[cutter]

I figured I'd take advantage of a nice day today to take care of some routine maintenance. But I had some issues that I'd like some advice about.

1. drain/flush/fill front brake fluid: Actually, this one went okay.
2. drain/flush/fill clutch fluid: Well, here's where I had some issues. When I took off the secondary drive cover, as I was walking to put it aside and out of the way, I noticed two random parts on the ground (pic attached). I just now looked them up on a fiche and they appear to be a spacer, a cushion and a pin (#4, #25, #26 in diagram). I'm guessing they're important, so I'll try putting them on again. But the cover went back on quite securely, so I don't know just how important they are.

But the bigger issue is that I'm pretty sure none of the old clutch fluid came out of the bleeder valve. I followed all the steps, sucking out most but not all of the old fluid from the reservoir, filled with fresh DOT 4, I connected the hose, squeezed the clutch lever slowly (it did start squirting out of the reservoir), opened the bleeder valve, closed the bleeder valve, released the clutch lever. Repeat. But I'll be damned if I saw any fluid coming out of the hose. I even tried again with the hose totally off the bleeder, and still nothing came out. Finally just sucked a little more of the old/new mixture out of the reservoir, filled it most of the way with fresh, buttoned everything up, put the secondary drive cover back on and called it a day.

3. drain and fill radiator: Got the radiator cover off, went to loosen the drain bolt and couldn't get at the damned thing well enough to loosen it. Spent way too much time laying on the ground trying to get at it, all the while thinking what a pain it could be getting the thing back on if I do get it off, and decided to put it off for another day. I imagine it might be easier with the bike on a lift, but I don't have one. Kills me to think I may have to have a shop do something so simple, but that may be the case. I can't imagine they expect us to remove the pipes for easier access to that bolt. Or do they?

For what it's worth, I did take it for a ride afterward and everything seems fine. Brakes are as good as ever (though they weren't a problem to begin with), and believe it or not, the bike actually seems to shift a little more smoothly, although that could be my imagination.

Anyway, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the need for the spacer, cushion, and pin under the secondary drive cover. And why the old fluid wasn't coming through the bleeder valve.

 

[Jcscarlett]

I just changed my stator and broke that screw getting it off. I haven't had any issues running without it.
The screw hole above 28 and below 30 in the diagram, I also busted that screw putting it back on. Now I have a small oil leak. Ugh.

 

[cutter]

Take 2 on the clutch fluid change today. Success. The only difference this time was that I laid the cover back over the reservoir so that I could be a bit more aggressive with the pumping without squirting fluid everywhere. That was enough. I'd pump the lever 5 or 6 times, then open the bleeder valve, close the bleeder valve, release the clutch lever and pump a half dozen times, open the bleeder, close the bleeder, repeat. Every few sequences I'd check the reservoir and add fresh fluid. Repeat process until all new fluid was coming out at the bleeder.

And I managed to put those leftover pins and sleeves and cushion back where they belonged with I put the secondary drive cover back on.

All's well that ends well.

 

[Easy Rider]

I'd pump the lever 5 or 6 times, then open the bleeder valve,

IF......you would have opened the valve, pumped once, closed the valve and release the lever.......and repeated that sequence a few times..........
It probably would have gone a LOT quicker and done a better job.

Did you also "bleed" it at the banjo bolts ??

 

[cutter]

Well, after 7 days of no response here, I resorted to looking again at the manual(s) and several YouTube videos. I'll make a note of the info for next time. Thanks.

 

[Easy Rider]

Well, after 7 days of no response here, I resorted to looking again at the manual(s) and several YouTube videos. I'll make a note of the info for next time. Thanks.

Glad that you got it sorted out.

In the future, if you have a specific question, it would be better to NOT "hide" it inside a long rambling post about several different things.

I must admit that I did not read your entire first post.

 

[cutter]

Point taken. I do have a tendency to...ramble.

With that in mind, regarding #3 (drain and fill radiator), is removal of that drain bolt just a matter of finding a slim enough 10mm wrench? The manual doesn't suggest removing pipes or anything, so it seems Suzuki expects it to be easily doable by an owner.

 

[cutter]

And a quick follow-up to the above question.

Should I totally remove that drain bolt or just loosen it? What about the bleeder bolt on the downtube of the frame; remove or just loosen?

Thanks.

 

[Aussie Steve]

Take a pic of the bolts...esp the one in the downtube...I have never heard of a bleed bolt in a frametube...but could be wrong and as they say a picture speaks a thousand words.

 

[cutter]

At about 1:21 in this video, he explains the bolt I'm talking about. Actually, the whole video is pretty helpful. I'm just not entirely clear if the drain bolt and bleeder bolt should be totally removed or just loosened.

 

[Easy Rider]

IF.....the fluid (and air) comes out when loosened, there is no need to "remove" it.