CR125 Clutch Problem

weav6385

Member
Dec 19, 2009
42
0
I posted about this last week but had a very poor response so I'll try one more time. I have a 96 cr125 which has a clutch that seems to stick. If I pull in the clutch and then put it in gear with the bike running it wants to move forward. I have ordered a new cable hoping that will help. Also went from an 80 weight gear oil to a 30 weight synthetic motor oil with no change. I took the clutch apart and cleaned it and there were no groves in the basket either. Any ideas?
 

Patman

Pantless Wonder
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Dec 26, 1999
19,765
1
Did you check the clutch springs to verify they were in spec? It sounds most likely that the cable is the issue but checking all the details usually makes trouble shooting easier and the little things are usually what bite ya'.
 

weav6385

Member
Dec 19, 2009
42
0
Yah I know what you mean. I did not check the springs because the clutch does not have a slipping problem it only sticks. I pulled the clutch while the cove was off and I could see the pressure plate coming off the clutch pack about 1/2 an inch. I would think this should be plenty. I hope it is the cable but I have my doubts. I know this is very common and I read about it on other forums all the time and nobody can ever figure it out. It happens to all bikes too not just being Honda specific which makes it a little harder to resolve.
 

rmc_olderthandirt

~SPONSOR~
Apr 18, 2006
1,533
8
I seriously doubt that a new cable is going to help.

I suspect that what you are experiencing is commonly referred to as "clutch drag". This is usually caused by a certain amount of "fluid coupling".

The clutch is made up of a stack of plates. Have the plates are connected to the engine output shaft while the other half (every other plate) is coupled to the transmission. The pressure plate may move 1/2" off (mine doesn't move that far...) but that space has to be divided between all the plates, which doesn't leave much space between a plate that is spinning with the engine and the plates that are stationary with the transmission.

Now you pour some oil into this equation. The oil fills the gap between the two plates and couples them together. The thicker the oil is, the more the coupling.

There are other factors that can enter into the equation as well. If the clutch has ever been overheated (excessive slipping) then it is possible that the clutch plates warped. If one or more plates have warped then it is possible that you still have friction contact between the plates.

I would expect the problem to be worse when the engine is cold and the oil is thicker.

Gear oil is measured on a different scale than motor oil. An 80 wt gear oil is somewhere between 20wt and 30wt motor oil so it is possible that by switching to 30 wt you actually an even thicker oil, which would make your problem worse.

I run a 5wt synthetic oil in my bikes, which helps a lot. I recommend trying that first, and if that doesn't help then consider changing the clutch out.

Rod
 

weav6385

Member
Dec 19, 2009
42
0
I dont think the cable will help either but on other forums that is about the thing people kept saying is that the cable stretched. It is possible so we will see. I will take the suggestion of the lighter oil as well. I bought the bike with a blown top end so I dont know a whole lot about how the last guy rode it. There was one clutch plate that was not worn evenly for some reason. Only the inside of the friction plate was worn and kinda chewed up. I put that one in the middle of that pack. Now that you say about overheating the clutch I bet thats what it is. I can get a new clutch kit for about 50 bucks on ebay. Thanks for the replys everyone.
 
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