13 replies to this topic

[markiemark]

Hi, Just bought a 2002 Montesa 315r and am suffering from clutch drag....engine running in neutral...engage 1st with a CLUNK and she's off, even with the clutch in, hard to shift gears or select neutral...I have no manual, is there some adjustment...which way???? do not want it to be the clutch....or is some of this to be expected.....makes life a bit difficult..

cheers

Mark

[Christoff]

markiemark, on Nov 13 2007, 03:22 PM, said:

Hi, Just bought a 2002 Montesa 315r and am suffering from clutch drag....engine running in neutral...engage 1st with a CLUNK and she's off, even with the clutch in, hard to shift gears or select neutral...I have no manual, is there some adjustment...which way???? do not want it to be the clutch....or is some of this to be expected.....makes life a bit difficult..

cheers

Mark

Mark

Its a common 315 problem. Usually a change of oil helps. Try a very light motorcycle gearbox oil. ATF Dexron II or Ford MT 75 fluid. However dont expect perfection, they all drag to some extent. Its just a case of making it bearable.

[NickC]

Hi Mark

I bought a 315r a year ago and experienced the same problem. Mine was really bad on idle but better if you raised the revs slightly. Sandifords recommended using Silkolene Pro SRG 75 oil which helped but eventually I had to just change the clutch plates - not a difficult job. Try either Sandifords or I've been told Havensport (think thats right) do an aftermarket clutch that works well.

Good luck with it

Nick

[markiemark]

Hi, Gonna try new clutch plates and the light oil..seems to be the common way of fixing the problem...£45 for the clutch plates and £10 for the oil...cheers mark...I will post how I get on...

[Baldilocks]

windlestone told me the clutch in the 315 and the 4rt is rubbish.

apparently thats why Doug left

[windlestone]

Baldilocks, on Nov 17 2007, 12:36 AM, said:

windlestone told me the clutch in the 315 and the 4rt is rubbish.

apparently thats why Doug left

Can't remember what my clutch is like

Couldn't get a certain hairless wonder off my MONTESA 4RT long enough for me to ride it.

Baldilocks catchphrase whilst on a MONTESA " I'll just try that again"

[Baldilocks]

windlestone, on Nov 17 2007, 09:08 AM, said:

Can't remember what my clutch is like

Couldn't get a certain hairless wonder off my MONTESA 4RT long enough for me to ride it.

Baldilocks catchphrase whilst on a MONTESA " I'll just try that again"

Couldn't help myself

I used to have a 315 though

You can apparently fit CR250 clutch plates to the 315 although I haven't done it myself. From memory I think there are three paper based plates and the others are fibre or cork, its the paper plates that cause the dragging.

I just used PJ1 cluch tuner in mine and it was ok

Edited by Baldilocks, 17 November 2007 - 03:18 PM.

[manofsteele]

I had the same problems on mine when it came home. I drained the gearbox, flushed it with some premix and refilled with ATF. I saw an instant improvement and it seems to be getting better with frequent use and frequent oil changes. It still drags, but not enough to give me a problem these days. My next job will be to replace the clutch fluid as I've no idea when/if that was ever changed.

[randyrat]

Looks like this is really common......
If, as I did, you leave the bike standing for a few weeks (shame) then find you clutch is solidy locked in, don't despair......get on some muddy ground, start 'er up, bang it in gear....(hang on tight 'cos she'll be off!), then clunk up the gears to 4th, pull the clutch lever in, lean over the bars to keep the front down, and give it a fistfull. This should free up the plates.
Don't make the mistake (as I did) of trying this on tarmac.....I still have the scars where the footpeg tried to eat my leg as the bike shot off down the road....(I didn't let it get away, but it would have been great on Youtube)

randyrat

[scraggydog64]

I tried every type of oil and some were better than others though the problem was still there.

An off road mechanic told me the steel plates get glazed and stick to the friction plates like two pieces of wet glass for want of a better description. He said to sand the steel plates with a fairly course emry cloth. I did it and it works but only lasts 3 - 4 trials.

I then fitted a Haven clutch kit and it was a revelation. The bike was 100% better.

[markiemark]

Hi all, Well as promised an update... Pulled clutch off today, and found steel and "cork" plates..no paper. The steels were shiny and smooth so roughed up with emery on a sander!!, then rebuit and refilled with some Shell light gear oil 10/30w and ....so far so good, no clutch drag and a definite biting point...but only time will tell..off to ride it round the woods until I gather nerves and enter a Trial proper! cheers Mark ( until I need to replace the clutch plates)

[randyrat]

markiemark, on Nov 19 2007, 10:21 PM, said:

Hi all, Well as promised an update... Pulled clutch off today, and found steel and "cork" plates..no paper. The steels were shiny and smooth so roughed up with emery on a sander!!, then rebuit and refilled with some Shell light gear oil 10/30w and ....so far so good, no clutch drag and a definite biting point...but only time will tell..off to ride it round the woods until I gather nerves and enter a Trial proper! cheers Mark ( until I need to replace the clutch plates)

Nice one......don't be scared to enter a proper trial.....you'll learn a million times faster than just plodding about on your own.....and you'll find everyone willing to offer a bit of advice....before you teach yourself lots of bad habits......
randyrat

[DGShannon]

randyrat, on Nov 20 2007, 02:32 AM, said:

.....and you'll find everyone willing to offer a bit of advice....before you teach yourself lots of bad habits......

Very important piece of advice! Un-doing bad habits is a lot worse than just learning them right the first time. Riding by yourself, it is easy to get very good at doing things the wrong way. Then, one day, you wonder why you are not getting any better as a rider, and it is because you are trying to build on a bad foundation.

[donmurray]

markiemark, on Nov 13 2007, 10:22 AM, said:

Hi, Just bought a 2002 Montesa 315r and am suffering from clutch drag....engine running in neutral...engage 1st with a CLUNK and she's off, even with the clutch in, hard to shift gears or select neutral...I have no manual, is there some adjustment...which way???? do not want it to be the clutch....or is some of this to be expected.....makes life a bit difficult..

cheers

Mark

Had the same problem with a 2003. Decided to forget anything that looked like a halfway fix.
1. New standard clutch plates. Cork and paper. The mix of material helps the engagement to be more progressive. Insert them in the proper order (ask the supplier).
2. Sanded the steel plates with a crosshatch pattern with something about 400 grit.
3. Use oil recommended by the manual. It was ELF, but don't remember the exact spec on that.

Clutch worked perfect. Zero drag and nice progressive engagement. Depending on rider and conditions, these clutches are worked hard, so they may only be good for a year or two. Any 315 that's been rode hard and put away wet will probably need a clutch rebuild.