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Clutch not working

876 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  whitemtnelf 
#1 ·
Hi,
I'm a new member and just picked up cx500d that's been in storage since 2001. One of the many issues it has is that the clutch doesn't release when you squeeze the lever. I can that the cable is working. Any suggestions on next steps?
Thank you
 
#2 ·
Pull it apart and see whats happening . I suspect the plates have stick together from lack of use.

Or - if you are brave - point the bike in a safe direction , put it on the centre stand , sit on it , run the motor in say second gear so the rear wheel is turning , then have a mate push you forward off the centre stand, whilst you hold the clutch lever in .. That might free it off , but make sure you have a safe run off area in case it doesnt free and you are now driving a clutchless machine ...
Report back ;-)
 
#3 ·
Do you feel resistance when you pull the lever? If so, it's probably stuck plates, as suggested.
You might try an oil change and running it in neutral up to operating temp. That might work work some fresh oil between the plates.
 
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#4 ·
It was left with gas in the tank so we need to clean the tank, rebuild c arbs, etc. There is some tension when squeezing the handle so we'll try the oil change and running it and hope that does it.
 
#5 ·
If you have that much to do before it'll run, go ahead and pull out the clutch assembly. You'll want to check those springs, anyway.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I wouldn't worry about it until you see how it is when the engine is warm. These engines have a tendency for the clutch to drag when cold that goes away when the engine is warmed up.
I know about this because it is standard practice to park a sidecar outfit in gear so it doesn't roll away and it is normal on most to leave it in gear and disengage the clutch if you need to push it a short distance. This works fine with a CX when it is warm but when it is cold you usually need to kick it into neutral before you can push it.

BTW: Welcome to the forum. Please add your location to your profile and your bike's model and model year to your signature so that you don't have to remember to tell us every time and we don't have to keep asking when you forget (see Forum Settings link in my signature).

And welcome to the world of antique vehicle ownership (they own us, not the other way around). Your bike is about 4 decades old and aside from the obvious 19 years of neglect, the Previous Owners may or may not have done the maintenance necessary to keep it safe & reliable so it is highly recommended to download the Factory Shop Manual for your model (available through the CX Wiki - link in my signature) and go through all of the service procedures, regardless of whether your bike has reached the specified mileage.
I also recommend looking on all rubber parts with suspicion because rubber does not age gracefully. Check the date codes on your tires and replace them if they are over 5 years old no matter how good they look & feel because old rubber simply cannot flow around the irregularities in the asphalt well enough to grip, especially if it is cool or wet. If your bike still has the original rubber brake line(s) (should be replaced every 2 or 3 fluid changes = 5 or 6 years) I recommend shopping for modern stainless braided ones (they last practically forever and double the life of the fluid).
 
#8 ·
I wouldn't worry about it until you see how it is when the engine is warm. These engines have a tendency for the clutch to drag when cold that goes away when the engine is warmed up.
I know about this because it is standard practice to park a sidecar outfit in gear so it doesn't roll away and it is normal on most to leave it in gear and disengage the clutch if you need to push it a short distance. This works fine with a CX when it is warm but when it is cold you usually need to kick it into neutral before you can push it.

BTW: Welcome to the forum. Please add your location to your profile and your bike's model and model year to your signature so that you don't have to remember to tell us every time and we don't have to keep asking when you forget (see Forum Settings link in my signature).

And welcome to the world of antique vehicle ownership (they own us, not the other way around). Your bike is about 4 decades old and aside from the obvious 19 years of neglect, the Previous Owners may or may not have done the maintenance necessary to keep it safe & reliable so it is highly recommended to download the Factory Shop Manual for your model (available through the CX Wiki - link in my signature) and go through all of the service procedures, regardless of whether your bike has reached the specified mileage.
I also recommend looking on all rubber parts with suspicion because rubber does not age gracefully. Check the date codes on your tires and replace them if they are over 5 years old no matter how good they look & feel because old rubber simply cannot flow around the irregularities in the asphalt well enough to grip, especially if it is cool or wet. If your bike still has the original rubber brake line(s) (should be replaced every 2 or 3 fluid changes = 5 or 6 years) I recommend shopping for modern stainless braided ones (they last practically forever and double the life of the fluid).
Thanks for the advice, profile updated. It's going to be a lot of work to bring the bike back to life, but looking forward to it. I just finished getting a 2003 Road Star back on the road that had been sitting for 5 years with untreated gas. We'll see how much worse 20yrs of neglect can be...
 
#7 ·
When you pull the clutch lever you cause a force against the four springs down in the clutch. This should release the pressure on the clutch disk packet so they lose grip. To check first: does lever movement has effect on the clutch "arm" on the right side of the clutch ? Does the arm raise ? Have you changed oil recently ? I know a few CX bikers who had similar problems with synthetic oil, they changed to mineral oil afterwards and seemed to be happy. But first check the mechanical issues.
 
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