Clutch randomly doesn't work at all...

[Islandsteve]

Ok. Bike hasn't been riden in a while, clutch worked for sure ntl ago. Today I put everything back together and clutch didn't disengage. pulled tank off and made sure the cable was loose and such, had space to move anyways. Clutch feels the same as always but it's not doing nothing when I pull...I have it routed to the left of my carbs...cable clutch

any help?

[Staerke]

You say it's not doing anything. Is there resistance or is it completely loose?

[paul.miner]

Are you saying that the clutch won't release? If the bike has been sitting for a while, the clutch may be sticking. You may just have start it in gear and ride it out while riding the front brake, or put the front wheel against something solid while starting.

If you're saying the clutch won't engage, check that pulling the clutch actuates the mechanism that pushes the clutch push rod on the left side of the bike. There should be a small rubber cover over the clutch adjustment on the left side. Pull it off and check that it rotates back and forth as you pull and release the clutch lever.

[Islandsteve]

Thanks, the clutch has resistance yes...it feels like normal but seems to not wantto engage at all. I will proceed to check that stuff is movin under the rubber cap now

Ya it goes in and out left n right like 4 or 5 mm or so roughly. Before when clutch worked fine it wouldn't stop the lever until I hit the handle bar. Although it worked great.

[paul.miner]

it feels like normal but seems to not wantto engage at all.

So, you're saying when you put it in gear and release the clutch lever, the bike doesn't move? If that's the case, maybe the clutch cable is adjusted too tight, so even when the lever is out the clutch isn't fully released?

If you're saying the opposite (the clutch never disengages, so the engine and rear wheel are always engaged), have you messed with the front sprocket cover? All the bolts for the front sprocket cover must be tightened fully, because the clutch pushrod pushes against that cover to disengage the clutch.

[Islandsteve]

I'm saying that it's always engaged, I haven't touched or messed with the sproket cover or anything. It just stopped doing it's thing you know another strange thing I noticed was the fact that I didn't need to have the clutch lever pulled in in order to crank the engine...of course when I was crankin it the engine was in neutral. I am still able to switch gears...roughly tho without the clutch workin and all. I'm pretty sure before there was a saftey mechanism I might have not hooked the wires up properly...

Edit

k I just looked at this...

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Motorcycle-Repair-837/katana-clutch-wont-disengage.htm

looks like someone had the same problem on the same bike too I'm starting to think stuck plates are my problem since my cable feels n looks fine

[paul.miner]

I'm saying that it's always engaged

The clutch plates could just be stuck from sitting, that's happened to me before. I unstuck mine by starting it in gear with the clutch lever pulled in and riding the front brake until it broke free. You could also try putting the front wheel against something solid while doing this (e.g. house foundation).

If it was really stuck bad, you could drain the oil and take the clutch plates out, but I doubt it's got that way from just sitting.

another strange thing I noticed was the fact that I didn't need to have the clutch lever pulled in in order to crank the engine...of course when I was crankin it the engine was in neutral.

There is often a switch by the clutch lever that detects when you have the lever pulled in, although my '93 Kat 600 doesn't seem to have this switch.

[Islandsteve]

The clutch plates could just be stuck from sitting, that's happened to me before. I unstuck mine by starting it in gear with the clutch lever pulled in and riding the front brake until it broke free. You could also try putting the front wheel against something solid while doing this (e.g. house foundation).

If it was really stuck bad, you could drain the oil and take the clutch plates out, but I doubt it's got that way from just sitting.



There is often a switch by the clutch lever that detects when you have the lever pulled in, although my '93 Kat 600 doesn't seem to have this switch.

ya it's been sitting a month or two.

Worse comes to worst (however that saying goes...) I'll just pull the plates and inspect. I'm really trying to bring this bike to as close to factory condition I can get it within my budget which is reasonable.

Wouldn't starting against a wall just kill my starter trying to start in gear while clutch engaged and acting up. So it needs to get hot to break the "oil-bond" between the plates?

I have a general idea of how clutches work, i'm no expert tho, I've never taken one apart

[paul.miner]

Wouldn't starting against a wall just kill my starter trying to start in gear while clutch engaged and acting up.

Depends on how stuck it is

I just rode the front brake until it freed up (only took a couple feet). The clutch remained sticky (e.g. dropping it into gear would cause the bike to lurch) until I took it out for a decent ride though.

