Problem with clutch

[07FZ6]

I have a 2007 FZ6 with 10,500 miles on it.

Starting about a month ago, I have had a few intermittent issues with my clutch I am hoping someone may have a diagnosis.

The first time it happened I was in a parking lot practicing launches for an upcoming drag race. After a good 20 hard launches, I came to a stop, pulled the clutch in, and the bike died. Let it cool off, and all was well after that.

Second time was the worst, I was riding in traffic on my way home, and suddenly the bike started to act weird, luckily I was near my home so I babied it to the house, as I came to a stop the bike died and the Clutch lever was completly limp. With the clutch in and the bike in gear, when I would hit the ignition the bike would just drive forward like the clutch was out. I thought I had broken the cable. parked it, swore at ot and came back out to see how to get the cable off, and suddenly I had clutch lever movement again.

The third time I was coming to a light, as I came to a stop in first gear with the clutch in the bike died, but started right back up and worked fine.

IT has happened a few more times, and After each event adjusting the cable seems to make it work fine for awhile




After talking to a few guys, we think the clutch steels may be warped, so they are swelling when hot causing the clutch to lose movement and "lock" up.

Any ideas? or is the clutch already worn out at 10000 miles?

 

[DaveOTZ]

The other guys will probably have a better answer than this but my 2 plinks in a bucket...

Sounds more like the cable than the clutch... Could it be a problem with your rebuild? I try to say this w/o sounding like a wiseass, but while the FZ is a jack of all trades the gearing, low-end torque, shXt ergos on takeoff and short friction zone would make me hard pressed to find a worse drag bike...

Honestly, you probably would've been better served with a different bike when you rebuilt or taking this as an opportunity to do the same...

Now as to clutch improvements (your next post) my input would probably be the same... But I just flipped another card in my age calendar and it my be my old axx just being old and crochety...

 

[Shamus McFeeley]

...but while the FZ is a jack of all trades the gearing, low-end torque, shXt ergos on takeoff and short friction zone would make me hard pressed to find a worse drag bike...

Seconding this.

You'll know if you warped your steelies when you take it apart to look at them. Something to concider here:

How long did you cool off between each launch?

Chances are you fried your clutch doing something the bike was never intended for. You should think about replacing the springs as well as the disks, everything is suspect now after being heat fatigued.

 

[segue00]

What oil are you using?

 

[BusyWeb]

What oil are you using?

Um, it's not the clutch issue for me. (or might??)
After changing different brand Engine Oil, I had similar issue couple of times.
However, couple of hundreds miles, it disappeared.

Symtoms are almost similar.
In front of the stop, engine suddenly dies when the clutch is not totally released.
>> Previous engine oil was Yama Lube Full Synthetic
>> Current oil is different brand Synthetic (same price but more broad thickness)

I think that (mechanics also recommended)
try to keep same brand engine oil ....
I may have to use this new brand for the next oil change too..

 

[07FZ6]

The bike has had 8500 miles put on it since the rebuild, so it is not that.

I didnt buy the bike as a drag bike, I use it as a commuter, weekend warrior.

It has been to the track twice this year.

When I do tear it apart it is getting Kevlar discs, new plates, and stiffer springs anyway, Just wondering if it is something else.

The bike has Rotella 5w40 Syn in it. It had that in it til 6000 when I went to Yamalube 20W50 syn for the summer, then back to the 5w40 rotella.

Oddly it did start shortly after the oil was changed back to rotella, but it loved it the first time. The bike seemed to run a little worse and had more ticks in the motor with the Yamalube, that and the weather is getting a little chilly so I went to the thinner, yet better oil.