Hydraulic clutch fluid

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mhodge
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 6:41 pm
My Bike: 2000 Suzuki Intruder VS1400

Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by mhodge »

Hey, I bought my first bike, a 2000 VS1400 a few days ago! I'm super excited. However, I'm trying to do all fluid changes and general maintenence before I ride it too much.
I do have a Clymer service manual for it, which has helped me a ton so far. I've already flushed and bled the front brake fluid, and it's working better already! However, I want to do the clutch fluid next, it's looking pretty brown. On the reservoir cover it says "Use DOT4 Brake Fluid Only", but in the book it says to use DOT4 Hydraulic Clutch Fluid... Are they interchangeable? I think maybe the reservoir cover got replaced at some point?

Appreciate any help I can get!
Also, anything else that I should look for while I'm doing general maintenance before I start riding it? It's only got 9200 miles on it, so I figure I can wait a little while before I put new clutch springs on it or start doing any crazy modifications. Just want to make sure nothing's going to break down when I start riding it pretty heavy.

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Blaine
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Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by Blaine »

One & the same...Use Dot 4 brake fluid.
If at first you succeed,don't be surprised.

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navigator
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Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by navigator »

And replace your rear gear oil (differential), about 8 ounces of 80w90 hypoid gear oil.
And check/replace your air filters, they are foam and when they decompose they will plug up your carbs.

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WintrSol
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Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by WintrSol »

mhodge wrote: I do have a Clymer service manual for it, which has helped me a ton so far. I've already flushed and bled the front brake fluid, and it's working better already! However, I want to do the clutch fluid next, it's looking pretty brown. On the reservoir cover it says "Use DOT4 Brake Fluid Only", but in the book it says to use DOT4 Hydraulic Clutch Fluid... Are they interchangeable? I think maybe the reservoir cover got replaced at some point?
That's typical for the Clymer's manuals - just a little off in places. Search around, and you should find a copy of the Suzuki manual.
Appreciate any help I can get!
Also, anything else that I should look for while I'm doing general maintenance before I start riding it? It's only got 9200 miles on it, so I figure I can wait a little while before I put new clutch springs on it or start doing any crazy modifications. Just want to make sure nothing's going to break down when I start riding it pretty heavy.
Check the date code on the tires, too; you don't want to depend on tires that are getting hard from age, and the typical limit is 6 years.

You may also want to check the water levels in the battery, assuming it still has the OEM flooded type. That bike depends on a strong battery, and low water levels will take that away. While you have it out, have it tested at a battery/auto parts store. If it, too, is aging, I recommend a good AGM type, like the Gbatt or MotoBatt.
Florissant, MO
CB450K3, GL1500CTValkyrie

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mhodge
Tricycles are Cool
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 6:41 pm
My Bike: 2000 Suzuki Intruder VS1400

Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by mhodge »

Alright! Will do. I'll have to go find some new filters and gear oil tomorrow, but at least my clutch and brakes will be buttery smooth!

Spacecoast
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My Bike: Yamaha FZ-09 Suzuki S83

Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by Spacecoast »

I had the same situation with a 2005 that I picked up...very dirty clutch fluid. Once I cleaned the reservoir and bled the system the slave cylinder started leaking. When I pulled that off and apart it was still quite dirty inside. You might be wise to simply order part #36 (cup) which is the piston rubber seal inside the slave cylinder, and perhaps item #33 (oil seal) which is the oil seal for the clutch input shaft, and replace those parts now. Here is a link for parts and part numbers:
http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts ... 33a/clutch

I had no issue in bleeding out the system except for allowing the master cylinder reservoir to run dry...make sure the reservoir is level as much as possible.

I would also check that the gas tank is clean inside by removing the tank and draining out the prior gas...making sure that you get good fuel flow from both main and reserve outputs. There is a valve that has to turn 90 degrees to shut the tank gas flow off prior to removal. Check conditions of the fuel hoses. You might also want to know if the fuel pump is OEM or aftermarket. The OEM pump has curved fuel inlet/outlet tubes. If its an aftermarket, then just be aware of that...my aftermarket pump failed and I wasn't satisfied with the noise that a new aftermarket pump made, so I purchased an OEM pump that works well and quietly.

As I went over my bike, I found several missing fasteners, such as a missing bolt for the starter solenoid, side covers, rear seat attachment point, fuel pump clamp, etc.

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mhodge
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 6:41 pm
My Bike: 2000 Suzuki Intruder VS1400

Re: Hydraulic clutch fluid

Post by mhodge »

Alright. I've now flushed every fluid in the bike, front and rear brakes, clutch, engine oil, and drive oil. Took it out for 5 minutes after I got it all done, and didn't have any leaking and everything seems smooth!
Looks like no one ever did the maintenance on this bike... Brake fluid was all dark tea colored, clutch fluid was full of sediment, oil was completely black, and the gear oil was pitch black and metallic. I switched out the oil filter and also cleaned up the differential drain bolt had metal shavings in it, cleaned that all up.
After driving it a bit more, I think I'm going to flush everything but the engine oil again and look into any gaskets I can replace... Hopefully I can get all that caked residue out that way.
I pulled out the air filters... The rear filter was bone dry and beginning to decompose, the front filter was COMPLETELY GONE, only a few sprinkles of black foam remaining... Wonderful. That might explain why the front exhaust header is completely discolored for about a foot.

Thanks for your advice guys! Looks like I've got a few things to order, and I should be able to finish up this maintenance after I get back from work next week. Can't wait to be able to take it out for longer rides.

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