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[LRebel]

Hey, thanks for the input.  I'm going to take a look at a couple of things before I take it back to the dealer.  We will be leaving later this week for a few days.... little business and a quickie vacation, so pretty limited on time to mess with the bike.  Our plan was to take this trip on the bike, but that's out for now.

Your comment about the reservoir being too full is interesting.  I guess it could make sense that if the reservoir is too full, during extremely high temps the fluid could expand and cause problems.

I will give you an update in a day or two.  Thanks!

[SIX38]

Jerry (grc) is dead on with his advice to check hydraulic fluid level in the clutch master cylinder reservoir. Make certain that the fluid is not above the "fill" line inside the reservoir. As he pointed out, too high a level will prevent the secondary clutch actuator piston from fully returning to it's released position. This will prevent the clutch diaphragm spring from exerting full pressure on the clutch discs. Bingo! Slipping clutch / premature wear / early clutch replacement.
 Other things to keep in mind. As the clutch normally wears, the fluid level will RISE in the master cylinder. That's because the clutch pack is getting narrower so the clutch release push rod is pushing the actuator piston deeper into it's bore, raising the level in the master cylinder reservoir.
Another scenario. Master cylinder fluid level is too high, clutch is working fine when bike is cold. As bike heats up, the clutch release cover with it's internal slave cylinder that is sitting right next to the exhaust collector and catalytic converter is seeing some serious radiant heat. Fluid expands, no room in master cylinder for it to go, clutch starts to slip.
 One pet peeve of mine over the years, has been the repeated failure of dealer service department's to get the fluid levels correct during service. How many clutch master cylinders out there are overfilled

Tom P.   

[LRebel]

Tom,
I think you're right.  This is definitely a temp. related issue.

I had to replace a water heater last evening, but will get to the bike this evening.  I am going to flush out the hydraulic fluid with fresh fluid - bleed the air - fill to the correct level and see what I've got.  After all this, I will ride it in to the office tomorrow morning and make a few runs on it tomorrow during the heat of the day to see if this cures the issue.

If this takes care of it, we will be on the bike for our trip 

[Nano]

My '08 had the "slipping clutch" problem for the second time  last week.  It did happen while the bike was hot and ridden hard.  After cooling down for two hours, everything was fine.  I returned to dealer again.  They inspected the plates, replaced the clutch sping with the heavy duty spring from the "big bore" kit and rpelaced the syn3 with standard 20w50.......$230 later.  There is a big difference in the clutch pull and shifting is much smoother.  A hard day of riding in the heat yesterday and no clutch slipping (but my air filter cover fell off..another topic).  Only time will tell.

[LRebel]

Ok, I flushed out the hydraulic fluid last night.  Sure enough, when I took the cap off the reservoir, it was too full.... as full as it could possibly be.  The fluid was pretty clean still, but the reservoir was nasty.  Got all the fluid out and cleaned the reservoir - replaced fluid... filling to the full line.
Rode the bike last night and to the office this morning... rode it like I stole.  So Far, So Good.

If it does ok today, will be leaving on a 400 - 500 mile trip in the morning.  I'll make the cell phone is charged before leaving 

[SIX38]

Hello LRebel,
 No way your bike should have left the dealer after a clutch replacement with the master cylinder completely filled like that. Additionally, flushing, reservoir cleaning, fluid replacement should have been part of the clutch job. GRRRRR!! And they call themselves "technicians" now??!!
 Happy to hear that you were able to take care it yourself. Good Job! Enjoy your trip.

Tom P.
 
 

[LRebel]

Since Friday morning, we have rode close to 400 miles.  So far no clutch problems.

Now the radio is only working part time.  It's always something.  I guess I will go see what reason they can come up with to not cover the radio under warranty next week.

[LRebel]

Time for an update:  Left on another trip July 23rd.  Covered almost 600 miles before we got home.  About half way through the trip the clutch starts slipping again... Not bad, just enough to cause the cruise control to disengage when I started up a hill.  I take it real easy through the balance of the trip.

