Extremely bad clutch slip.

[Veloce-Fino]

Occasionally when I get on the bike after a week the clutch would slip for a few hundred yards. This was not consistent and was not too bad, barely noticeable.

Went out last weekend and bike was fine, went out today and bike was make the beast with two backsed.

Slipping very bad after a full idle warmup. Could barely make it up the hill on my driveway and from a stop the slip was so bad the bike didn't want to move. I decided to see if the problem lessened when the clutch built up some heat. It didn't, after maybe 10 minutes the clutch slip was still there. Upshifting resulted in slipping for a second or 2 before the clutch grabbed and if I got on it at all the clutch would slip, the r's would spike and I would have to back off to get it to grab again. It felt almost as if the clutch was not fully engaging but may have just been slipping so bad I felt like that.

Needless to say I parked it in the garage after a 15 minute ride.

Oil level is solid, clutch fluid is at the correct level.

I was thinking maybe the ASV levers I got last year could be the culprit but I have put 2,000 miles on the bike since they were installed. There is no adjustment on the 696 for where the ASV lever arm contacts the plunger for the hydraulic clutch. I had an issue last fall many of you have heard about where the trans drops into first or second and gets locked in position. This was fixed by a dealer last fall and has not been an issue since. Another possibility, the coffin reservoirs are not sitting level as a result of the clip-on's, could this cause a problem?

Any suggestions? After all the problems I've had with this bike I'm getting pretty fed up.

[stopintime]

Do you have any free-play on the lever before it pushes the plunger rod?

My wet clutch was worn out after only ~20,000 miles. After that I realized I had too much free-play, which also means the clutch is never really disengaged. The wet clutches are special in that way - they require full travel at the slave and that requires the lever/free-play to be very well adjusted. At red lights I always leave it in 1st and since it wasn't fully disengaged it rubbed, got hot and eventually started slipping.

Maybe the non-adjustable ASV lever caused the same thing on your bike......

Another clutch issue I had - dry plunger rod got stuck. If yours is dry, or a little dry,
it might not return properly = slippage.

[Veloce-Fino]

I'm only at 4500 miles on an 09 696.

The plunger does make contact with the lever at all times.

Being non-adjustable I am not sure what to do about this problem. Many people run the ASV levers so unless my machining was off I can't see that being the primary problem. I'll remove the lever and see if the plunger is being depressed at all when the lever is relaxed.

[Buckethead]

When was the last time you flushed your clutch fluid?

If it's only happening, or is worse, when the bike's hot that'd be the first thing I'd check.

[stopintime]

Buckethead's suggestion might be it, but it would cause an incomplete disengagement = rubbing when sitting with the bike in gear (like I did). Do you do that?

If there's contact lever/rod, there might be too much contact - I don't know if that's what's happening, but it is possible. It wouldn't be the first time an aftermarket manufacturer made a mistake.

If the plunger rod is dry, a few drops of oil inside the rubber which seals it. My lever got noticeably smoother.

[booger]

Also if you changed the oil and put car oil or energy-conserving synthetic or anything in that wasn't meant for wet-clutch motorcycles, that could be it. These oils lack the necessary friction modifiers and essentially are too slick to be suitable for wet clutch bikes. If you try all that has been suggested and you still have a slipping clutch, you might be the type that rides the clutch too heavy and you just wore it out.   Won't be the first time it's ever happened. Hope you still have some warranty left. There may be some new plates in your future.

[stopintime]

+1 on the wet clutch oil sensitivity issue.

[Veloce-Fino]

I have never changed the oil on the bike. Purchased with 1900 miles currently has almost 5000.

I have no idea what the previous owner put in the bike. It was my understanding I was not supposed to change the oil until the 7500 mile tuneup?

If you try all that has been suggested and you still have a slipping clutch, you might be the type that rides the clutch too heavy and you just wore it out.   Won't be the first time it's ever happened. Hope you still have some warranty left. There may be some new plates in your future.

No way on this. Been riding my whole life and all my cars are manual. Replaced clutches on cars for myself and friends just never on a bike. I have a detailed understanding of how a clutch system works and I'm certainly not riding/burning the clutch. Even on downshifts I'm rev matching so the clutch is not getting stressed at all. 

+1 on the wet clutch oil sensitivity issue.

This is a possibility. However if the previous owner used the incorrect oil wouldn't the problems have arisen over the past 3000 miles? What made today's oil any different than the past 3k miles?

When was the last time you flushed your clutch fluid?

If it's only happening, or is worse, when the bike's hot that'd be the first thing I'd check.

I have never flushed the fluid. Based on the manual clutch/brake fluid should be changed every 36months/22,500 miles whichever comes first (lol). I have not hit either.

