86 xj700 maxim clutch problems

Last season, I bought a maxim from a kid who didn't really care for the machine, and now I'm stuck fixing up the mess I was left. This was my first bigger project, not first motorcycle but first fixer upper so I'm very inexperienced. After fixing up other problems, I tried tackling the clutch.

When I got the bike, the clutch lever was broken in such a way that is still worked but had much less length of cable to move. It seemed to have driven fine for the 30 or so miles I rode it around while fixing up other things. After a while, it felt as if the clutch was slipping, so i replaced the lever, then the cable, and then i put a new clutch in.

When I was looking at the old friction plates, they were in good condition, and I made sure to check with a micrometer. Even so, I put the new clutch in anyways. After the install, the pull of the clutch felt very healthy, but when put it in gear and pull the clutch it still hits on something. Through my oil cap I can see the clutch disengage, but it still hits on something. I took it back apart, and it seems that even in neutral, the outer basket that holds the friction plates won't move, which seems odd to me. Also, when I filled it with oil and fired it up, while it idles fine, the minute I let go of the clutch the revs jump up. At this point I don't think I have the mechanical expertise to go in blind, so just seeing if any of you more knowledgeable fellows could help me out.

Again, if you made it this far, thanks for your time!

 

Did you check the old plates using the wear limits in a Haynes manual?

Broken clutch lever cannot affect length of cable. The adjusters are used to set up the cable. Clutch slip is usually due to incorrect cable adjustment or using the wrong oil in a wet clutch motorcycle or both. If your plates were within spec cable adjustment may have fixed it. Oil has to be JASO rated. Mabe the old oil was not. What oil and grade did you use?

Clutch basket won't turn easily that is normal because the large gear on the clutch basket meshes with the primary gear on the crankshaft. To turn it you would be moving the crankshaft and pistons, camshafts and valves etc and engine compression too would provide resistance to turning the basket.

Even though you can see the plates separating that does not mean the clutch is adjusted properly. The lever on the clutch cover the cable connects to must be fitted correctly. You need a manual which describes how to do this. Did you use new clutch bolts? You also need to tighten them accurately with a torque wrench.

 

Even in neutral clutch basket won't turn easily.

 

The clutch lever did not change the length of the cable, it was broken so that the pull of the lever was severely limited to how much you could disengage the clutch. I think the oil in it before must have been causing issues, I believe he was using Valvoline 10w-40. I have the recommended Rotella t4 after a previous post pointed me in that direction. I don't have a torque wrench that goes that low, so i read on here i can "feel for it" and measure the bolts to same length with a micrometer. I think i will try throwing it all back together with the correct oil now, and try to adjust the cable a bit more. My concern was that when i put in on the ground and roll it in gear, i can feel it hit compression, but when i pull the clutch and rock it, it seems to hit something hard, unlike the compression stroke where is is progressively difficult. thank you!

 

How about the wear marks on the baskets? Those look like they could stand to be smoothed/polished.

What I don't know, hopefully somebody else does, is whether or not those wear marks could affect the plate movement enough to make the clutch operation a problem.

 

This ^

I learned it recently, too. A wet clutch is quite sticky when it's not well bathed in oil.

When it's all back together, though, and full of oil, the rear wheel should probably turn a little bit when idling in neutral on the center stand, but if you just put something against it like (carefully!) your foot, it should take basically zero force to stop it moving.

Note that when reinstalling the clutch shaft lever (the one at the bottom end of the cable), there are small marks on the shaft and on the lever which should line up.

 

Yes true must be some sort of hydraulic action with the oil and gearbox that makes the wheel turn when the engine is idling in neutral. Anytime I have the clutch out of a bike and I am not reasembling it for a few days I always leave the plates in oil.

 

I took them out and hit them with some ScotchBrite, so hopefully they will be a little smoother. It seems almost stained in though, no change in surface and no wear I can feel with my hands.

 

I have it all soaking in oil now while I figure it out. I noticed the notch, sits right where it should without issue.

 

By "bathed in oil", I'm taking about how the clutch plates work in the assembled engine. They are not going to slide when you have the oil drained. They will stick pretty solidly.

And is this the notch you're talking about (can barely be seen under the E clip, and lines up with the mark that's cast into the side cover)?

 

Yes sir, it lines up perfectly once the cable is fitted on. I suppose ill throw it all on with new oil and see if it makes a difference

 

So I threw the clutch in with new Rotella t4 oil, and the when I pull the lever in gear, the clutch still doesn't disengage very much, if at all. I also bought a torque wrench to make sure everything is to spec this time, so now all I can think of is to take everything out again and do a deep clean/pass with scotchbrite

 

The mark below the E clip and the line on the case must align before you fit the cable, no free play. You fit the clutch cover and push the release lever forward until the free play is taken up. At that point the mark below the E clip and line on the cover should be lined up. If it does not you can remove the E clip and reposition the arm so the marks line up. Then fit the cable and adjust it.

 

So there shouldn't be any free play with the lever before the cable's on?

 

Yes that is correct. I believe that is why your clutch is not disengaging fully. Try and see if it fixes it before dismantling the clutch. You can move the lever by hand against spring pressure. When you cannot move it any more that is the point where your clutch would start to disengage. You cannot move it by hand because the clutch springs are a lot stronger than the arm return spring. If that lever is not adjusted correctly your cable is not fully disengaging the clutch plates.

 

Once you adjust the hand lever to have the correct amount of play you should have full disengaging of the plates when pulled in.