[toy_collector]

Had to drain a little fluid out of the clutch master cylinder today and noticed my fluid was shimmering in the sunliight like very fine metal flake. Almost looked like silver metalic paint. Is this normal or do I have a big problem? BTW, kid's medicine droppers work very well to suck a little fluid out when the master cylinder starts to leak. (Just don't give them back to the kids when you are done)

 

[ElrodontheV-Rod]

The assembly lube will make the fluid sparkle in the sunlight.I aint sayin this is the sparkly you are seeing,but it does sparkle from the lube.

You could disassemble the slave and make sure the piston isn't scraping the bore a little.I think if the master cylinder piston was scraping the cup seal would be ruined.

 

[VanislVrod]

I realize this is an old post but i just bled my bikes brakes and went to inspect the clutch fluid. When I opened the master res the fluid was blackish and had shining filing looking debris in it. Now I have no issues shifting it shifts like its an automatic but I am worried about the debris and color of the fluid. Now is this fluid also DOT5? as it states on the cap? and what is the process to flush the system without a vac pump setup? do you pump the clutch as you do the brake? or let gravity do its thing? again thanks and sorry for highjacking this thread.

 

[bproulxvrod]

That color is the norm for the DOT 5. I flush mine every spring. I have one of the pressure bleeders that used to be for sale on the forum :notworth: but you can do it just like the brake by having someone pump and hold the lever while you open and close the bleeder screw. What year is your bike? '02-'03 and early '04's have a screw that you have to loosen quite a bit where as the late model year '04's and up have a traditional bleeder screw which only requires you to crack it open.

 

[VanislVrod]

Its an 03, the color of my brake fluid was a light brown this is dark almost black with filings in it, thought it was nasty looking! Ill try to bleed it tommorow. I could not figure out for the life of me what fluid i ACTUALLY had in my brakes until I tried the water seperation test its purple (dot5) from the bottle but I guess it discolors with usage :S

 

[bproulxvrod]

Yes it is DOT 5. I find the clutch fluid in my '02 and '03 is always darker than the brake fluid. I think it is caused by the engine/clutch heat being transfered to it (and even the exhaust heat if you look at how the line runs from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder)but I could be totally wrong.

 

[skinner]

I have this same problem with my 09 dx I fluxhed it put new fluid in a day later it was gray again wonder if it could be some type of over spray from the factory I dunno

 

[AOW]

I have this same problem with my 09 dx I fluxhed it put new fluid in a day later it was gray again wonder if it could be some type of over spray from the factory I dunno

not sure where exactly "ptown" is, but your bike is running DOT4 which is infamous for "wicking" moisture from the air and has been known to cause your brakes to lock up unexpectedly. (ask me how I know)
The next time to you drain & flush your system, remove the black gasket from the top of the MC cap. You will notice a load of white/gray crap between the gasket and cap, which is from moisture. Clean both the cap and the gasket before reinstalling & your fluid will stay purdy for quite a bit longer:thumb:

 

[AZEagle]

not sure where exactly "ptown" is, but your bike is running DOT4 which is infamous for "wicking" moisture from the air and has been known to cause your brakes to lock up unexpectedly. (ask me how I know)
The next time to you drain & flush your system, remove the black gasket from the top of the MC cap. You will notice a load of white/gray crap between the gasket and cap, which is from moisture. Clean both the cap and the gasket before reinstalling & your fluid will stay purdy for quite a bit longer:thumb:

What is this "moisture in the air" you speak of? :stooge:

 

[VanislVrod]

well im not sure how great of a job i did bleeding the clutch with that snazzy screw port ( the genius who thought that would be a good bleed port should be shot) but i removed all the nasty colored fluid and filled it with the new purple shit. It built pressure after i sealed the master cylinder and seems to shift ok but at the END of the levers play which im not sure if it was like that before or not?. I hope its all good seems like the clutch engaging at the end maybe is it because there is still air in the system?

 

[RustyG]

well im not sure how great of a job i did bleeding the clutch with that snazzy screw port ( the genius who thought that would be a good bleed port should be shot) but i removed all the nasty colored fluid and filled it with the new purple shit. It built pressure after i sealed the master cylinder and seems to shift ok but at the END of the levers play which im not sure if it was like that before or not?. I hope its all good seems like the clutch engaging at the end maybe is it because there is still air in the system?

The clutch normally does not engage until the lever is almost fully extended. Sounds like you were successful.

 

[70roadrunner]

well im not sure how great of a job i did bleeding the clutch with that snazzy screw port ( the genius who thought that would be a good bleed port should be shot) but i removed all the nasty colored fluid and filled it with the new purple shit. It built pressure after i sealed the master cylinder and seems to shift ok but at the END of the levers play which im not sure if it was like that before or not?. I hope its all good seems like the clutch engaging at the end maybe is it because there is still air in the system?

like mentioned usually clutch grabs right near the end....and if you still have air you will know after everything gets warmed up.....once hot do about 60mph in 4th and giver balls out....if the clutch slips then you have air in the slave......sometimes it's a bit tricky to get every last bit out but like I said you will know once she's warm....... and as far as the silver specks in the fluid mine had the same shiit.....seems like the dot 5 on the clutch side does this,, yet the front brake side nothing...I dunno why???,, btw I need to shoot you a pm later and beg for a favor......haha

 

[Hal64hd]

The Clutch and Brake Master Cylinders are assembled with what looks like a graphite type Assembly lube. The last rebuild kit I got from Harley had a pack of the "Assembly Lube" in the kit and it was a gray metallic type of lube.