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Post by kittenjuggler on Jun 14, 2009 14:17:32 GMT
Bah humbug, lovely sunny Sunday so rolls out my Falco for a nice ride and what happens? Bloody clutch isnt engaging. I admit im not the most mechanically minded and im newly back to biking and all in all a bit slow lol. I do know its a hydraulic clutch so i imagine bleeding it may solve the issue but wont know till i figure out how. Ramble over , i was just wondering is there anyone in the area you would recommend mechanic wise and please dont mention Tillsons as i would rather cut off my own ballsack. cheers ineptly yours Gary   |
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Post by kittenjuggler on Jun 15, 2009 10:27:04 GMT
Just been lookin over me insurance and looks like i have breakdown cover /homestart so keep your fingers crossed lol.
Still would like to know a trustworthy mechanic if possible (mobile would be ace),had the name of one years ago but he's long retired methinks plus i cant remember his name/number lol.
cheers
Gary
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Post by kittenjuggler on Jun 15, 2009 12:23:49 GMT
Update!!
Managed to get someone from the insurance breakdown lot to have a look see,happened to be a Ron Perry A19 truck , managed to persuade him to bleed the system with me got some air out but still no good, he didnt have a lot to say tbh so i sugested possibly the slave was goosed which he agreed it could.
Im still not sure, i read that these can be a problem on the falco and updating it to a mille one sorts it out but like i say they might aswell be banannas as spanners to me lol
So here it is
1) C an anyone advise of a nice mobile bike mechanic
2)Would anyone technically minded mind popping round for a butchers and offer advice?Obviously im willing to pay for ye expertise.
Ive done 90 miles since i bought it in a spur of the moment and im really starting to regret it lol.
I had a busa b4 this and gave it back after 200 miles as they couldnt sort an egine problem it had.
Really starting to think im jinxed.
CHeers in advance guys.
Gary
Juggler of Kittens
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Post by Lee on Jun 15, 2009 13:46:33 GMT
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Post by kittenjuggler on Jun 15, 2009 14:16:19 GMT
Nice one Lee, just got off the phone to em -- very nice bloke, helpful etc but fully booked till 9th July at Least.
Gonna have a look see miself lol i dont hold out any hope tho lol i just dont trust my pathetic mechie skills.
I have a week left off and the suns out now and im buggered lol sods law, i was looking forward to meeting up for a virginal ride out with you lot.
Anyhoo enough natter i need to find some allenkeys lol
Cheers
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Post by greenman on Jun 15, 2009 22:29:53 GMT
Servicing the Clutch Slave Cylinder
The Falco has a hydraulic-actuated clutch, as opposed to the cable-actuated clutches found on many sportbikes. There are advantages and disadvantages. Some would say the cable clutches have better feel, or one-to-one connection between ones hand and the clutch action. But the hydraulic clutch, while somewhat vague at times, suffers none of the cable friction. This, coupled with the vacuum feedback circuit, means less clutch effort for a heavy-springed big-bike clutch. Also, in theory, a hydraulic clutch should be very reliable with no routing difficulties, lubrication issues, or cable breakage. I've found this to not be the case, as bleeding and the seal failure of the Brembo cylinder are more of a problem than they should be.
The Falco clutch fluid has always turned black a couple of weeks after changing it. This has not been a problem, as I flush it every oil change. But recently on a trip, I lost a large portion of my clutch travel. The seal seamed intermittent, and the last little bit of lever travel that did work was very hard to actuate. Needless to say, my hand was cramped up in no time and I did not look forward to shifting. No fluid had been lost, but I suspected the slave cylinder ("control cylinder") based on the experience of many a Falco and Mille owner. I removed the cylinder for inspection.
The clutch slave cylinder lies behind the countershaft sprocket cover. Three bolts hold it in place. There is a weep hole in the housing ("flange") behind the cylinder, and on my bike there was a few drops of hydraulic fluid around this hole. If you are replacing the cylinder, you should probably remove the clutch hydraulic line first, but for inspection it is not necessary.
You can remove the piston from the cylinder by pumping the clutch lever a few times. Unlike a brake cylinder, there is no square seal in the bore. Instead, the piston is more like an accelerator pump or fork seal, with a one-way wiper on the piston itself. The bore should not be scratched, and the seal should be flexible and intact. Any nicks or cracks, and a rebuild is in order. The rubber seal on the flat end of the piston is simply a grease seal for the end of the actuator rod. It should be cleaned but is not critical. On my bike there was some grooving of the actuator rod where it touched the seal. If this grooving is sharp, you would want to lightly sand it.
The slave cylinder bolts to a spacer, or flange. This is easily removed and should be cleaned to keep sand and chain grit away from the cylinder. Clean the actuator rod, particularly where it touches the seals.
After cleaning the piston and bore with brake cleaner, I lubricated the seal and bore with fresh brake fluid and reassembled them. A dab of fresh grease in the hole at the end of the piston will reduce friction on the actuator rod. The torque spec on the three bolts is 8.7 ft-lb (12 Nm). The torque spec on the bleeder nipple is 10.8 ft-lb (15 Nm). After refilling and bleeding the system, my clutch lever was restored to its original feel.
Had a rebuild been necessary, there are a few options. I've been told Brembo does not sell a service kit, but I believe some manufacturer in the UK does (please email me if you have purchased one). Outside of buying another stock cylinder, Evoluzione Cyclesports sells a replacement. This replacement has reduced clutch effort, but at the price of a different feel that you may or may not like (generally, more leverage means more travel is required). I would speak to them before ordering to make sure the countershaft cover can fit over it, as the original Mille cylinder they offered required some cutting.
Go back to the Falco home page.
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Post by greenman on Jun 15, 2009 22:40:59 GMT
try pumping lever till pressure builds up and leave overnight with lever pulled to bar tie wrap it ,if no luck it does not look that bad stripping it down
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Post by kittenjuggler on Jun 17, 2009 14:19:37 GMT
UPDATE!
Well after greenies reply and a very nice pm with his phone number we had a chat and off i went to do the stuff,i had also found the article posted aand it had pics so cant go wrong eh ?
lol wrong
I had already called the breakdown peeps to have a look thinking they would sort it .
Was a car mechanic who just said id need a new one lol,after persuausion i managed to get him to help me bleed the system sort of.
It didnt sort the problem and i believe in the process the master cylinder seal has been damaged
(thats the one in the bodyof the clutch lever?That does the pumping?)
All this is from what im seeing and experiencing altho i could be way off the mark as im ot that technically minded.
(pew pew space invaders anyone?)
Anyway for the last day and a half i can no longer get much and no oil out of the bleed on the slave no matter how many times ive pumped the lever and believe me we must be nearing the thousand mark lol.
anyway must dash tring to source some bits.
cheers
Gary
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