Clutch slippage?

Sawdust62 · Post by **Sawdust62** » Thu May 07, 2015 11:12 pm

I just bought my first Goldwing six days ago and love it. I was able to take it for a test ride but only for about 10 minutes. I've been riding it all week to work to get familiar with the handling and discovered it isn't as cherry as the seller implied. Before the bike heats up it drives like a dream, smooth shifts and easy starts from a stop. Once it heats up I have a problem getting started from a stop. While in stop and go traffic the bike hops 2-3 times and I have to give it more gas than normal to keep it from stalling and ride the clutch. This happens every time I get stuck in stop and go traffic. Don't know if the clutch was overheating or what. Can ya'll give me an idea what to look for to fix this. Once I get through the stop and go traffic, the clutch starts to work like normal again.
1999 GL1500 Aspencade - 50th anniversary edition.

Post by **WingAdmin** » Fri May 08, 2015 9:55 am

You're kind of mentioning two problems - one that the clutch is slipping, one that the engine isn't making enough power to get going when hot. Is it that you have to slip the clutch in order to rev the engine high enough to get started? Or is it that the clutch is sticking/grabbing, and you have to rev the engine to prevent it from stalling when the clutch grabs, while starting out from a stop?

Wingsconsin · Post by **Wingsconsin** » Fri May 08, 2015 2:43 pm

I once had to sit in a long line in hot weather and my clutch started acting weird...it would slip-grab-slip as I started to inch my way forward with the crawling traffic. The fans were running and the bike was HOT -- It was near the end of an oil change interval.
I think the oil once hot wasn't working properly ..
I changed the oil the next day and it has been fine ever since...that was in July of 2010 ...
Change to a good quality oil like Rotella Full Synthetic or Delo 400 (both known performers in the GL1500) and it may be better.

The other possibility is the clutch hydraulic fluid may need to be changed .. any service records on when that was last done?

Post by **WingAdmin** » Fri May 08, 2015 2:52 pm

Could be moisture in the clutch line that is boiling and turning to steam when it gets really hot, that would certainly cause problems in disengaging the clutch. That's an easy fix, just flush the clutch fluid.

Mh434 · Post by **Mh434** » Fri May 08, 2015 4:02 pm

Both the oil & the clutch master/fluid can cause problems. The wrong engine oil can cause slippage & other issues and, as WingAdmin says, if there's an issue with the clutch fluid, that can cause problems as well.

If I were you, I'd change the clutch fluid & the oil/filter, and give it another try. I'm betting these will fix the problem.

ct1500 · Post by **ct1500** » Fri May 08, 2015 7:44 pm

U could be overheating the clutch with too many RPM's. On level ground just by letting the clutch out without any throttle is enough to get you going then add the needed throttle.

FM-USA · Post by **FM-USA** » Sat May 09, 2015 5:12 am

Also do the checklist, many others had similar problems but the fix was different.

Start at the top,
fluid level
fluid color
clutch handle movement (up down for wear)
clutch handle brass barrel and the pins hole for wear (must disassemble)
air in fluid (when bleeding, bleed quickly)
Bleed fluid in a glass jar to check for cleanliness or worse, chunks

I think that covers it, others will chime in if I missed one.
GL!

Sawdust62 · Post by **Sawdust62** » Tue May 12, 2015 4:24 pm

WingAdmin wrote:You're kind of mentioning two problems - one that the clutch is slipping, one that the engine isn't making enough power to get going when hot. Is it that you have to slip the clutch in order to rev the engine high enough to get started? Or is it that the clutch is sticking/grabbing, and you have to rev the engine to prevent it from stalling when the clutch grabs, while starting out from a stop?

Your second description is more like what I'm experiencing. Clutch is grabbing and causing the bike to nearly stall. When I give it more gas to keep from stalling, the bike hops a few times before getting started. I'll change the fluids and let everyone know how it works once I get my rear tire replaced. I found a nail on the way home from work last Friday.

FM-USA · Post by **FM-USA** » Tue May 12, 2015 5:01 pm

Sawdust62 wrote:
WingAdmin wrote:You're kind of mentioning two problems - one that the clutch is slipping, one that the engine isn't making enough power to get going when hot. Is it that you have to slip the clutch in order to rev the engine high enough to get started? Or is it that the clutch is sticking/grabbing, and you have to rev the engine to prevent it from stalling when the clutch grabs, while starting out from a stop?
I found a nail on the way home from work last Friday.

Well there's your problem.

HOPE YOU FIND THE PROBLEM - DO LET US KNOW

Post by **WingAdmin** » Wed May 13, 2015 11:56 am

Also change your oil, if you haven't already.

Clutch slippage?

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