Author Topic: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.  (Read 1836 times)

Offline bigbikerrick

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85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« on: July 14, 2018, 12:03:11 AM »
Hi Folks, a couple of days ago, I washed my LeMans, I used gunk spray degreaser to wash the engine/ transmission, then did a normal hand wash on the rest of the bike. After drying well, I rolled it onto my lift to do a valve lash check, and general inspection/detailed cleaning, so it stayed on the rack for a couple of days.
Today, when I went to ride the bike, when I put it into first gear, it lurched forward violently, and stalled out. WTF? I restarted it and same thing happened x3. I checked my clutch freeplay , the cable ,and the lever behind the gearbox, all is fine. I actually reduced the cable freeplay to almost nothing, and tried it, it again stalled out, putting it in neutral was impossible, with all that clutch drag.
I decided to take it for a ride to see if anything changes, so I take off through the gears like normal, and after about 3 miles, I come to a stop, and the clutch is now acting normal. No more lurching, easy to find neutral, shifting perfect, absolutely no sign of clutch drag.
I have never had any clutch issues with this bike before. It has 32K miles, and I took it for another ride this evening, and again the clutch acted perfect. Could these symptoms be caused by washing the bike and letting it sit a couple of days? I rarely ever wash any of my bikes,  I keep them clean by wiping them down, spray detailer, etc. and they are all garaged. But when I do wash one, I like to de grease, and get into all the nooks and crannies to make it worth while, maybe I should never wash the older Italian iron.... :grin:
Rick.
"You meet the most interesting people on a Guzzi"

Offline nc43bsa

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2018, 12:51:58 AM »
Rust on the clutch plates, perhaps?

My car's iron brake rotors sometimes do weird things like that if the weather is very wet or humid and I don't move it for a few days.
1990 MilleGT

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2018, 07:15:33 AM »
Yeah, it's not unheard of for the plates to stick. As you found, it's not terminal.. :smiley:
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
87 AeroLario
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22 Royal Enfield Classic 3 fiddy
 "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
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Online Old Jock

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2018, 08:22:04 AM »
Dry clutch Ducatis are famous for it

These bikes have a different style of clutch of course I cannot remember but it's something like 12 or more plates and open clutch covers are common

It happens to my 1098 after it's been laid up, it's not common but not infrequent.

The Guzzi of course has the clutch enclosed but some moisture could get in and stick the plates together which is what I think happened

It should be fine and nothing to worry about

Wildguzzi.com

Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2018, 08:22:04 AM »

Online Huzo

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2018, 08:29:35 AM »
My Ducati used to do it occasionally.
I would usually start it on the centrestand in top gear with the clutch in and gently apply the rear brake, this would "crack" the clutch more gently than slamming it into first gear from neutral.

Offline pressureangle

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2018, 08:56:31 AM »
Yup.

Old bikes, old cars, old bulldozers.

My Aermacchi/Sprint 350 has an exposed dry clutch, and gets parked with a ziptie on the clutch handle else it's a long ride until it comes loose and smooths out again. I've had the Guzzi clutch ('85 LM1000 btw) stick like that 3-4 times.
Something wistful and amusing, yet poignant.

Offline stratoguzzi

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2018, 11:07:29 AM »
My 84 SP does this when it is cold.I always thought that it was related to the splines on the clutch not being greased properly from the factory or the dreaded grooved splines.I guess when they moved up to 4mm splines this problem went away.When I first start out with the bike I rev it a little and slide the clutch to put a little heat in it.Then it is fine for the day.
2007 CalVin
1984 SPNT

Offline bigbikerrick

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2018, 02:41:58 PM »
Thanks so much Fellas, for setting my mind at ease. I was thinking  that a frame crabbing was in my future....I am happy I dont have to do that right now, that would be more of an over the winter project. I have always pondered, that if I ever had to take the engine and transmission out of the frame,for some  reason,that I would do my best to return it to raw aluminum as original. One of the previous owner painted those parts satin black.
Thanks again
Rick.

"You meet the most interesting people on a Guzzi"

Online Huzo

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2018, 04:53:13 PM »
Always been afraid to ask.
What is frame crabbing...?

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2018, 06:49:56 PM »


I like the look, actually, but Lucky Phil sez I a have taste for spit.  :smiley:

Quote
Always been afraid to ask.
What is frame crabbing...?
Huzo, it's a method of unhooking about everything, and pivoting the frame around the front motor mount bolt. Just a quick and easy way to get to the motive unit.
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
87 AeroLario
95 Skorpion tour
22 Royal Enfield Classic 3 fiddy
 "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
Albert Einstein

Offline earemike

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2018, 09:43:41 PM »
Always been afraid to ask.
What is frame crabbing...?

