[rynyoung]

All,

I have a 2007 VRSCAW with 10,000 miles on it. As I was doing my 10,000 mile maintenance, I noticed the clutch fluid was sort of a silver / grey / metallic color. The clutch seems to work and feel perfect. The only out of the ordinary thing I've notices is a slight / muffled rattling noise when I first start up the bike and pull the clutch. The noise goes away as soon as I put it in gear (even when the clutch is still pulled) and I never hear it again until the next time I start the bike cold.

I used a vacuum pump attached to the slave to drain all the fluid out of the clutch system (from the MC down) and then refilled it. I didn't really "flush" it out, just drained and refilled the system. After a short ride and several clutch pumps the fluid is back to its pre-change color, maybe a little lighter.

I read a side note in another thread where a member noted his fluid had a similar coloring to it and another member mentioned that it was nothing to worry about because it was just factory assembly lube residue mixing with the fluid. This comment was a tangent in the thread with no real discussion which is why I'm posing this inquiry.

Can anybody provide additional insight on this issue? Is this as benign as factory assembly lube used to assemble the clutch or is it actually a sign of a deeper problem?

Ryan

 

[El-Bobbo-Cheapo]

:vrodforu: Nothing to worry about, ryn, fluid changing colors is from the decomposition of the components inside, usually turns black from the rubber breaking down. It's normal. Nothing to worry about.

 

[DUTCHROD]

The older dot 5 changes from purple to lightbraun ..

after doing research dot5 needs no change while dot3/4/5.1 every two years. This type of oil pickes up water/moist from the air (hygroscopic) so it gets contaminated. This water can damage parts inside and it can form steam inside the calipers what will result in loss of pressure/fading of the brakes or clutch. over time the rustprohibiters in the oil will get weaker too. new oil is clear of color while used turns yellow ...brouwn needs replacement (this is all internet wisdom!!!)

recently i changed the resevoirs to chromed ones. my 5 year old front brake fluid was clearhuney while the clutch looked like mud when i pumped it ones slowly... Stealer wase too far away so i got brakefluid at the local carpartsstore ...BUT stupid ass me refilled/flushed with dot5.1... so now i got to flush and clean the whole system with brakecleaner (take the whole thing apart) i hate fixing things from stupid misstakes who worked proper before.

Maybe you can have the old fluid measured for the ammount of water it contains...

 

[VrodG]

I change the clutch and brake fluids a couple times a years. I use a lint free cloth to clean out the master cylinders and refill with fresh fluid then bleed all the systems till I have clean or purple fluid coming out the bleeders. The clutch system seems to get a lot crappier than the brakes.

 

[ElrodontheV-Rod]

The silver gray color is from the assembly lube that is used in the masters.

 

[DUTCHROD]

Here's the result after flushing the system....
right-dot5 bottom 5.1on top
mid-dot5.1 taken from resevoirs
left-dot5.1 bottom, brakecleaner on top...

 

[nic_a_bod]

I change the clutch and brake fluids a couple times a years. I use a lint free cloth to clean out the master cylinders and refill with fresh fluid then bleed all the systems till I have clean or purple fluid coming out the bleeders. The clutch system seems to get a lot crappier than the brakes.

I think Max did it once a year if I remember correctly from his how to video for the pressure bleeder. When it changes to that brown color it's a good time to change it in my opinion. Didn't max change the fluid a few months before and it was still purplish color yet in the video and he commented about that? For sure don't go by the comment "it needs no changing"

 

[rynyoung]

Thanks all for the replies. Several different insights to the cause, but sounds like the moral of the story is there's not a problem until there's a problem and to change the fluids at least every couple of years or when the fluid starts turning color (whichever comes sooner).

BTW, my bike uses the Dot4.

Unfortunately, I can't tell when the Clutch fluid changes color b/c its so dark (whatever the reason) but I can go by the Brake fluid color and assume the clutch needs to be changed out whenever it begins to turn.

Here's what I noted when checking the fluid:

New fluid: almost totally clear (slight amber color)

Front Brake Fluid: slightly darker than new
Rear Brake Fluid: about the color of honey (light brown)
Clutch Fluid: silver / grey metallic color (looked like it had high heat silver based lube mixed in it)

If any new information I gave changes any opinions, please let me know. If not, thanks again for all the replies!

Ryan

 

[wewarn]

My opinion is the dark/black color comes from the aluminum housing of the m/cyl. The high speed oscillations of the clutch as it is disengaged causes the fluid to reverberate in the line and scuffs some of the aluminum off of the inside of the housing when the internals rattle back and forth. however small these particles are they still appear as dark contaminates in the clutch fluid. I change my clutch fluid about twice a year as some others do and keep a close watch on the performance of the unit. Aluminum housings in auto p/s systems do basically the same thing when they begin to wear, they turn dark then black from the aluminum in the fluid. Preventative maintenance flushes out this contamination and prevents the mud from collecting and causing other problems.

