Clutch will not disengage-Working great now

[Magnaman]

I have a 99 Valkyrie tourer with 62k miles.  Over the last couple years, I have had to occasionally bleed the clutch to get it to where it would disengage.  A couple weeks ago I rode it about seven miles and all was working fine.  I got into town, pulled the clutch and it would not disengage.  I tried bleeding, but nothing helped.  I got the bike home and master cyclinder resevoir was empty.  I tried filling and bleeding and then I discovered fluid leaking from slave cylinder.  I decided to rebuild the slave cylinder and master cylinder since the fluid was really grimy and the rubber seals seemed a little hard. (I had replaced the fluid a couple years ago) I have all the new parts in and also installed a speed bleeder,  but I can't seem to get the system bled or something.  The clutch lever seems very light and still won't disengage the clutch. I don't know if I still have air in the system (I don't see any bubbles in the tubing connected to the speed bleeder) or if I have a bigger problem.  

[Ricky-D]

You do not need a "mighty vac" to bleed the system.

You also cannot bleed the system using the "speed bleeder".

Put the original bleeder back in the system and then bleed the system in the normal fashion.

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[Chrisj CMA]

You do not need a "mighty vac" to bleed the system.

You also cannot bleed the system using the "speed bleeder".

Put the original bleeder back in the system and then bleed the system in the normal fashion.

***

I guess Im not quite understanding why you would install speed bleeders, then when you need to bleed the line you must remove the speed bleeder and put the OE one back one.  If that was true wouldnt it be a lot simpler to just not do the upgrade.........I have the OE and I have no problem bleeding lines so I never got the speed ones........

[Thunderbolt]

I hve not had this problem, but I have read that others have put a ty-rap or strap of some sort holding the clutch lever in and that allows the air in the system to make it's way up and out the reservoir.  Try it overnight, couldn't hurt.

[Valker]

A speedbleeder will only work if the system is already mostly full. You can not use them ti fill an empty or almost empty system.

[Magnaman]

Thanks for the replies.  I'll try it with my stock bleeder.  I have never had any trouble bleeding systems with a normal bleed screw either.  I read about the speed bleeders and it seemed like a good product so I ordered some. I figured it would help me be more diligent about changing my fluid regularly.   I haven't installed them on the front or rear brakes yet. 

[Magnaman]

UPDATE  I put the stock bleed screw back in and still no luck.  I pumped quiet a bit of fluid through after the last air bubble.  I squeezed the clutch and tied it to the grip.  I'll leave it like that overnight and see if that does anything.  I'm at a loss. 

[wiggydotcom]

UPDATE  I put the stock bleed screw back in and still no luck.  I pumped quiet a bit of fluid through after the last air bubble.  I squeezed the clutch and tied it to the grip.  I'll leave it like that overnight and see if that does anything.  I'm at a loss. 

I just bled my clutch line. If the overnight thingy doesn't work, turn your handlebars to the right and see if your clutch resevoir is level. If not, loosen the clamp screws and move the resevoir on the handlebars until it's level. While the cover was off, if I slowly pumped my clutch lever, I was getting
bubbles out of the resevoir hole(the outlet hole in the bottom). Wait a couple seconds and try again. I had to keep doing it this way until my clutch lever got firmer from the air being all expelled. Of course, you need to keep the fluid level up.
Technically, you should be able to just do it at the bleeder...but just sayin.

[PhredValk]

I don't want to alarm anyone, but could this be the pressure plate rivet issue?
Fred.

[Chrisj CMA]

I don't want to alarm anyone, but could this be the pressure plate rivet issue?
Fred.

Anything is possible, however the symptoms reflect just what youd expect with loss of most of the fluid and a bad slave cylinder.....so I would think to have a bad dampner plate on top of that would be highly unlikely.  I think hes working the problem

[Magnaman]

UPDATE-  I went out this morning after leaving the clutch handle tied to the grip all night and pumped it slowly a couple times.  I saw a couple of large air bubbles come up in the resevoir and the next pump was firm.  I could tell it was disengaging the clutch.  I bled it again at the bleed screw and didn't get any air that I could see.  It is working great now!  Thanks for all the helpful information! 

[Bone]

The bike shop in my home town ties the clutch lever. The owner says it does get the rest of the air out of the system. Told him I use the MityVac 

[Patrick]

It doesn't take much air to screw things up, does it ??  I'm an old-schooler [ pull/push, hold, open , close, release, repeat] ,, I guess cuz I'm gittin old..

[quexpress]

It doesn't take much air to screw things up, does it ??  I'm an old-schooler [ pull/push, hold, open , close, release, repeat] ,, I guess cuz I'm gittin old..

I hear you LOL! 

[Thunderbolt]

Glad you are back on the road again. 

[Patrick]

Normand,, you're still here !!  Good..

[quexpress]

Normand,, you're still here !!  Good..

Not inputting often Patrick because by the time I read most of the threads, there are many good answers already given ... but I try to drop in on a regular basis.