Squeaky clutch lever even after lubing

So I had begun to notice a slight squeak in my clutch lever, and since I abhor any squeak or metal on metal I decided to go ahead and pull things off and lube them properly. I did that in all of 5 minutes tonight, and sure enough the factory had put a scant amount of lube on the works. I lubed up every little place with good grease, including the barrel and screw. I put it all back together and I still notice a slight squeak that I have identified as probably being the little shaft that the lever pushes in on. No way to lube that, and it is already supposedly lubricated by the clutch fluid itself. But I hear that little squeak. Do others hear this, and am I right in surmising that it is not something one can address?

Did you also lube the 'pocket' for the push rod in the brass push rod pin?

Yes, exactly. The pocket, and a little bit on the shaft itself. The squeak has the feel of the shaft being pushed into the reservoir and just having a little rub somehow. It's not much, but it's certainly audible and I'm picky about such things.

Can't say I've noticed undue squeaking from the clutch lever. There's a plunger switch involved, and perhaps you're hearing a bit of noise from a dry plunger. I use an electrically safe lube, such as ACF-50, on such things -- sidestand switch for example.

If I can ever figure out how to link to a video I will do so here. I took one of the squeak just now. I'm convinced it is the push rod that engages the clutch fluid. Maybe I can squirt some triflow onto that rod where it does into the rubber sleeve? I've never disassembled that part but it must have more than that external rubber sleeve to keep crap out. And that may be what is squeaking as the rod gets pushed in. Thoughts?

I just dug a little deeper and referred to the manual. On page 5-48 of the Gen III manual it diagrams the clutch lever/master cylinder system. I went ahead and pulled out the push rod and even removed the dust boot. Everything was and is well greased. Still the squeaking. The only thing left is that the internal spring/rod assembly has this slight squeak. It is certainly nothing externally greasable and the bike is brand new and works great. Lever moves totally smoothly. Guess I will just learn to ignore it unless someone has any other experience with this diagnosis.

Hooray, I have posted a video for the first time to this site. Now you can hear the squeak I am talking about. Remember, every single thing external to the master cylinder has been lubed with good grease. It seems the only thing left is some internal squeak in the master cylinder movements, but that still seems unlikely. Everything works fine. Thoughts?

I was just beginning to think you were over worrying when you posted this ... Man that is a shi**y sound ... I agree ...

Do you have any way to isolate the sound ? Maybe a mechanics stethoscope would help you to find the exact place for disassembly .. But there aren't too many more parts in a hydraulic system that could squeak .. Its not like there is a cable or something ...

So to be clear, the handle if moved by itself (without pushing on the pin) is silent ? Not sure you can move it without pushing the pin but just asking ...

I just had mine apart last week so I am pretty familiar with what is in there and it is definitely odd ...

It's your clutch sensor pin located just below the sight window, your clutch lever push it in and out, lube the plastic pin.

ahchiu said:

It's your clutch sensor pin located just below the sight window, your clutch lever push it in and out, lube the plastic pin.

Click to expand...

+1 Yeah, that's the plunger switch thingy I was talking about. It's located below the reservoir. The spring is rubbing slightly against the plunger, and/or against the plastic body. Squirt a bit of electronics-friendly lube in there and see if it stops, or at least greatly reduces, the squeeeeeek.

Make sure not to use a lube that may be unfriendly to plastic, or electrical connections.

That makes more sense than the master cylinder! That dust boot is and push rod are fully lubed up and there isn't any potential for rubber squeaking on that flimsy and lubed up thing. Now, which lubricant to use on that clutch sensor pin. My go to light oil for all such things is Tri Flow, but it is a standard petroleum oil with PTFE. Wont' hurt plastic, but would probably not play nicely with electronics. Having a hard time goggling an electrical friendly oil.

bluesdog, above, thanks, says ACF 50? I'm going by an auto store today so can pick something up.

Appreciate the help...

Salish, not sure how much luck you'll have with ACF-50 at any auto store but I may be wrong. Amazon might be the way to go for that. Good luck.

You can get ACF-50 or Corrosion X which are similar products ... But they are more aviation related so wouldn't be found in local hardware stores ..

They use them to lube and corrosion proof airframes and airplane electronics .. Pretty impressive stuff ... And a great penetrating oil to have around ...

I saw a demonstration where they were proving the dielectric properties where they had a big aquarium filled with the stuff and dropped an old tube TV into the tank while it was on and it kept working while immersed ...

Both are available on Amazon in various forms ....

Yes, thanks, wow. Can't believe I've been buying and using every manner of grease and oil on boats, cars, bikes and such and had not yet heard of this stuff. Sounds great. I'll be getting some. Guess I should have asked my electrical engineer brother who spent 8 years underwater as an electrician on a nuclear submarine! He knows a thing or two about corrosion control, and probably would have told me about this ACF 50.

Salish1300 said:

Yes, thanks, wow. Can't believe I've been buying and using every manner of grease and oil on boats, cars, bikes and such and had not yet heard of this stuff. Sounds great. I'll be getting some. Guess I should have asked my electrical engineer brother who spent 8 years underwater as an electrician on a nuclear submarine! He knows a thing or two about corrosion control, and probably would have told me about this ACF 50.

Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.com/Corrosion-X-Anti-Corrosion-Aerosol-Lubricant-16-Ounce/dp/B003HFTI0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425138153&sr=8-1&keywords=corrosion+x

https://www.amazon.com/Lear-Chemical-ACF50-Anti-Corrosion-Lubricant/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425138210&sr=8-1&keywords=acf-50+anti-corrosion



Neet stuff ... Been using it for years ...

Salish1300 said:

Yes, thanks, wow. Can't believe I've been buying and using every manner of grease and oil on boats, cars, bikes and such and had not yet heard of this stuff. Sounds great. I'll be getting some. Guess I should have asked my electrical engineer brother who spent 8 years underwater as an electrician on a nuclear submarine! He knows a thing or two about corrosion control, and probably would have told me about this ACF 50.

Click to expand...

Those electricians normally only work inside the sub. Since they did away with diesel-electric boats the atmosphere inside a sub is not particularly corrosive. Radioactive maybe.

When you get old enough to lose your high frequency hearing those squeaks won't bother you anymore.

Ear plugs FTW!

Here ya go.

Why not dielectric grease?