Pete Roper put together an excellent guide - it may be the first part of his 5 speed gearbox guide
850 T3
850 LeMans killer goose or somesutch I’m told
850 LeMans
850 LeMans II (I've butchered it by fitting a round headlight & removing the front faring.)
SP1000 Stucchi
V11 Ballabio
V7 Sport (needs a little work)

Offline Idontwantapickle

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2018, 09:49:13 PM »
Here's some crabby action for ya Hugo, the victim is a CX100 LeMans.


There is no end to what we can do together.
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72 Eldo
85 LeMans 1000 Loud, Fast and Red
2007 Norge rivestimento di argento
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Online Huzo

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2018, 01:39:55 AM »
Jesus H....!
Looks like you've had a head on with the Rock of Gibraltar...

Online Old Jock

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2018, 03:34:11 AM »
Thanks so much Fellas, for setting my mind at ease. I was thinking  that a frame crabbing was in my future....I am happy I dont have to do that right now, that would be more of an over the winter project. I have always pondered, that if I ever had to take the engine and transmission out of the frame,for some  reason,that I would do my best to return it to raw aluminum as original. One of the previous owner painted those parts satin black.
Thanks again
Rick.



I do prefer the bare Al but simply for practicality, eventually paint will flake and detracts from the look.

That said i think that looks fabulous and as long as it stays that way I'd be more than pleased, to me it looks better than the bare Al

Beautiful bike bigbikerrick

Offline bigbikerrick

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2018, 05:36:22 PM »
Thanks for the kind words, One of the previous owners went through alot of trouble to properly paint the engine/trans/rear drive black, and the frame tubes and swingarm all red. Automotive paint was used, its not a rattle can job. The nice compliments now have me re thinking, the re paint......
Rick.
"You meet the most interesting people on a Guzzi"

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2018, 06:08:49 PM »
Well, IMHO.. it *is* a good looking bike.  :thumb:
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
87 AeroLario
95 Skorpion tour
22 Royal Enfield Classic 3 fiddy
 "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
Albert Einstein

Offline guzzimatic

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #16 on: July 16, 2018, 10:35:12 AM »
Number 1 rule when you wash a bike,always start it up and take a 5 mile or so ride,get some heat in the engine so it can dry out all the places you can't get to!
big Jim Walker bikes:'08 Norge,02'DR650,'84LeMans III,,'78 honda cb750k,'78 BMW R100S,'77 Ducati 860GT ES,'77honda XR75, '76 GUZZI convert,'75 850T cafe[project],'75 RD350 yamaha,'74 NORTON commando,'72 750 Norton flattrack replica,'72 250 Rickman-Montesa,'72 XL250 Honda Mosport[first bike

Offline bigbikerrick

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #17 on: July 16, 2018, 01:17:22 PM »
I learned my lesson ,Guzzimatic, and I will always ride the bike a few miles after washing it in the future.  FWIW,Yesterday I took the LeMans on a 75mile ride, and it performed flawlessly. The clutch action was perfect, no dragging, or any other abnormalities.
As usual, the sage advice on this forum saved me from alot of un necessary work, and expense.
Thank you
Rick.
"You meet the most interesting people on a Guzzi"

Offline oldmxdog61u

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2018, 09:02:26 PM »
Great color scheme. Great bike. I rode that thing thru several epic long distance floods that would have had Noah scrambling for the arc. Never missed a beat.  Glad to see you still have her, and your health!
Enjoy life!
1985 lemans 1000 (gone)
1996 Sport 1100 (gone)
2007 norge (ahhhhh)
1984 yz250 (gone to museum)
1977 Cr125m Elsinore (sold)
1973 HD FX (back to my bro)
1974 Eldorado (grace)

Offline bigbikerrick

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #19 on: July 18, 2018, 03:26:13 PM »
OldMXdog61u, Thanks for the kind words, Bruce. You took good care of the Le Mans, and passed her to me very nicely sorted. It is my  current favorite Guzzi to ride, but the Eldo is still my favorite to look at, and drool over!
I hope you are enjoying yours,
Rick.
"You meet the most interesting people on a Guzzi"

Offline oldmxdog61u

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Re: 85 Le Mans 1000 clutch misbehaves after washing.
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2018, 08:57:23 PM »
Wish ya were closer. I love the Eldo!
Enjoy life!
1985 lemans 1000 (gone)
1996 Sport 1100 (gone)
2007 norge (ahhhhh)
1984 yz250 (gone to museum)
1977 Cr125m Elsinore (sold)
1973 HD FX (back to my bro)
1974 Eldorado (grace)

 

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