Slipping CLutch and Strange Noises

[balvenie]

           There are a lot of topics in the archives about slipping clutches and Guzziology itself, describes seven causes but I would like to describe the accompanying noises.
           1) It sounds for all the world like something was rotating and something else was in contact with it. A metallic sound.
            2)  With the clutch lever out there is a lot more rattle coming from behind the engine than I am used to.
          There is the usual play at the handlebar and behind the gearbox.
The bike has not been ridden for almost five months. Is it punishing me for neglecting it? Is that noise a mechanical problem?

            I look forward to your thoughts, Guzzisti

[oldbike54]

 Clutch center coming loose ?

  Dusty

[balvenie]

Clutch center coming loose ?
  Dusty

Oh lovely
I have been anticipating a lot of work, if only to replace the clutch pushrod seals. On a slightly bright note, if the box has to come out I will send it to Vasco for a bit of a touch up

[Vasco DG]

Doesn't sound good. As Dusty said a likely cause would be the centre ripping out of one of the friction plates.

Pete

[JoeW]

Does this bike have the single or dual plate clutch?

[balvenie]

It has two, Joe. It is a 2004 EV.

[balvenie]

Both Dusty and Vasco[as he was known then] were right. The centre ripped out of my clutch and for various reasons, I am only now starting to do some work on my poor bike.
The disintegrating friction plate distributed bright steel chips in all directions throughout the bell housing. A rag and a toothbrush fixed that stuff but in addition to the metal, a reddish/brownish[not black] layer of "grease" coated Everything. It got into the splines in the flywheel where it seemed to be caked on and a lot of this afternoon was spent on digging it out.
Anyone else had this experience? I assume it is a "paste" of clutch dust and gearbox oil via the clutch pushrod.
Is it advisable to grease the gearbox and flywheel splines and if so, with what?
My copy of Guzziology is missing so can someone advise of a source for torque values for the clutch bolts of my '04 Cali, twin plate please?

[rodekyll]

torque 18-22 pounded feet.

The reddish gunk is what you suspect, and might also be previous spline grease.  I leave mine dry for that reason.

Got pics of the carnage?  We like carnage pics.   

[twodogs]

2 years later?

[tris]

Both Dusty and Vasco[as he was known then] were right. The centre ripped out of my clutch and for various reasons, I am only now starting to do some work on my poor bike.......

Gee I hope it wasn't work or something otherwise untoward that stopped you getting to the bike 

Lets hope you get it back on the road PDQ

[Wayne Orwig]

It has two, Joe. It is a 2004 EV.

My 2004 came with a SINGLE plate clutch. The friction material on the SINGLE plate clutch wore out quickly, and left a reddish colored metallic dust everywhere. It even had an odd greasy feel to it. It had to be ungraded, TWELVE YEARS AGO, to the twin plate clutch. I has since worn out a set of the twin plates in that 120,000 miles.

[balvenie]

2 years later?

Yes, as tris suspects it was something untoward. Many "untoward" things in fact with me and other people but things have more or less settled down from where they were.

rodekyll   Thanks for those specs and I will get on to the carnage pics

[balvenie]

Tiny sparkles of bright metal between the rim of the flywheel and the inside edge of the bell-housing.



The utterly useless and the merely worn after 50000 miles.



The Disaster

[Tom H]

I've had rivets get loose, splines wear out prematurely. But I've never seen that!

Tom

[oldbike54]

 Yeah , that can happen on beemers and Guzzis Bill .

 Dusty