A simple description of the multi-plate wet clutch the Kat uses: You have a stack of plates/discs on the right side of the bike. About half the discs rotate with the engine, the other half rotate with the transmission/wheel. I don't remember which is which, but half the discs have teeth only on the inside, so they are locked to a toothed cylinder running through their centers, and half have teeth only on the outside, so they are locked to a toothed cylinder that surrounds them.

The discs are interleaved (engine disc, wheel disc, engine disc, wheel disc, etc), and compressed together by the clutch springs. In this state, the pressure exerted by the clutch springs on the pressure plate hold the two sets of discs together with enough force that they spin together.

When you pull the clutch lever, a rod pushes the pressure plate out, compressing the clutch springs and relieving the pressure put on the clutch plates. Now, the two sets of plates should be able to spin independently.

Some pictures of the clutch in a '93 Kat 600

[Islandsteve]

Depends on how stuck it is

I just rode the front brake until it freed up (only took a couple feet). The clutch remained sticky (e.g. dropping it into gear would cause the bike to lurch) until I took it out for a decent ride though.

A simple description of the multi-plate wet clutch the Kat uses: You have a stack of plates/discs on the right side of the bike. About half the discs rotate with the engine, the other half rotate with the transmission/wheel. I don't remember which is which, but half the discs have teeth only on the inside, so they are locked to a toothed cylinder running through their centers, and half have teeth only on the outside, so they are locked to a toothed cylinder that surrounds them.

The discs are interleaved (engine disc, wheel disc, engine disc, wheel disc, etc), and compressed together by the clutch springs. In this state, the pressure exerted by the clutch springs on the pressure plate hold the two sets of discs together with enough force that they spin together.

When you pull the clutch lever, a rod pushes the pressure plate out, compressing the clutch springs and relieving the pressure put on the clutch plates. Now, the two sets of plates should be able to spin independently.

Some pictures of the clutch in a '93 Kat 600

Thanks for the description and the pics. ATM my bike is not running. I've got to replace a gasket on the left side of my engine on the cover so I've got to drain the oil for that and I'll look at the plates then. I assume physically disasembling them would unstick them?

Should I worry about replacing them if they just stuck and aren't worn much? Like would it be detremental to my physical health while riding and would a clutch even stop disengaging while riding?

[jetmerritt]

My clutch sticks and is nasty to get into gear after sitting for a couple weeks.

I warm up the bike in neutral, then shut it off, restart in first with the clutch lever pulled and the brake pulled as well and it is usually ok. Drags a little for a few minutes but works itself out quick.

What part of the island are you on steve? I go to the island for work once in a while. I spent 6 weeks in CR this summer. I also have coworkers on the island in port alberni and courtenay.
Jet

[H-2 CHARLIE]

if you open it up you should replace it ...it is $100 for the friction plates and springs ...bead blast the steel plates at a motor rebuild shop for 10-15 buks and watch out not to strip the bolts ....i like Vesrah brand myself...BARRNETTS swell from sitting and stick

[Islandsteve]

My clutch sticks and is nasty to get into gear after sitting for a couple weeks.

I warm up the bike in neutral, then shut it off, restart in first with the clutch lever pulled and the brake pulled as well and it is usually ok. Drags a little for a few minutes but works itself out quick.

What part of the island are you on steve? I go to the island for work once in a while. I spent 6 weeks in CR this summer. I also have coworkers on the island in port alberni and courtenay.
Jet

Awesome, well I can do neutral so ill try that; once I get my vac leak problem figured out and sync the carbs and get the sexy beast running again.

I'm currently living in Parksville, its good stuff minus the rain of course haha. thank god I'm not in Comox or wherever else is flooding. I only just heard of this, apparently it's been going on for a few weeks now. So where do you reside if not "the" island? Oh, and PC btw for sure. Mac fails to suffice.

if you open it up you should replace it ...it is $100 for the friction plates and springs ...bead blast the steel plates at a motor rebuild shop for 10-15 buks and watch out not to strip the bolts ....i like Vesrah brand myself...BARRNETTS swell from sitting and stick

Thats not a bad price at all give or take 50 bones. I think I may just rebuild it eventually but for now I gotta get my engine going heheh