Buckethead's suggestion might be it, but it would cause an incomplete disengagement = rubbing when sitting with the bike in gear (like I did). Do you do that?

If there's contact lever/rod, there might be too much contact - I don't know if that's what's happening, but it is possible. It wouldn't be the first time an aftermarket manufacturer made a mistake.

When in gear with the clutch disengaged at a stop the clutch appears to be fully disengaged. The bike it not pulling at all.

HOWEVER! Your statement reminded me of something. After that shop fixed the jammed shifter issue, shifts into gear from neutral at a stop became very rough. The bike would jump more than it had previously. Now a little jolt is typical for most bikes but it became much more noticeable after the work had been done. I even mentioned it to the tech.

I have a wet clutch but regardless it is still a little noisy as normal. However after the shop worked on it I could "feel" the clutch chattering a little more than usual. I know it sounds odd but you get to know your machine very well after some time. It definitely felt and even sounded different.

Any thoughts on this? 

[stopintime]

Jumping and making heavy noises when you shift into first?
That doesn't sound right.....

To adjust my clutch lever/plunger to "perfection" I put it in first on a rear stand.
After adjustment the wheel would not move at all. Well, it did move very slowly, but I could stop it with one finger and it would stay still several seconds.

With the ASV you can't adjust, but you will be able to check if you have full disengagement.
Maybe you could switch to stock lever to see if that changes anything.

Anyhow - an oil change and fluid flush won't hurt at this point.
Maybe try semi synthetic oil (better for wet clutches)

[Veloce-Fino]

Jumping and making heavy noises when you shift into first?
That doesn't sound right.....

To adjust my clutch lever/plunger to "perfection" I put it in first on a rear stand.
After adjustment the wheel would not move at all. Well, it did move very slowly, but I could stop it with one finger and it would stay still several seconds.

With the ASV you can't adjust, but you will be able to check if you have full disengagement.
Maybe you could switch to stock lever to see if that changes anything.

Anyhow - an oil change and fluid flush won't hurt at this point.
Maybe try semi synthetic oil (better for wet clutches)

I'll put the stock back on and see if it helps.

Recommendations on oil type/brand? If the wet clutch ducati are that sensitive I don't want to use the wrong kind.


Found this: http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=28642.0

Guy had an identical problem and the same levers. I'll check right now to see if the hydraulic plunder to see if the lever is pressing on it when when relaxed.. could be the cause as it was for this guy.

[stopintime]

I'll put the stock back on and see if it helps.

Recommendations on oil type/brand? If the wet clutch ducati are that sensitive I don't want to use the wrong kind.

I don't know which brand to recommend, but I think any motorcycle specific 4 stroke will do.
If there's damage to your plates it might not help though.

Stock lever and some oil on the plunger rod is a good starting point to get you going with diagnostics.


Edit: you didn't change to an aftermarket slave cylinder, did you?

[Buckethead]

I'll put the stock back on and see if it helps.

Recommendations on oil type/brand? If the wet clutch ducati are that sensitive I don't want to use the wrong kind.

Mobil 1 MX4T 10-40. Available at any Auto Zone/Advance Auto.

Food for thought:

[Veloce-Fino]

Mobil 1 MX4T 10-40. Available at any Auto Zone/Advance Auto.

Food for thought:

Don't feel like reading that beast of a thread. I'll take your advice..

Oil filter matter or will a standard fram do just fine?

Edit: you didn't change to an aftermarket slave cylinder, did you?

No

[booger]

Oil filter matter or will a standard fram do just fine?

Was it this forum that had the massive oil filter thread? The Fram filter was condemned. Any other but Fram it seems.

Do the ASV levers have the threaded plunger seat adjuster screw plug thingamabobber? I know the stockers do. If so, try turning them out a bit. Sounds like your clutch is not disengaging fully. See if a good bleed will help.

7500 on one oil change is what I would call letting it go too long. I might be OCD on the oil thing though. Have to remember the wet clutchers benefit from more frequent changes because the clutch shares lubrication with the engine. That means you have soot and other combustion byproducts along with clutch plate friction material teaming up doing guerilla vandalism inside your engine. Dry clutch bikes don't have to deal with that, and they can use the car oil just fine, so 7500 on a good syn would be OK I think with a dry clutch.

[Veloce-Fino]

Shit.

Well I'll be switching back to the stock clutch lever and doing an oil change tomorrow.

I'll get whatever filter is available BUT the fram.


If I need a new clutch as a result of the ASV lever which I will test extensively tomorrow someone is going to get their ass kicked.

Did a google search, this is a COMMON problem for ASV levers. They are selling a bad product.