On Monday, July 26th, I took my bike back to the dealer.  I tell the service writer that replacing the clutch plates did nothing for the slipping issue.  Also told him about the stereo problem.

Short Version:  Mechanic can't duplicate the problem.  I explain they need to ride it more than a mile or two and that they need to do it during the heat of the day.  Three weeks later the service writer finally calls me to tell me that they had to ride the bike almost 10 miles before the clutch started slipping (I tried to tell them!).  They tried the heavier spring, but didn't help.

Anyway, the good news is that he called the MoCo and they are going to replace all the clutch components under warranty.  Bad news is that the MoCo had to ship them the parts.  I don't have the bike back yet... If they still have it on Monday, it will be four weeks.  Really hope to get it back before the weekend.

If this fixes the issue, between the stereo and the clutch issue, I will have more than covered the cost of the warranty. 

Note to self:  Trade the bike before the warranty runs out in two more years 

[WFP]

My 08 is still slipping also...was hoping the fluid was the answer....will keep watching.

Agree it is miles and heat related for me also.

Bill

Time for an update:  Left on another trip July 23rd.  Covered almost 600 miles before we got home.  About half way through the trip the clutch starts slipping again... Not bad, just enough to cause the cruise control to disengage when I started up a hill.  I take it real easy through the balance of the trip.

On Monday, July 26th, I took my bike back to the dealer.  I tell the service writer that replacing the clutch plates did nothing for the slipping issue.  Also told him about the stereo problem.

Short Version:  Mechanic can't duplicate the problem.  I explain they need to ride it more than a mile or two and that they need to do it during the heat of the day.  Three weeks later the service writer finally calls me to tell me that they had to ride the bike almost 10 miles before the clutch started slipping (I tried to tell them!).  They tried the heavier spring, but didn't help.

Anyway, the good news is that he called the MoCo and they are going to replace all the clutch components under warranty.  Bad news is that the MoCo had to ship them the parts.  I don't have the bike back yet... If they still have it on Monday, it will be four weeks.  Really hope to get it back before the weekend.

If this fixes the issue, between the stereo and the clutch issue, I will have more than covered the cost of the warranty. 

Note to self:  Trade the bike before the warranty runs out in two more years 

[LRebel]

My 08 is still slipping also...was hoping the fluid was the answer....will keep watching.

Agree it is miles and heat related for me also.

Bill

Bill, I checked the fluid and it was at the correct level.  I tried lowering the fluid level and it still slipped.

I would take it to the dealer and tell them about my experience and then tell them to go ride it in the heat of the day and to ride it far enough to get the bike to normal operating temp.

[Nano]

Got back from Sturgis last Saturday, 14 Aug.  4200+ miles and major clutch problems.  We took three days going, and each morning the bike would disengage cruise control and the 6 gear light would go out and when it quit slipping it would come back on.  After 50-60 miles, no problems the rest of the day.  Same thing each of the three days. My last visit to my home dealer dealer was to avoid these problems on this trip.  Experienced more slippage each day.  Early one morning riding from Hot Springs to Rapid City, the clutch was slipping so bad that I could not keep up with the other bikes and eventually pulled to the side of the road.  After sitting for twenty minutes, I was able to ride to the HD dealer in Rapid City. Ten hours and $500 latter I had new clutch, plates.  Did NO GOOD.  The next day I started for home and more clutch slipping.  Took four days coming home, slipping each day with temps into 100+, but none on the last day, last 400 miles, cool rainy weather.  I took the bike directly to my HD dealer.  They still have my bike and have ordered components for the transmission, thinking they have identified the problem, supposedly covered by warranty.  I will not know until I get the bike back next week and ride again.  This is an HD issue we never should have spent a penny on. I know I will have a hard time recovering the $700+ I've spent so far.

