Clutch Contaminated Oil

[jeffnew29]

Could a badly worn or defective clutch contaminate the oil? I have flush about 3 times in the last week and the clear oil comes out grey. Some particles and metal flakes.

Can I pull off the clutch cover and clean the pan? Do I need a clutch removal tool for repair? Thanks for your help.

[DGXSER]

Jeff,

Grey does not sound liek clutch to me, but it is easy enough to check. You can pull the clutch cover without draining the oil, but sounds like you have the oil out. Look in the tech tips for the 2nd gear dremel repair. The first steps in it describe how to pull the clutch.

After you get the clutch out, you can separate the baskets and get the plates and disc out. Clean them up and measure thicknesses. The only special tool needed is a large enough socket for the clutch nut, and maybe that woodedn stick TC used. I was successful in using the rear brake to hold the wheel still while I removed the bolt and put it back on.

[CatatonicBug]

Generally, grey oil means water is in it. However, since you've changed it 3 times, I doubt that's the issue. Is there any way water could have been exposed to it? Anyone know what oil looks like when fuel gets in it? Could that be a possibilty?

It's not entirely unusual to find metal flakes in the oil pan though. They gather there, and unless you remove the oil pan, you'll never get them all. Particles might be gasket material from the engine covers/oil pan that have fallen off on the inside. No need to worry about those, as long as they are soft and squishy (silicone texture).

If you really want to open it up and look at the clutch, put the bike on the sidestand and remove the right half of the exhaust before you start. I used an impact to remove the clutch nut, but puting it back on should really be done with a torque wrench. As was mentioned, the details are in the first part of the 2nd gear fix tech tip.

[Incubus]

I have had a clutch disintegrate because I tried to reuse friction plates that were beyond their expiration date. They did not change the color of the oil, they only plugged up the screen on the oil pump and stopped oil flow.

I believe you have something else contaminating your oil. Does the oil smell like gasoline? Perhaps your petcocks are conspiring against you behind your back.

Patrick

[DGXSER]

Hey Bug,

Not sure why you need to remove the exhaust to pull the clutch cover off. I have had mine off three or four times and not pulled the exhaust. Maybe I am just lucky.

[jeffnew29]

Great advise

Oil color is grey/black. It does not smell like gas and will not light. It concerns me how quickly the clear oil is discolored. Should I keep flushing..thinking of using cheap motor oil?

[DGXSER]

Hey Jeff,

If it is that concerning to you, you could pull the oil/tranny pan off along with the clutch cover and clean those pans out well. Also pull the valve cover off and clean out the top of the head if it needs it. While you have the tranny pan off, you can get to alot of the internal engine areas and clean those as well. I am thinking to use carb cleaner or brake parts cleaner but smarter folks than me should advise on that.

Honestly, my oil gets fairly dark within 100 miles or so. My bike has just under 30,000 on it. I do not worry at all about it. Now if it changes consistancy and looks kind of milky then it is getting water in it, but that would be pretty wierd in an air cooled engine.

[oseaghdha]

You could try putting in some cheap oil and a quart of Dextron and run it around the block a couple of times.

ATF has a ton of detergent in it.

[DGXSER]

oseaghdha has an excellent idea there, slipped my brain this AM. I would add that you should not put the engine under load with that in there. It has been said more than a couple times her to simply run the bike at idle for a 15-20 minutes with that in there. I believe it will thin the oil and not give the bearings good protection under load.

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Could a badly worn or defective clutch contaminate the oil? I have flush about 3 times in the last week and the clear oil comes out grey. Some particles and metal flakes.

Can I pull off the clutch cover and clean the pan? Do I need a clutch removal tool for repair? Thanks for your help.

Sounds like dropping the pan to see just what might be collected down there might be a good idea.

No telling how often, or if ever, the PO changed the oil.

Just out of curiosity, this bike didn't come from the New Orleans area did it?

Greg

[CatatonicBug]

Hey Bug,

Not sure why you need to remove the exhaust to pull the clutch cover off. I have had mine off three or four times and not pulled the exhaust. Maybe I am just lucky.

IIRC, the exhaust gets in the way of the foot peg bolt, which needs to be loosened, so it can rotate out of the way, so you can get to the lower bolts on the cover. It just makes access a lot easier with it out of the way.

[DGXSER]

Wow Bug, your exhaust must just fit way different than my stock system. I can easily get to the foot peg bolt with my 1/2" drive socket wrench to loosen the bolt/nut enough to let the footpeg rotate up out of the way of that one corner bolt. All the rest I can get to with my 3/8" ratchet with a 6" extension and a 5mm hex wrench socket on the end.

Hopefully Jeff will be as lucky as me and not need to pull the exhaust. That would double the work in my opinion.

[randy]

Just out of curiosity, this bike didn't come from the New Orleans area did it?

Hey,,,hey,,HAAYY!

Just what are you insinuating, there?

[Ivan]

If it is a charcoal or gunmetal gray, there is a chance that something aluminum is wearing. When aluminum wears, it makes a dark gray paste looking residue. A small amount will turn your oil gray in a hurry.

FWIW, this wear process is called "smoking".

[jeffnew29]

Bike looks new and definitely did not come from La. Cool and dry in Colorado.
Has only 9200 miles so cannot beleive all the issues. Runs and shifts like xxxx.

Got a suugestion here to try Marvel Magic Oil. Put it in the oil/tank/cylinders..through spark plug hole. This oil is dark after idling for a few days.

Hey how do I paste photos into this window.Wanted you guys to see this.

Thanks for all the great ideas.