Hello all. I have a 06 FXST/I. My clutch plates seem sticky or something cause when I pull the clutch in , it seems to take a while for the plates to disengage therefore i get that bang when i drop it into first. Before I start it up, if I put it in gear and pull the clutch in, it will not disengage, you cant push it. I usually start it up in first with the clutch in to initially break the plates loose to start the day. I have the clutch adjusted properly. Followed the manual. I can watch it move when I have the derby cover off. I had been using the amsoil 75/90 in the primary but was thinking of switching to the 20/50 in the primary. My only quess is that maybe the amsoil is too tacky, thick or something. I never had the clutch apart, maybe something was not assembled right at the factory. After the bike has been run a while it seems a bit better, but I still can't ever put the bike in gear and push it around with the clutch in , engine off, unless I rock it forward or backward hard to break it loose.. My biggest concern is the banging into first. Primary chain adj is correct, and I run the 26 oz like the manual says. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

If you,ve been running 75/90w (gear oil) in your primary, the clutch discs are ruined.Replace the clutch discs and use the proper primary oil, automatic transmission gluid or hydraulic oil.

 

The main reason for oil in the primary is to cool the clutch, and to lubricate the basket bearings. Gear oil is waaaaay too thick. I am not going to say you have ruined the discs, but it will be very hard to get the gear oil off of them. Pull the clutch and discs, soak them in clean parts cleaner, air dry, soak them in the new oil and reinstall with nothing heavier than 20-50 and tranny fluids (Dexron II or better) really work just fine.

 

I would also say the gear lube is to thick.Ride the bike to get the motor up to temp and drain the primary.Switch back to Primary + or another chaincase lube.Might have to redrain again to flush all the gear lube out.If the clutch slips after flushing,then t150vej is correct.

 

I'd try ATF - run it and change a few times. I have the Harley fluid in there now and I am thinking of switching to ATF or "tractor" hydraulic fluid. Both of these are made for wet clutches, cool with minimum slipping. I think many of the slipping clutch problems posted here are a result of running primary oils and synthetics with additives that make it slick. BMW specifically warns against synthetics oils due to slipping clutches.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. Now that I think of it, I went off the amsoil application chart and i think i just put some 20/50 in there. It did smell kinda like gear oil when I dumped it so maybe I had a brain fart or something. Anyways, can i run regular car oil 20/50 in there or must it be motorcycle 20/50 oil. I like the idea of trying to flush it out a time or two and hate to keep dumping amsoil at 10 bucks a qt. I guess the best thing to do is pull the clutch plates out and clean them good, hopefully not ruined. Is it a major project to do this? Can I do this all through the derby cover or must the outer primary cover come off? Maybe someone can let me know about what works best, dextron 2, 20/50 car oil, 20/50 motorcycle oil. Thanks all!

 

i rinsed the clutch off best as possible while in the bike, refilled with dex2 and so far, so good. My bike has never dropped into gear so smoothly. Bike rode fine, clutch worked fine, no slipping. rode it about 20 mins and dumped atf, then refilled with fresh atf and parked it for the night. so far, i think things will be ok.My bike had this problem from day one when i picked it up, i just worked around it best as possible. i wonder if it had the wrong fluid in from the factory or dealer. i know i had 20/50 amsoil in the primary after 500 miles and it has been in there until this service at 8k. i just messed up this time when i refilled it. good thing is after i dumped the gear oil in, i only started the bike for a minute, never rode it. glad i checked my replies to my post to wake my brain up to my mistake. Can i leave the dex2 in the primary?