Author Topic: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck  (Read 15571 times)

Offline TimTyler

  • Adrninistrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1884
My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« on: April 28, 2014, 06:54:06 PM »
Grrrr. Always used Mobil 1... until last month I tried Valvoline 20w50. Grrrr.

Just poured in some Rislone concentrate. Waiting for eldest son to come home for a push start.

Mobil 1 is on the bench waiting for me to run this Rislone for a few hundred miles. Grrrr.


Offline TX brick

  • ^ Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 102
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2014, 07:47:35 PM »
A guy on another forum is trying Rislone with no success. A well known, published Guru told him that Rislone is not strong enough, and to use VALVE MEDIC(yellow bottle) or CD2 oil detergent. I have heard good things about CD2 in the past.
Ron

91 K75RT

Belton Tx

Offline TimTyler

  • Adrninistrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1884
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2014, 08:20:42 PM »
That would be Paul Glaves. As if he knows anything about K75's.  :hehehe

Yeah - I'll get some of that now.

BTW - The bump start down a little hill worked on the first try. 20 Miles was enough to free the sprag clutch, but I can tell it's still sticky.

Offline TX brick

  • ^ Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 102
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2014, 10:26:20 PM »
Yep, that's him. I wasn't sure if it was OK to name names.
Ron

91 K75RT

Belton Tx

Offline TimTyler

  • Adrninistrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1884
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2014, 11:33:58 PM »
I added the yellow CD2 to the oil at the top of a big hill in case I should need to bump-start again.

Rode 50 miles to Aberdeen, WA in 4th gear, about 6000rpm, and then 50 miles back to Oly in 5th. Drained the oil and filter as soon as I got home. Filled her up with the Mobil-1 and the sprag clutch operates as it should. For now anyway.

Offline johnny

  • TrailBrakingThrottleWhacker
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 7652
  • Whacking...n...Chopping Sliding...n...High Siding
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2014, 07:58:11 AM »
me thinks that every couple years or so motobrickers of earth oughtta run some of that stuff the last 2 or 3 hundert miles before an oil change... know what i mean...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline koapono

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 276
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2014, 08:19:00 AM »
new to this site and this is my first post:
i have to ask: how does an engine oil change affect the starter sprag clutch operation?
  • prince george, VA (25 miles south of richmond)
  • 1994 K1100LT

Offline tg4360

  • ^ Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 76
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2014, 09:05:03 AM »
The rollers in the clutch get crapped up and sticky.   A good detergent/synthetic cleans and prevents the problem it seems.
Tony G

'87 K100GS (Mutated from a K100LT)
'79 XS750 "The Triple"
'72 A65T "The T-Bolt"
'68 B25 "The Blue Bike"

Offline Scott_

  • Administrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 2242
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2014, 09:09:51 AM »
new to this site and this is my first post:
i have to ask: how does an engine oil change affect the starter sprag clutch operation?
The sprag is lubricated with the engine oil in the intermediate housing.
The cleaner you can keep the insides the less likely the sprags will get sticky and hang/drag
  • My Garage
1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
1997 K1100LT 0302488 (R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb

Offline K75RT Keith

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 447
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2014, 09:48:05 AM »
Other stuff that woks well is Seafoam.

The problem with the sprag wasn't caused by just one change with Valvoline.  The gunk builds up over time and the high detergent oils or additives removes enough/most of it so it functions normally.

The real problem is; that these bikes are all 25+ years old and unless you're the original owner, you have no real idea of how well or poorly they have been maintained. 
You can't help someone who doesn't want to hear the answer.

1990 K75RT

Offline TimTyler

  • Adrninistrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1884
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2014, 10:53:51 AM »
You're right, Keith. I will continue to blame it on the oil though :)

Surprisingly I actually have a fairly complete maintenance history of my bike going back to the original owner. I am owner #4. I tracked down owner #1 from his name in the owner's manual I received with the bike which has a recorded service history for the first decade. I sent him some pics when I bought it and he was pretty excited to see it still on the road. Owner #2 is a mystery but I know he was older and owned another K75, and mine was for his wife. Owner #3 gave me a book full of dealer maintenance receipts and I could tell he was a conservative rider.

I'll take JO's advice and run some detergent through the engine for a few hundred miles before oil changes.

Offline johnny

  • TrailBrakingThrottleWhacker
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 7652
  • Whacking...n...Chopping Sliding...n...High Siding
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2014, 04:51:43 PM »
its been said by bmw master technicians that its not unusual for a bmw dealer to charge service customers for items on the work order and invoice that was not done...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline Scott_

  • Administrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 2242
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2014, 08:16:50 AM »
its been said by bmw master technicians that its not unusual for a bmw dealer to charge service customers for items on the work order and invoice that was not done...

j o

+1 there. Personally experienced that with a dealer I no longer visit.  :nono
  • My Garage
1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
1997 K1100LT 0302488 (R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb

Offline Motorhobo

  • +25 years of K75
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1530
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2014, 09:52:15 AM »
Another reason to reconsider visits to the dealer for service -- this is Chris Harris' WTF clutch spline video in case you haven't seen it. The good part starts around 2:00...



I got some CD2. Here's my issue for today --

I drained the almost -fresh Mobil 1 and left it in the drain pan while it was too cold to work on the bike...probably a couple weeks -- not sure how long. Not sure what kind of stinkbugs, critters or other airborne crud might have crawled into the pan while it was sitting. I want to add some CD2 and run it for a few hundred miles before next oil change. Was thinking of running it through a screen strainer...has anyone filtered oil for any reason and what did you use?
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 198k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 82,000 mi (19k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B' - RIP

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline johnny

  • TrailBrakingThrottleWhacker
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 7652
  • Whacking...n...Chopping Sliding...n...High Siding
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2014, 08:50:17 PM »
i drain my fluids through the cuisinart gtf4...

fork oil... engine oil... gear box oil... swing arm oil... final drive oil... coolant... brake fluid... cannaboil...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Offline Motorhobo

  • +25 years of K75
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 1530
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #15 on: May 05, 2014, 09:11:31 PM »
That's a potent cup-o-joe. Sticks to the roof of your mouth.

You ch1tten me there Johnny? I have one of those and I will use it for that since it doesn't t get used for anything else. Never will again either.
1994/1995 K75 ABS Frankenbike: original engine 136k miles, frame from Gary Weaver (RIP), 173k miles -- Current Odometer: 198k miles
1994 K75 since 2013, 82,000 mi (19k mine) w/California Sidecar Friendship II Sidecar & Black Lab 'Miss B' - RIP

Past: 1974 Honda 550/4 (first bike), 1994 K75 (sold), 1995 K75 ABS (parts bike), Sidecar Dog & Best Bud 'Bo' - RIP

Offline johnny

  • TrailBrakingThrottleWhacker
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 7652
  • Whacking...n...Chopping Sliding...n...High Siding
Re: My Sprag Clutch is Stuck
« Reply #16 on: May 05, 2014, 09:13:35 PM »
ch1tten you...

look... i even drain my poo through there looking for nuts and corn and blueberries to recycle...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

Tags: