Clutch noise?

You missed part of it:

I've often used a long socket extension.

 

Oil has < 1k miles of use.

For maybe $10 I could replace the filter, dissect the old.
Perhaps I'd better do that.

Thanks,
Willie

 

OK, so you're familiar with the concept. Listen to the sounds coming
from
the clutch cover, the cam cover and the left hand side of the engine
where the starter clutch is located.

Wherever the noise seems to be coming from, pull that cover off and
inspect the mechanisms inside.

The only thing you cannot easily get to is the transmission.

 

Do it only if it makes you fell better. Otherwise, just
listen until it's ready for an oil change or something
changes. When you do change the oil, definitely
see what you can capture with a good magnet.

I do disect oil filters, but figure I'm probably a little
obsessive that way. Haven't found anything interesting
in a long time.

 

But you get some peace of mind, having eliminated a multitude
of potential problems.

Thanks,
Willie

 

Working solo (only), I can get to anything on the left side while
holding clutch lever in. Worth investigating.

Thanks,
Willie

 

There is nothing wrong with your clutch. Said it when you first started
bleating; saying it again now.

 

You can always wrap a bungee cord around the clutch lever after you
pull it in, yannow...

Then you will be free to move around the bike. It won't hurt anything
to bungee the lever for a minute or so.

If a seriously loud rattling noise goes away when you pull the clutch
level in, the ball bearing bearing (or bushing) inside the clutch
basket is worn out or the big nut holding the clutch center hub to the
transmission shaft is loose.

However, a certain amount of noise is normal in this design.

Air-cooled clutches are really noisy. If you ever heard a Ducati
clutch rattling, you'd
wonder how the rider could stand all that noise.

 

I'm actually inclined to agree with you.

But I'm damned if I have a clue why folks here are failing to suggest
plausible explanations for the conditions I've described.

And there's been some confusion about the precise conditions, so I
here repeat both for clarity:

1.):
Engine warm, accelerate up hill, maybe 35 mph, in 3rd gear. Reach
top, dis-engage clutch, coast down hill in 3rd. with clutch lever
actuated. When I hunker down, I can hear a sort-of growling/grinding
noise.

This is "normal operating noise" for a bike with a wet clutch?

2.):
A 2nd scenario. I go out the garage, start the bike cold, hold the
clutch lever in whilst in neutral gear, hear a very similar sort-of
growling/grinding noise. By the time I roll the bike out the garage
(maybe 15 seconds), the noise stops. I always try to wait for this
before shifting to 1st gear (less clunk).

Normal clutch noise?

In each case, I'm hearing the noise with the clutch lever fully held
in (clutch disengaged). The other day, when I replicated 2.), it
took only about 5 seconds before the noise ceased. If I wait another
maybe 10 seconds, it won't clunk shifting into 1st.


Willie

 

<snip>

Without hearing the damn bike for ourselves, there's no sure way of
knowing. But the former could be clutch rattle or just chain noise and
the latter just clutch rattle.

No worries. It's not a buggered camchain, or a knackered starter motor,
and your transmission isn't about to blow up. Just ride the damn thing.

And when/if it breaks, fix it. In the meantime, stop worrying.

 

It isn't unusual to get noises like that. Try snicking neutral. Is the noise
the same?. If so, its final drive. Try 4th. Different noise?.

It may be as simple as the chain/sprockets alignment or tension.

Yeah, my Bandit does similar.

<fx:wavy lines of time>

Many many years ago, during a prolonged period of sub zero temperatures, I
left my girlfriends and started my bike up with it on its centrestand
whilst I had a cigarrete. The rear wheel was merrily rotating away when an
elderly gentleman sidled up. 'Oh shit, here goes another 'when I were a
lad' type monologue. 'Nice to see you take the time to warm the oil up.
When the back wheel stops turning, your oil is warm enough for you to
ride.'
Cold oil causes a lot of drag. Cold clutch plates stick to the metal plates,
effectively only giving partial disengagement, hence the clunk. Let
everything warm up a bit before setting off.

The clutch is riding on its release bearing. Some of these are a bit noisy.

Someone up there said about magnetic sump plugs and cutting the filter.
Can't argue with that. You will get some very fine metal particles adhering
to the magnet. Almost a powder. Nowt to worry about. In your oil filter,
you may find some clutch material. Again, nowt to worry about.

Bronze coloured metal not good. Shavings not good. If it really bothers you,
get someone else to ride it whose opinion you hold in high regard. If the
clutch disengages OK, rides in its friction zone OK and doesn't slip with
the lever all the way out and all the gears engage smoothly when the engine
is warm and the oil fresh, just wear earplugs.