AE Clutch Fluid Bleed...Help

[OldRider]

I have an 08 AE with 20K on the clock and I know the clutch fluid is at least 5-6 years old and has never been changed. I did do a search and only came up with one thread discussing this and it wasn't very detailed about the procedure. Do I have to pull the airbox and swingarm off like it says in the shop manual or has someone found an easier way to do this? Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me.

 

[Fred W]

Clicky

Consensus is to use a vacuum tool like a MityVac and you won't need to pull the swingarm off.

Whenever bleeding hydraulics with my MityVac, I usually pull off the bleed nipple first and wrap a few turns of teflon tape around it to get a better seal at the threads. Just be very careful to use narrow tape only put the tape over the threads, not the open end of the bleeder screw.

 

[jtnwevo]

I have bled my 07 AEs clutch several times and never removed the swing arm or followed the factory recommendation on doing so. Just get a Mityvac and suck the old fluid out the bleed screw. Keep the reservoir topped up to make sure no air gets in the line.

Same for the brakes.

 

[OldRider]

I will probably try it this way. It goes without saying, be careful and don't let the fluid in the reservoir get low and draw air into the system.

 

[yamafitter]

I have just completed bleeding the clutch on my AE and used the Mityvac method. Like the others have said just be sure to tape the threads of the bleeder screw and keep the reservoir topped up. You should be able to complete the job in about 15 minutes.

 

[RiderX]

Without a MityVac, I have bled with speedbleeder installed. Can shift between neutral and first on the center stand to push the old out.

 

[luvtoride]

Just did this with Violoine. Be sure to keep a very close eye on the reservoir as you suck the old fluid out. Those mityvac gadgets suck the fluid through pretty fast.

 

[mcatrophy]

Might be worth exercising the clutch during the bleed, this is where the manual says to remove the swing arm to do this manually. If you cycle the ignition on and off, the clutch mechanism is operated.

Found this out during my clutch soak on my '10.

I can probably post a video of the clutch moving with the clutch cover off if there's any interest.

 

[majicmaker]

Might be worth exercising the clutch during the bleed, this is where the manual says to remove the swing arm to do this manually. If you cycle the ignition on and off, the clutch mechanism is operated.Found this out during my clutch soak on my '10.

I can probably post a video of the clutch moving with the clutch cover off if there's any interest.

Interest! Interest!

 

[Auron]

WOW. A 15 minute job Yamaha that wants who-knows-how many hours to have the tech yank the swingarm.

 

[mcatrophy]

...

Might be worth exercising the clutch during the bleed, this is where the manual says to remove the swing arm to do this manually. If you cycle the ignition on and off, the clutch mechanism is operated.

Found this out during my clutch soak on my '10.

I can probably post a video of the clutch moving with the clutch cover off if there's any interest.

Interest! Interest!

See what happens if you click here (might be better here).

You can hear the ignition turned on and immediately see the clutch cycle, then hear the ignition turned off. This is repeated for a second time.

And you can see the clutch while the engine is run, click here (might be better here). Ignition already on when the video starts, so no clutch cycling, no sound of fuel pump. There is the sound of a 3-year-old "helper" audible in the background.

(edited to put in alternative links)

 

[OldRider]

I finally got around to bleeding the clutch and now I have a small problem. I hooked up the Mityvac, put some suction on the bleeder valve, cracked open the valve just enough to start drawing the fluid out. I was sure to keep a steady flow of new fluid going into the reservoir so as to not get any air in the system. I ran about 4-6 oz. of fluid through the system until all the old brown fluid was out and new clear fluid was being drawn out.

Now the clutch slips when changing gears. If I let off the throttle it is fine, but if I run it up to 5-6 K rpm and hit the shifter you can feel it slip. The rpm's will jump up a couple of thousand. It acts like the clutch activator is taking just a little to long to release the clutch.

Anyone else experience this? Thoughts?

 

[mcatrophy]

...