 

[AOW]

When your DOT 4 changes to a brown color, change it sooner rather than later. That lesson nearly caused me to rider over a buddy of mine. I have an '07AW and hadn't checked the fluid in about 5k miles.
Most of the miles on my bike are from the Northeast/Midwest, so lots of humidity and wet weather riding. DOT4 being hydroscopic does indeed attract moisture and should be changed every year if you live in a humid/wet environment. The accumulated moisture in my rear brake system caused my rear wheel to lock up when I tapped the rear brake. NOT fun.

 

[AOW]

Flushed and changed my clutch fluid today so I figured I would bump this thread to remind others to check theirs. If your DOT4 fluid looks like soy sauce you should probably drain, flush, and refill.

 

[RustyG]

So what does one "flush" the system with?

I have seen threads where guys have had trouble getting the clutch to work because of the difficulty in getting the air pockets out of the clutch lines.

Is this a forum myth or reality? and if it's reality what does one do about it?

 

[Yarvis]

So what does one "flush" the system with?

I have seen threads where guys have had trouble getting the clutch to work because of the difficulty in getting the air pockets out of the clutch lines.

Is this a forum myth or reality? and if it's reality what does one do about it?

This wasn't a myth in my case. VRod-Mike did my clutch fluid change a few weeks ago and for some reason air got into the system in the clutch line. It took quite some time for the air to be expelled. Mike had to bleed from the banjo bolt up top near the reservoir. Mike also commented how nasty and full of gunk my res. was. We refilled with Spectro Golden Supreme Dot 4 synthetic fluid.

 

[nic_a_bod]

So what does one "flush" the system with?

I have seen threads where guys have had trouble getting the clutch to work because of the difficulty in getting the air pockets out of the clutch lines.

Is this a forum myth or reality? and if it's reality what does one do about it?

Use a pressure bleeder to avoid issues - motive still makes the bleeder. Fittings is another thing - Max made the fittings before I think. I could send my end to Fitzgerald for making them up if he wanted to add that to his inventory.

 

[RustyG]

Use a pressure bleeder to avoid issues - motive still makes the bleeder. Fittings is another thing - Max made the fittings before I think. I could send my end to Fitzgerald for making them up if he wanted to add that to his inventory.

I have two of max's bleeder systems. One for DOT 5 and one for DOT 4. Thanks. That gives me a more warm fuzzy feeling. I am going to have to bleed mine real soon.

 

[ElrodontheV-Rod]

I don't use a pressure bleeder.
I open the bleeder on the caliper,or the slave and then pump the fluid as low as I can without air entering the system.I keep filling and pumping untill I see the blue run clean.I know the DOT4 is not blue,but you can get the idea for what I'm doing.
Then I do a couple of pump and holds to be sure no air entered and that's it.
I usually do this at least every 5000 mile oil change and service.Sometimes the rear brake and clutch needs it sooner on the 03.

 

[RustyG]

I don't use a pressure bleeder.
I open the bleeder on the caliper,or the slave and then pump the fluid as low as I can without air entering the system.I keep filling and pumping untill I see the blue run clean.I know the DOT4 is not blue,but you can get the idea for what I'm doing.
Then I do a couple of pump and holds to be sure no air entered and that's it.
I usually do this at least every 5000 mile oil change and service.Sometimes the rear brake and clutch needs it sooner on the 03.

Sounds like "Old School" to me.

 

[ElrodontheV-Rod]

It is.
When I used to do general auto repair,the shop had a pressure bleeder with adapters to fit every American made car at the time.Bleeding brakes back then was actually a pleasure.

Now on the new vehicles,the brakes can be bled with a scan tool using the abs pump to move the fluid.I wonder if this can be can done on the new bikes w abs using the Harley scanner?

 

[louballs]

This makes me think I should change my soon. 15k on the bike and i've never changed the clutch or brake fluid. Basically i have no idea how to...

On a side note, i saw a small bit of clutch fluid pooled up in one of the reservoir screw holes. Anyone know why this would happen???

 

[VrodPete]

This makes me think I should change my soon. 15k on the bike and i've never changed the clutch or brake fluid. Basically i have no idea how to...

On a side note, i saw a small bit of clutch fluid pooled up in one of the reservoir screw holes. Anyone know why this would happen???

I've seen that happen on bikes that do smokebomb burnouts up and down their street.