2011 Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero clutch problem part 3. Problem found.

[@pJarhead64]

I have a 2016 Vaquero (bought new) and got it up to just over 71,000 miles before the 2020 COVID lockdowns. After setting a year, riding a few miles around the block once or twice a month, my reservoir emptied itself somewhere along the line, I believe it is the slave cylinder because there is indications of fluid on the oil mat at the back of the engine and none on the clutch handle.

[@BadmunkyWRX]

Yeah sounds like you need to rebuild the slave cylinder. Might as well rebuild the master cylinder while your at it and put some fresh DOT4 in it there and be done with it. I used the K&L part number 32-1095 for the master cylinder on mine and my wifes bikes.

[@jedistrong]

@@BadmunkyWRX What part did you use for the slave?

[@BadmunkyWRX]

@@jedistrong mine was good and I did not need to rebuild my slave cylinder. I only did the master and new DOT4 fluid.

[@TimForber69]

In this series of videos, you talk about how after a few squeezes of the lever, you have no clutch. Does that mean it stays permanently engaged? Or won't engage? My problem seems to be that it won't engage. It was stiff and wouldn't squeeze. I took the slave cylinder apart and cleaned it. Once back together, the lever now moves but I can't change gear. Could be something more internal on the clutch itself, rather than the hydraulic system?

[@BadmunkyWRX]

It would not engage. As I pumped the clutch it would not fully release all the fluid that was moved with each pump of the clutch and so it was holding the clutch partly disengaged. I could shift, but the clutch would slip. If you cant change gear yours is likely the opposite, your is not fully disengaged when you pull the clutch lever in. This causes the clutch to drag and you cant change gear. Your clutch master could be going bad, and not moving enough fluid to fully disengage the clutch, you could still have some air trapped in the system, or you could have a problem with the clutch itself like a friction plate that's sticking. Can you put it in gear with the bike running from neutral ok?

[@TimForber69]

@@BadmunkyWRX no. I can't. If I try, it jerks forward and stalls, even with the lever fully pressed.

[@BadmunkyWRX]

@@TimForber69 Yeah your master is probably shot. Its not fully disengaging the clutch. This is why you cant shift, or put it in gear. I would rebuild the master and see what that gets you.

[@goshell]

hey, what type of fluid did u put?

[@BadmunkyWRX]

Bike calls for DOT4.