Now the clutch slips when changing gears. If I let off the throttle it is fine, but if I run it up to 5-6 K rpm and hit the shifter you can feel it slip. The rpm's will jump up a couple of thousand. It acts like the clutch activator is taking just a little to long to release the clutch.

Anyone else experience this? Thoughts?

Are you releasing the throttle a tad while you change up? If you keep the throttle on, the engine revs will rise (potentially up to the limiter), then the clutch engagement will be slow and the engine ignition will be retarded to reduce power until the clutch is fully engaged. Sounds a bit like your symptoms.

 

[OldRider]

...

Now the clutch slips when changing gears. If I let off the throttle it is fine, but if I run it up to 5-6 K rpm and hit the shifter you can feel it slip. The rpm's will jump up a couple of thousand. It acts like the clutch activator is taking just a little to long to release the clutch.

Anyone else experience this? Thoughts?

Are you releasing the throttle a tad while you change up? If you keep the throttle on, the engine revs will rise (potentially up to the limiter), then the clutch engagement will be slow and the engine ignition will be retarded to reduce power until the clutch is fully engaged. Sounds a bit like your symptoms.

It only slips when I don't release the throttle. Before the clutch fluid bleed I could go through the gears without letting off the throttle and it would change gears just like snapping your finger, no slipping at all. I usually let off the throttle just a little when changing gears, but I was able to "speed shift" before without any slippage. Something changed.

 

[mcatrophy]

...It only slips when I don't release the throttle. Before the clutch fluid bleed I could go through the gears without letting off the throttle and it would change gears just like snapping your finger, no slipping at all. I usually let off the throttle just a little when changing gears, but I was able to "speed shift" before without any slippage. Something changed.

What changed is that your clutch is now operating correctly and freeing completely during the change. No drag, engine speeds up. Best to always "let off the throttle just a little when changing gears".

 

[OldRider]

...It only slips when I don't release the throttle. Before the clutch fluid bleed I could go through the gears without letting off the throttle and it would change gears just like snapping your finger, no slipping at all. I usually let off the throttle just a little when changing gears, but I was able to "speed shift" before without any slippage. Something changed.

What changed is that your clutch is now operating correctly and freeing completely during the change. No drag, engine speeds up. Best to always "let off the throttle just a little when changing gears".

With a clear hose on the mightyvac I did see a couple of air bubbles come out with the old fluid. So are you saying that with a little air in the system the clutch wasn't fully disengaging before I bleed the air out? It did shift very smoothly without letting off the throttle and had done so since new. It is an 08 model, but I didn't buy it until the Spring of 2011. The fluid was 4 years old before it was ever put to use.

 

[mcatrophy]

...It only slips when I don't release the throttle. Before the clutch fluid bleed I could go through the gears without letting off the throttle and it would change gears just like snapping your finger, no slipping at all. I usually let off the throttle just a little when changing gears, but I was able to "speed shift" before without any slippage. Something changed.

What changed is that your clutch is now operating correctly and freeing completely during the change. No drag, engine speeds up. Best to always "let off the throttle just a little when changing gears".

With a clear hose on the mightyvac I did see a couple of air bubbles come out with the old fluid. So are you saying that with a little air in the system the clutch wasn't fully disengaging before I bleed the air out? It did shift very smoothly without letting off the throttle and had done so since new. It is an 08 model, but I didn't buy it until the Spring of 2011. The fluid was 4 years old before it was ever put to use.

With air in the fluid, the clutch plates won't be pushed apart quite as far as they should, so you'll get a bit of clutch drag.

 

[Harald]

With a clear hose on the mightyvac I did see a couple of air bubbles come out with the old fluid.

Air often leaks at the bleeder screw threads and this may very well be the cause of air bubbles in the Mityvac hose. You can eliminate this problem by smearing some wheel bearing grease around the bleeder threads or by removing the bleeder and carefully wrapping thread sealing tape around the threads (being very careful to not have any tape where it would block the bleeder hole).

As far as your AE clutch problem, I've never ridden one so can't help.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

My AE clutches would regularly slip a little if I got a little too aggressive. You do have to reduce the throttle just a touch while shifting to prevent slipping.