Topic: Clutch question

[scunny]

Had my trusty 1980 XL250S parked up for the winter, I tied the clutch leaver in to avoid the sticky plate syndrome. Comes time to fire old happy bike up and I have no clutch, had to adjust the cable as much as I could to work. I thought(dangerous) that the springs had compressed and lost their guts. After riding the bike for a few hours, the clutch starts slipping, so I then have to loosen off my adjustment bit by bit over the next few hours. What say the collective knowledge base. WTF was happening ?
cheers from a stumped Scunny

[Terry in Australia]

Why did you think that tieing your clutch lever in was a good idea Scunny? I think you've stuffed your springs mate!

[scottly]

Comes time to fire old happy bike up and I have no clutch, had to adjust the cable as much as I could to work.

What exactly do you mean by "no clutch", Scunny? Do you mean it acted like stuck plates until you tightened the cable? Seems tying the lever in still results in the stuck plate syndrome. Maybe the oil you're using is too sticky?

[scunny]

No clutch, no tension at the lever, had to adjust #$%* out of the cable to make it work. Yep Terry, I thought the springs were gone or the cable was stretched, neither one of those would fix themselves after a ride. IMHO

[Terry in Australia]

That's a good point mate, might just be a badly stretched cable too. Valve springs (although much more robust than clutch springs) can sit compressed for years with no apparent ill effects, so the springs should be able to take more punishment than the cable. Have you got another cable in your parts bins?

[bear]

A couple of the plates binding on the outer drum possibly?

Cheers,
Brian