I need clutch help

I have a 1976 KZ 900. While riding last summer the clutch began to slip. Now it does not engage in first gear. After I get it out of first gear it shifts fine. I am fairly mechanical, but have never changed a clutch or even removed one. I have included pictures as to how far I have it torn down. I can not remove the plate. Should it come off, am I just not using enough force? Any help would be great. My plans are to remove everything I can, clean it, (depending on what it looks like) and replace everything. If any one can tell me exactly how to do it I would appreciate it. Thanks.
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Your clutch is on the other side of the engine the clutch cable is on the left but the clutch itself is on the right as you sit on the bike. Once you get to the clutch take out the bolts and measure the free length of the springs and make sure they are in spec. You also will want to inspect the discs as you take them out. Look for any signs of burning on the friction discs and bluing on the steel plates. You will also need to check the steel plates for warping with a flat surface and feeler gauge or if you don't have that you can stack the steel plates together and hold them up to a light. If you see light through them they need to be replaced. Just make sure to put everything back together the way it came apart. Good luck

Please get a factory shop manual. It will save you the purchase price many times over.

OMG, I feel so stupid. It never dawned that it was on the other side. Like I said I have NEVER torn apart the clutch. Not on a motorcycle and never even on a car. I am definitly going to look for that shop manual. Thanks a bunch I will let you know how it goes.

Make sure not only the cable has free play but the push rod and worm gear have free play. You need a manual so you can follow these and other procedures.
If the above is ok you will need to pull the clutch cover and inspect the plates, buy NEW springs what ever you do.

BillsKZ wrote:

OMG, I feel so stupid. It never dawned that it was on the other side. Like I said I have NEVER torn apart the clutch. Not on a motorcycle and never even on a car. I am definitly going to look for that shop manual. Thanks a bunch I will let you know how it goes.

Don't be hard on yourself... we're here to help! (not make fun - at least, not till we get to know you!)

Engine oil : The commercial grade oils are clearly superior to the mass market oils. For the best protection in your bike or car, use Shell Rotella Synthetic, available at Wal-Mart in blue containers . For the best petroleum oil you can buy, get Shell Rotella T, Mobil Delvac 1300, or Chevron Delo 400, available at any auto parts store. On the back of most oil cans is a circular stamp with the certification. Avoid oils that say "energy conserving" in the bottom half of the donut. These oils contain friction modifier additives that could cause clutch slipping over time. All XXw-20 and XXw-30 oils are energy conserving, and should not be used in your motorcycle. Don't buy any oil additives like STP or Slick-50. Here's several pages All About Oil justifying these conclusions.

The Recommended Synthetic Oils
Shell Rotella Synthetic
5w-40 Delvac 1 Synthetic
5w-40 Mobil-1 SUV/Truck Synthetic
5w-40 AMSOil AMF Synthetic
10w-40 Golden Spectro Synthetic
10w-50 Motul 5100 Synthetic
10w-40 Mobil-1 Synthetic
15w-50 Mobil-1 MX4T Synthetic

The best synthetics are: (in no particular order)

Shell Rotella-T Synthetic 5w-40 (blue container, not white), gallon at Wal-Mart.
Mobil Delvac-1 5w-40 (grey container, not black), gallon at Petro stations, gallon at Farm and Fleet.
Mobil-1 SUV 5w-40, qt anywhere.
AMSOil AMF 10w-40 synthetic motorcycle oil, about qt.
Golden Spectro Supreme, (no price).
Motul 5100 Ester, (no price).

YOU NEED TO OWN A MANUAL :laugh: Just cause you do, and you'll love it.

This is very easy - racers do it at the track in minutes

Put bike on sidestand so you dont have to drain oil
Have a pan or tray handy as a little drippage will occur.

Remove the clutch cover bolts (like 9 or so - from right side of engine while sitting on it, large furthest back round section). you can use a couple of the bolts loosely in the cover holes to manipulate/rock the cover till ot pops off.

You immediately see the clutch pack - Remove the 5 clutch spring bolts (right on the face of the clutch).
Pull off clutch springs/cover, and theres your plates.
Simply pull them all out clean/inspect them.

Installation is reverse. Use the regular permatex black for new gasket. make sure to completely remove old gasket from both surfaces. use VERY LITTLE permatex, like a thin coating, or 2mm bead.

If the clutch is sliping, there are a few things to check:
1. Make sure that you have your clutch lever/control on left side cover correctly adjusted / fairly loose at handle (small gap sort of flapping open a 1mm). Adjuster nut on plate, backed off 1/8th turn from stopped.
2. Inspect the clutch plates with a micrometer/dial caliper measuring device. There is a minimum width that they are required to be.
3. Take the cluth springs to a reputable shop that can check the spring tensions (call shop ahead as many dont have the equipment - go figure).
4. Make sure you are using a wet type clutch approved oil, like AMSOIL 20W50 for air-cooled/wet clutch bikes. You change it once at the beginning of the season, thats it.

GL!

My husband wanted me to pop in here while he was at work and thank everyone for helping him. He tore out the clutch(once he realized what side it was on, LOL) cleaned everything and put it all back together. He then put the other side back together. It took him longer to put the other side back together then tearing the clutch out and putting it back. You guys gave great directions and made it easy for him to do. He took the bike for a short ride late yesterday and the clutch no longer slips. He does still however have to let the clutch lever out almost all the way till it grabs so obviously there is still some adjusting that needs to be done. Also to let everyone know he HAD been using car oil in his bike, no longer. Thanks again.

When the EPA mandated the gas mileage for cars, the oil manufacturers got together and re-formulated the oils giving them the required gallons per mile.

Unfortunately, the new oils are not compatable with the wet plate clutches in our older bikes.

More than one rider has experianced a slipping clutch using car oil.Fortunately changing the oil usually fixes the problem.