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Clutch Fluid Flush/Leak

7K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  cboahd 
#1 ·
Hi folks

You order up the parts thinking this will be a couple of minutes job and what do you find, one job leads to another.

Just took delivery of my HD chrome reservoir covers for my 2009 AW. Its only done 1000 miles but when I took the old cap off the clutch master cylinder it looks like water has got in as the fluid is all grey ? (reckon over enthusiastic use of pressure washer by the dealer ??)

Reckon I`m gonna have to flush this through with new fluid. Any tips on this. Being new to Harleys and coming from Ducati where bleeding and flushing the clutch was a black art involving removing the slave cylinder and part filling it etc and then back forcing the fluid I`m trying to discover the tricks before I start.

Hopefully gonna use my vacum bleeder as I notice that the slave cylinder has a normal bleed nipple.

I`ve fitted the caps pending the flush only to find the damn clutch side now leaks a little on the front side. Found a thread on here about gasket problems with these replacements so gonna investigate that.
 
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#2 ·
The gray or black is not water,it's assembly lube.Don't worry about it.
I've found with the DOT4,it's not necessary to flush any of the systems as frequent as systems with the DOT5,but that's up to you.
The 09 master lids seal much better than the previous design.Make sure you have the lid on square and evenly tighten the screws.Keep the height of fluid a scoatch lower than suggested and make sure to twist the bars to get the master as level as possible for checking the fluid height.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for that, nice to know, was a bit concerned as to how water could have got in. However, looked so easy with my vacum pump I flushed it anyway, This has got to be the easiest sytem to flush through, even the bleed nipple works correctly. I`ll keep an eye on the caps, made sure they were spotless around the seals and refitted.
 
#4 ·
Can ANYONE else add some "how to" advice here???? I have an 06 D with Brembos and I want to flush both the clutch fluid and the brake fluid. What can I buy to do this myself that will work and NOT break the bank now that Max quit making his bleeder system?
 
#5 ·
This is the bit of kit I use

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAKE-CALIPER...ment?hash=item3ca2299e77&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I know its ebay UK but I`m sure you can get it elsewhere. Just connected it to the bleed nipple and let it suck the fluid through from the reservoir. Kept topping up the reservoir and now and then stopped the process to pump the clutch. Eventually it sucks through the new fluid with no air in the system.

Not used it on the Harley brakes yet but have used it on all my other bikes and change the fluid every two years. No problems to date or the my Ducati clutch but thats laways a problem with whatever I use.

Am I right in believing the early models did not have a bleed nipple but a bleed screw, which of course would make it more difficult ?
 
#6 ·
sks109,

I just did my rear brakes (very easy) and soon to do my clutch flush/fill with a Mityvac (Model # 20930) about $60 from Sears but could of done it with a cheaper model. It has a bunch of attachments that hopefully will fit the bleeder screw? or maybe buy a nipple? Needed to mail-order it because Sears didn't stock them at our local store. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00920930000P?mv=rr#descriptionAnchor
 
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