[LRebel]

Got back from Sturgis last Saturday, 14 Aug.  4200+ miles and major clutch problems.  We took three days going, and each morning the bike would disengage cruise control and the 6 gear light would go out and when it quit slipping it would come back on.  After 50-60 miles, no problems the rest of the day.  Same thing each of the three days. My last visit to my home dealer dealer was to avoid these problems on this trip.  Experienced more slippage each day.  Early one morning riding from Hot Springs to Rapid City, the clutch was slipping so bad that I could not keep up with the other bikes and eventually pulled to the side of the road.  After sitting for twenty minutes, I was able to ride to the HD dealer in Rapid City. Ten hours and $500 latter I had new clutch, plates.  Did NO GOOD.  The next day I started for home and more clutch slipping.  Took four days coming home, slipping each day with temps into 100+, but none on the last day, last 400 miles, cool rainy weather.  I took the bike directly to my HD dealer.  They still have my bike and have ordered components for the transmission, thinking they have identified the problem, supposedly covered by warranty.  I will not know until I get the bike back next week and ride again.  This is an HD issue we never should have spent a penny on. I know I will have a hard time recovering the $700+ I've spent so far.

Your clutch problem sounds like the same thing I have experienced.  My dealer called HD and they are replacing the whole clutch assembly.  Supposed to be the "New & Improved" version with tougher stuff.

I talked to the dealer last Thursday and they said that they were still waiting for parts.  I have been out of commission for the past few days, so I don't know if they have the parts yet.  I will check back with them Friday if I have not heard from them.

I will be discussing the $300+ they charged for new clutch plates a couple of months ago.  I don't know if it will do any good, but they are going to hear from me anyway.

[Nano]

Got my bike back yesterday, 10 days later.  They found that the clutch release rod, attached to the transmission cover was causing the problem.  Looking at the old part ( a $300 item itself) I can see the wear, where the rod was rubbing against the housing.  I cannot be sure if this is indeed the fix, but I can really tell the difference.  I rode about 150 miles in the heat, it appeared to be heat related, with no problems. This was covered by the extended warranty.  Working with the dealer now to recover the money spent on replacing the clutch plates.  Will keep you posted if I have more problems.

[LRebel]

I picked my bike up this morning.  Whole new clutch assembly and new stereo.  So far everything works.  In a week or so, when I get healed up from surgery, I will take it out and put it through it's paces to make sure it is going to hold up.

We discussed the charges from a few weeks ago, when they charged me for the new clutch plates.  They said that when this new clutch assembly was installed that they should have charged me for new clutch plates (since wearable items are not covered under the extended warranty).  They said that since I already paid for clutch plates a few weeks ago, that they were not charging again.  What Ever, I Guess..... I didn't really feel good enough this morning to think much about it.

Should have had a $50 deductible to pay on the extended warranty, but ended up only paying $27.  They explained the reduction in my cost, but like I said, I really didn't feel good enough this morning to absorb it all.

[LRebel]

Ok, couldn't stand it.  With my wife standing with her hands on her hips telling me I didn't need to be on my bike so soon after surgery, I got on my bike last evening to take it for a good test ride.

I made it just fine.  However, very disappointed in the bike repair.  I rode out to the interstate, so I could stretch it out.  First thing I noticed was that the cruise control was not working.  Apparently, they left it unplugged when putting everything back together after replacing the stereo.

Then I rolled the throttle real good to check the clutch.  According to the service writer, the bike has a whole new clutch assembly.  Well when I rolled the throttle, the tach goes up and the speedo doesn't move.... the clutch is still slipping 

So, the bike is back at the dealer.... it's been there all month, except for a few hours yesterday.  I mentioned Nano's post about the clutch release rod, but the service writer seemed sceptical.  They are stumped.... and I am too.  The problem still seems to be heat related.  The clutch feels good until the bike has been ridden several miles.