DJONES
Expert Class
Posts: 189
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posted July 23, 2002 06:07 AM
Oiling the clutches.
As you all know I am new to racing my bike but as I watch other people I have a million and one questions. As alot of guys come up to the lights or in the near staging area they lean to the right side and I assume that is to get their clutches wet. Right? OK. Do wetter clutches work better? If so how and when does that help, at the line? If I built a stand that allowed my bike to lean real real real far the the right while we where between races (approx 1-2 hours) and the clutch area was flooded with oil would that make the clutches perform better? And if the more oil the merrier why not run a line from the oil cooler to the top of the clutch housing? I am just throwing stuff out there becasue I dont know, so dont smash me, I am curious.
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DJ JONES
Persimmion Red ZX-12R
Humble, Texas
http://www.texas-offroad.com
    
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ZHooligan
Moderator
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Posts: 3829
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posted July 23, 2002 06:56 AM
Very Interesting question!!! ???????????????
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kawachan
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted July 23, 2002 07:00 AM
If you did not have a Muzzy clutch, you would soon find out that the 12 clutch seems to run a bit dry (hence the fix by Muzzy). Leaning the bike over to the clutch side helps lengthen the clutch life. Being as the 12 has a "wet" clutch, it would make sense to have oil liberally coating the clutch fibres when you abuse it. If the clutch was a bit dry, when you left the line it would be grabby and would produce excess heat in the plates and fibres. Essentially, the plates would begin to blacken and then warp while material would literally be ripped from the fibres. I have seen a 12 clutch fried (mine by a Busa riding buddy)in two passes.
Don't know about the oil return line to the clutch housing?? Sounds like a good place to "spring a leak" to me. Some of the guys have squirted a bit of oil into the oil fill hole between passes. Some leave the cap off between passes to help cool the plates. Also, pulling in the clutch (via tie strap, etc.) between runs will separate the clutch pack and allow it to cool better.
Crooked stand......hmmm! You better leave that one alone. Looks like a good chance for your bike to fall over. What would happen if you built it so radical that all of the oil drained from your oil pump and the pump vapor-locked like it can do when the bike is on its side?? Plus all the oil draining to your clutch when it needs to be in your motor at start up!! Leaning it to the side real quick is easy to do. Just a lil flick will do it. A 30 minute wait would be plenty to let it cool.
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TurboBlew
Moderator
BUSY DOING THE SCHIAVO
Posts: 4590
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posted July 23, 2002 07:42 AM
For me, the quick tip is just to insure the plates are "wet" before a pass. I have the Muzzy setup (well a good copy of it) too. I also tip the bike before I shut it down, just so the oil stays on the plates and fibers while cooling. What ever *excess* you think is getting on there, is only going to be slung off by centrifugal force.
In the early days of the 12, Ricky Gadson was often seen squirting oil on the pack before a pass.
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krexken
Zone Head
Posts: 732
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posted July 23, 2002 08:26 AM
I've seen a lot of people leaning their bikes over in the lanes before a pass and wondered about it. I don't think that the oil will even get to the clutchpack unless the bike is virtually on it's side. Like Turboblew, I think the excess on the outside will be slung off when the bike is first lit. A good oil supply feeding the plates from the inside while the bike is running seems to be the only way to prevent clutch cook, aside from proper cooldowns. My puller shaft has two flat spots ground on it. I think mine is getting plenty of oil now. I've got around 100 passes on it with a new 1361 and it's still working great. It may help to tip it, but your not going to get all the plates wet that way but I guess some is better that none. See ya at the Shootout.
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BA
Pro
Posts: 1592
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posted July 23, 2002 11:13 AM
 Edited By: BA on 23 Jul 2002 12:17
I do the tip thing before a race too. It's tough to know just how much oil is getting into the clutch area by doing the tilt, but I do lean it over pretty far.
The plates definitely get "grabby" off the line in those first 60'-100' when they are hot and dry. It can kill your pass by giving you an instant wheelie or a bad bog.
Getting that oil on there, and not doing any practice launches seems to help.
When doing it, I think it helps to be in gear, holding the clutch lever in, don't give it any throttle, but repeatedly let the clutch lever out to slight engagement, then pull it back in. It's like rubbing oil onto the fibers if you're leaned over enough.
Do this too long and your oil light will come on. 
I've thought about the pumping of internal oil over the plates from the top too, but have never really made anything. I think it's a good idea, I'm just not a very good fabricator. I'm an idea generator.
I like this idea too........
quote:
I also tip the bike before I shut it down....
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