspension
|> travel really soaks up the bumps, plus I grew up as a kid on 4stroke singles,
|> thumpa-thumpa.)
|>
|> Thanks in advance.
|>
|> --
|> daniel....@att.com
|>
|> >>>> [DOUG]
|> --
|> "Smokin" Doug McNeil | mcn...@Software.Mitel.COM
|> Mitel Corporation, Kanata, Ontario | (613)592-2122
|> "Motorcycles are fun" -- me
|>
|>
I've got an '83 XR 350 and the clutch drags too. I found that the clutch basket
is hammered with groves from the clutch plates. Now the plates don't want to
slide away from each other and disengage. Any Ideas?? A new basket is $172-ouch!
Thanx.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Macbeth Mechanical Engineering Colorado State U.
4412 E. Mulberry #171 cm40...@longs.lance.colostate.edu
Fort Collins, CO 80524
------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Wray
>
>
>I've got an '83 XR 350 and the clutch drags too. I found that the clutch basket
>is hammered with groves from the clutch plates. Now the plates don't want to
>slide away from each other and disengage. Any Ideas?? A new basket is $172-ouch!
>
>Thanx.
>
>--
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Chris Macbeth Mechanical Engineering Colorado State U.
>4412 E. Mulberry #171 cm40...@longs.lance.colostate.edu
>Fort Collins, CO 80524
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
No help for the DR350, but on the XR ... have you tried filing the groves
down? I use to have a YZ-490 and went through that ritual twice with
much success ... but heck, as a mechanical engineer you should make one
out of some unobtainium.
Jeff Dunham
You might try using Honda's synthetic four stroke oil. It has some moly
additives that might help. I just starting using this in my new XR and
it seems to shift and clutch better... BTW it costs $5.00 a quart.
If that doesn't work -> Chapparal sells Barnett clutch plates...
Jeff Dunham
jdu...@mentorg.com
'93 XR250R
'93 XR650L
'86 XR250R (for sale)
'
daniel.m.obrien
References: <CAoEB...@cbnews.cb.att.com> <1993Aug05....@news.mentorg.com>
In article <1993Aug05....@news.mentorg.com>, jdu...@mentorg.com (Jeff D
unham) writes:
> In article <Aug04.184...@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>, cm40...@longs.LANCE.
ColoState.Edu (Christopher Macbeth) writes:
> |> In article <MCNEILD.93...@mcneild.Software.Mitel.COM>, mcneild@Soft
ware.Mitel.COM (Doug McNeil) writes:
> |> |> In article <CAoEB...@cbnews.cb.att.com> d...@cbnews.cb.att.com (daniel.
m.obrien) writes:
...
> You might try using Honda's synthetic four stroke oil. It has some moly
> additives that might help. I just starting using this in my new XR and
> it seems to shift and clutch better... BTW it costs $5.00 a quart.
In the most recent rag of the AMA, I saw a full page ad for BEL-RAY (sp) oil
that promoted its tranmission/clutch benefits, especially for fully loaded
touring bikes. Same stuff? Better? Cheaper? Experience anyone? In D-P (as
in Dual-Purpose) usage (or is D-S (Dual-Sport) more P-C)?
Thumpa-thumpa.
Christopher Macbeth
I was worried that filing wouldn't be accurate enough. After looking more
closely at the clutch plates I saw that they weren't worn evenly around the
perimeter. I guess if I turn them around and file the basket that at the
worst case it will be as bad as it is now.
This stop-gap measure will work until I can smuggle some unobtanium out
of our lab here. We did have good sucess synthesizing some here, however
it is very expensive and a controlled substance. Sat. evening I'm coming
in here complete with nylon stocking over my face and all. I'm gonna
git me some of that stuff.....
C.
Blaine Gardner
>> You might try using Honda's synthetic four stroke oil. It has some moly
>In the most recent rag of the AMA, I saw a full page ad for BEL-RAY (sp) oil
You might want to take a look over in rec.motorcycles for the thread on
"motorcycle" vs. "car" oils that I've been trying to stir up a bit. And
if you haven't seen Ed Hackett's huge oil FAQ, take a look on the
various rec.moto.* file servers, it's full of real data.
Oil is one of those religious issues like grip color, but I'm using
Mobil-1 synthetic in all my four-strokes, 2 or 4 wheels.
--
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
blga...@sim.es.com BIX: blai...@bix.com FJ1200 XR600R LT250R DoD#46
"We usually don't stop until friction and gravity are finished." Merf
Jeff Deeney
> Oil is one of those religious issues like grip color, but I'm using
> Mobil-1 synthetic in all my four-strokes, 2 or 4 wheels.
All this coming from a man with black grips. Are you sure he can be
trusted? :-)
I too, use Mobil-1 in all my bikes. $3.50 at K-mart. I'm convinced it's
as good as any of the speciality motorcycle oils. One of the big
advantages of synthetics is the high resistance to shear break-down. An
important factor in gear sumps.
-Jeff Deeney- DoD#0498 NCTR '88 XR600-Shamu (bold blue grips)
j...@hpfcla.fc.hp.com AMA#540813 COHVCO '81 CB750F-Llamaha (4 sale)
Some people are only alive because killing them would be illegal.
Blaine Gardner
>In rec.motorcycles.dirt, blga...@esunix.sim.ES.COM (Blaine Gardner) writes:
>> Oil is one of those religious issues like grip color, but I'm using
>> Mobil-1 synthetic in all my four-strokes, 2 or 4 wheels.
>All this coming from a man with black grips. Are you sure he can be
>trusted? :-)
Nope, I'm not to be trusted, the XR now has both blue grips and blue
handlebars. The Quad's grips are (off) gray, and the FJ's are black.
At least I'm consistant on oil, even the Toyota gets Mobil-1.
>I too, use Mobil-1 in all my bikes. $3.50 at K-mart. I'm convinced it's
>as good as any of the speciality motorcycle oils. One of the big
>advantages of synthetics is the high resistance to shear break-down. An
>important factor in gear sumps.
If folks don't have access to rec.motorcycles or ftp, I can repost Ed
Hackett's huge oil FAQ, it's well worth reading.
PS: Val did a nice downhill endo yesterday and cracked a wrist. I missed
the show by about 30 seconds, but it sounds like he dropped the front
wheel in a killer rut on a rather steep downhill, and the XR650L came
clean over the top and stomped on him. The bike's ok, though the rear
fender "brace" bent down almost 90 degrees and the license plate was
rubbing on the rear tire. D-P tires on a muddy hill are not a very good
combination.
Oh, he does have barkbusters and Acerbis hand guards (slit for bailing)
but he says they weren't what tagged his wrist.