301 clutch

[mattsccm]

I have been offered a 301 with a sticking clutch. I suspect a total lack of use. anything special to look out for or tips. My first trick was going to be start it, face it to a wall , pull the clutch in and kick it into gear. Usually works.

[veedub1955]

Mine does it all the time you can do that but i find it better to get it warm then run alongside it, jump on and gently feed it into gear whilst rolling or do on a hill, 100 yards up the road with the clutch pulled in will free it off. Works perfectly and is less jarring on the box. No amount of rocking back and forward frees it up, I store now with a cabletie round the grip pulling the clutch in

[appyarry]

I agree with Matt, jump start and ride with the clutch pulled in, it normally frees off after a few yards If you don't want to buy it I'm looking for another one

Good Luck,

[DAVID THOMPSON]

store now with a cable tie round the grip pulling the clutch in

this can make clutch springs weak over time unless there real good springs

my solution is ride it often

dave

[DerekR]

Hi everyone, newby here, but long in the tooth! Been riding all sorts this past 52yrs. New to MZ's though.

It's an old thread I know, but I'm having issues with the clutch on my recently acquired ES125/1. Obviously a different model, but the problem I am having is the same as the OP - sticking clutch plates.

The bike was imported to the UK from Hungary last year, and from the fettling I've done so far has not been greatly looked after. Gradually getting through the issues, but the clutch seems most resistant to allowing any selection of gears without stalling. It's had fresh SAE80, and the plates have all been off and checked for corrosion and reassembled. No joy. I'm getting the impression MZ clutches don't like letting go!

Is there a trick I'm missing - like a thinner grade oil maybe, but that means a thinner grade in the gearbox too!! Maybe the wheel against a brick wall method IS the primary solution (oops! is that a pun?). Any advice welcome - I have posted on the UK MZ Riders forum, but it's a bit of a 'sleepy hollow' in there!!

[DAVID THOMPSON]

some bikes suffer from what i call short cable pull

the lever does not pull the cable in a long enough stroke
so you get it adjusted so it works when your stopped or just starting out BUT it slips at high speed

SO it gets adjusted so it does not slip at high speed then when stopped it drags and clunks going in gear and stalls

try a different lever and perch on the clutch cable
for more pull

my 1966 Yamaha ym1 suffered from this problem

DAVE

[DerekR]

Thank Dave, at least it appears to be a 'characteristic' rather than an individual fault. Changing the clutch lever may not be such a simple route, but I get the picture and see what might be possible. Washing the plates in paraffin (kerosene) and drying them off might see a small improvement but only temporarily - only until the SAE 80 finds its way back in!

[Blurredman]

As above.. My etz251 came to me with 13 years of non-use!!!! best way was to use the above techniues. get the engine running. run with it a while and put it in second. keep slowing down and going faster with use of the clutch. only took a couple of attempts about 200 yards and it freed off nicely!

[DerekR]

Cheers for that Blurredman.