I am fitting a new clutch and clutch springs to my gasgas jtr 250 1996 and I would like to know if I should pre soak the clutch plates in oil over night before fitting. I know this is recommended for most road bikes and I have had to do this on my Yamaha dt125 lc mk1 but I know how fussy and finicky trials clutches can be ?. I understand that I must use mineral oil in the clutch to reduce swelling, dragging and friction material delamination. It would be great to have some advice from gasgas owners. Regards James

I think you have read too many modern posts. Or it is lost in the translation. The 1996 did not use mineral oil anywhere. But pre oiling your plates is always good in a wet clutch. Remember the clutch boss or pressure plate only goes on one way. It is marked with a notch.

Edited February 24, 20188 yr by lineaway

I have heard about using mineral oil from several different places on the web. Jim Snell advises it in a you tube video so I was going by that. My old clutch dragged a bit and was worse when the bike warmed up. I have already rebuilt the slave cylinder as it had a minor leak and installed a new master cylinder. This made no difference. I have removed the old clutch and found two friction plates had started to delaminate and bits of friction material were coming away. I thought this may be because I did not use mineral oil. The bike is obviously no spring chicken so the clutch delamination may be down to age. I have not had the bike long and I don't know its history. I have been fixing and restoring it as I go. Is there an oil that people would recommend? 

The original clutch plates on the older GG motors used a water based adhesive for the fibres. When water got into the gearbox/clutch area, either when the bike was drowned (or ridden in the Scott) or when the water pump seal let go, then water entered the gearbox area and formed an emulsion, which if not quickly drained and replaced with new ATF oil would cause the fibres to become unstuck. You are absolutely fine with using ATF rated to Dexron III, 600ml is fine for the older motors. Used this for well over 25 years now. (not on the same bike mind you) New original plates are no longer available, but the Sureflex ones are fine. Bye, Peter B.

Hello Peter, I had already fitted the updated gasgas water pump kit which includes new bearings, shaft and seal. I had considered water ingress so thought in was wise to just replace the water pump components for insurance. I have changed the oil three times since I have brought the bike a couple of months ago and it has always come out a dark grey colour. I have not come across oil of this colour before. I have read that the clutch friction material when it breaks down can colour the oil grey. I am hoping that with the new clutch the oil will be a better colour when I come to change it. Yes the clutch pack I have brought is the Surflex that's all I could find. I would be interested if any one else has come across used grey oil before. I heard that some motocross bikes can suffer from the same problem.