2006 TC510 Clutch Issue

Searched the other threads about Magura 9.5 clutch issues and haven't found an answer to my problem. Punched a hole in the clutch hose at our last race so I replaced it, did the bleed from the bottom up technique (as well as pre-filling the hose) and cannot build any pressure in the system. It is not leaking at the master or slave cylinders, not losing fluid internally and the fluid level in the master cylinder is at the correct level. Nothing happens when the lever is actuated.

I let it sit for several days, hoping to find a change in fluid level or an external leak but nothing. Is it possible that the master cylinder internal piston is bypassing fluid (i.e. internal leakage) and not allowing pressure to build up? If so, would a rebuild kit fix this or does the whole cylinder need replacing?

Any thoughts, suggestions or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

It sounds like you have identified the problem. Most likely a kit will fix the issues.

I may have misunderstood what you wrote in your post but did you remove the slave cylinder from the engine case and manually push the piston back into the body of the slave cylinder and then attempt to pump it back out until just before it hits the circlip (the one keeping it from coming completely out of the slave cylindr body) and then repeat the process a few times?

When I had to bleed mine I ran into an issue where I had air inside the body of the slave cylinder and this allowed me to force it out and then my clutch started working again. Just be very careful to not pump up the clutch so much that it blows the circlip out of the slave cylinder body otherwise you will need a new slave cylinder.

Joel

Haven't tried that technique yet. If repairing the master cylinder doesn't help I'll definately remove the slave cylinder and do what you recommend.

Thanks for the tip.

DON'T EVER pull the clutch lever with the slave cylinder unbolted from the bike, it will explode the slave cylinder. The cylinder needs to be bolted on the bike so that the hydraulic pressure is limited to a very short throw.

You have a bubble hiding somewhere, and the only way to get it out, is to refill everything from scratch.

Do you have a pic of the syringe you are using to fill from the bottom up, also, dont pre-fill the hose, it needs to be filled from the bottom up.

Though I can understand your cautionary message I would respectfully disagree. When I had to bleed my clutch I used the exact method that I described with special attention paid to making sure that I did not extend the piston to a point where it would damage the slave cylinder in any way.

As with most things it appears there is more than one way to skin a cat and what works for some may not be comfortable for others.

Joel

Congrats to you personally on being able to do it your way, I will continue to advise others not to do it that way.

Not being argumentative in any way, more wanting to understand if there is a better way.

If there is an air bubble trapped in the slave cylinder body how do you wind up bleeding it out?

In my situation I had an air bubble in the body of the slave cylinder that no matter what I tried I could not get the system to bleed and function. What I chose to do was to remove the slave cylinder from the engine case, push the piston as far back into the body of the slave cylinder as far as I could and then very cautiously, using the clutch lever/master cylinder, pump fluid into the slave cylinder body until a point where the piston was not quite contacting the spring clip that can be seen in your photograph. I then repeated the process a couple of times being sure not to pressurize the slave cylinder to the point of damaging it in the fashion shown in your photo.

Even bleeding the clutch system up from the bottom bleed valve did not address an air bubble lodged in the slave cylinder as the bleed point is outside of the slave cylinder and not in such a position that the air bubble would work its way up to the bleed point without the cycling of the piston through its entire stroke.

Thanks for the conversation, I like to learn how others address issues I, and others, sometimes run into.

Joel

Fixed my broken slave cylinder with J-B weld. (It was pre-broken with no help from me.) Use a match stick or something small to put a thin bead around the edge and clip and wipe up any that drips. It will smooth itself out while drying, so don't touch the top of the epoxy. Wait 24 hours and install. Reverse bleed with a syringe. Amazing how much air comes out. Use the $100 saved to buy beer for KTM owners.