clutch clunk

Because it sounds like what I have is different than the Head Nut Clunk described below. I have an '07 with about 1200 miles. My clunk happens when I come off the gas quickly (slam it shut?)and pull in the clutch. It only seems to happen in first gear and only at low RPM 2K to 3.5K. A common time for it to happen would be when coming up behind a car in traffic or coming to a stop sign. I does not seem to be related to braking. Sometimes it almost sounds like a double thunk.

Any thoughts?

It does on only on decel, and does it happen just when you start to pull the clutch in, or when you pull the lever in far enough that the clutch is completely disengaged?

Also, what's your speed like at this point in time?

Can you manually cause the noise at higher speeds by quickly snapping the throttle closed and pulling in the clutch? Of course, the noise is going to be harder to detect at higher speeds because of road and wind noise, so you might not notice it in ordinary driving if you aren't listening for it...

I am wondering if it could be excess play somewhere in the driveline. I had a pickup that made a similar thunk when you put in the clutch, it was apparently just the two of the gears knocking against one another when the load of the engine was taken off of them...(in other words, 'taking up the slack')

Hi, Chris - Thanks for looking at this. I'm going to spend some time with the problem this weekend - I had many of the same questions.

Tentatively here is what I know: I've only noticed it at fairly slow speeds. I've tried unsuccessfully to recreate it at higher revs and higher speeds. As far as I can tell it is confined to below 3500 rpm and in first gear. It is definitely caused when I snap the throttle closed and pull in the clutch. It could very well be a drivetrain slack issue - that would make sense with the low rpms. I had a friend who happens to be a Honda mechanic listen to it briefly - he had the same thought.

I'm not sure if it happens only on decel. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if the clutch has to come in all the way to cause the noise. I'll check that out next time I'm on the bike.

There are some other guys talking about this in the "Head Nut" thread. I'm going to do some more driving and listening this weekend to see if I can narrow it down. I'm also going in next week for the break-in service so that I can have the shop re-torque anything that might be causing it.

Thanks for your help. I'll let you know if I get any new information.

I think you guy's are feeling/hearing the play in the rear end (pumpkin i guess we call it) between the large ring gear and it's smaller driving counterpart (pinion?).

-Don

I spent some more time driving and listening today and came up with some more data. The noise that it makes when I close throttle and pull in the clutch is the same noise that it sometimes makes when I put it in 1st gear or downshift to first. Sometimes the engine speed and wheel speed are synched and it doesn't make any noise. Other times when kicking into first it goes "THUNK". It's the same sound in both cases: the same as what I'm hearing when I close throttle and pull clutch. It only happens below 3500 RPM and not evey time.

That leads me in the direction of what DonRed is saying. I'm starting to think it is a normal thing and that it may go away as the trannie and clutch wear in. (I only have 1200 miles on the clock now). I'm inclined to not worry for now, ride the bike and see what happens.

Yes, no, maybe?

It is quite obvious now that 07' machines have some less than tranny friendly clutch plate disengagement issues,..Some have disks that were not soaked long enough at the factory and the changed slave cylinder for a lighter feel means less disengagement movement. Yadda,,yadda.... A couple of weeks ago i set my lever to the full out position #1 instead of my more finger friendly mid position #3. I was quite impressed with the change in upshift feel and those "double click shift's" were much less common yet still relative to my ** Concentration Level**... Yes!!! with this machine YOU have to use an extra bit of grey matter to change gears,..preload a bit or whatever. Also,... after you have knuckled the lever out all the way try this in the Morning : Instead of just pulling in the clutch and dumping it into first and getting that annoying clunk. Try giving the lever two quick pulls and then dropping to 1st.

That morning clunk can't be good for stuff...

-Don

That morning clunk can't be good for stuff...

That's what my sweetie says too . . . gotta romance it.

IT's the clutch plates sticking together, due to assembly gease on them. :dribble: Either "Burn" the grease off by being aggressive and slipping the clutch a bit. Or you can take them out, clean them manually, reassemble after soaking in oil. Read the archive concerning 07 clutch problems. They were a slight problem with the 07's. I "burned" mine off just fine! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: and don't overfill the oil after changes, that can cause them to "Hydro-lock" to eack other and not release easily

Now we're getting somewhere. An answer that makes sense and a built in excuse when the plod asks why I was redlining down the Expressway:

"See officer, I have this clutch problem and this is the only way to fix it. Just let me put in a couple more runs and I promise never to do it again".

Seriously though - I haven't yet done the first oil change but I noticed that the oil is at the very very top of the sight glass, well above the full mark. If NMRR is right (and he certainly SOUNDS like he knows what he's talking about) that could account for the noise. I'll report back after I do the oil change.

DonRed7 said:

That morning clunk can't be good for stuff...
-Don

Click to expand...

I just start it in gear, look both ways, and ride away. No clunk that way.

Speaking of the 1st gear clunk, though, I've never heard that it causes any damage.

dbx