Hey Guys;

I am not sure if I have a problem or not, but here goes.    When I installed my clutch I wiped all the existing oil off the plates, both friction and metal.  I did not realize that you should install them with a generous amount of oil on them of the same type that you use to fill the crankcase.   Through the oil fill hole I can see that when I hold the clutch in while in gear and pushing the bike aong the clutch does not move or only slightly.  Needless to say it is very sticky as a result.  When I realized that you need lubrication between the plates I tried to move the bike back a forth a bit while in gear and the clutch in hoping that it would work some of the oil down the plates.  It seems to work a bit.   I don't want to run the bike just yet in case the clutch does not slip enough to get it into gear or out of gear.    Hope I am not the first guy to learn about this and I am hoping there is an easy fix without having to remove the crank covers and the clutch assembly over.   Also, worth mentioning is the clutch friction plates are not new and were already oil soaked.

Any ideas on what I can do to help with this?

Thanks a bunch....Luke

It probably seems like nit-picking but you are putting oil in the transmission, not the "crankcase". 

Important because on a two stroke the crankcase is lubricated by injected oil (Autolube) or oil mixed into the fuel..  or both. 

I'm mentioning this because I know of a couple of new owners that checked the transmission oil and not being familiar with two strokes ended up seizing the engine from lack of oil.

As far as your clutch?  You're fine.  Nothing needs to be done except run it.  If clutch is dragging the adjustment could be off or you might have a thick oil in cold temps.

 

Yes as the previous post says just put oil in the transmission and go warm it up   Do a bunch of motocross type starts and the clutch will break in nicely if a everything is in the right place.  These things are really durable. I take my 400 and lock the front brake and dig trenches with the back wheel.  The only way to burn up these old clutches I ever found was in gumbo mud that plugs up the wheels and eventually you will burn the clutch plates
doug

Thanks for the replies and I like that you can't assume anything with a newbie like me.   The oil I have where the clutch is located is the motor oil for wet clutches Motul transoil 10/30.   I have a DT1 and I assume that this oil also partiality lubricates the right side and also enters the transmission.  In addition, I am running mixed gas 40:1 until I kno the oil pump is working correctly.

Does this make sense?

I know 40:1 is too high and hence my next question is what should I run if I just plan some very light recreational riding?

Thanks....

I went for a 60 mile ride one day on my DT400 with an operating and adjusted oil pump working.  The last 12 miles was a highway and I was going about 60 mph for 3 miles and the engine locked up so I pulled the clutch to free up the back wheel and rode into the ditch. I had noticed no  or very little smoke coming from the exhaust all day so I opend the oil tank and sure enough it was still right full. I had not mixed any oil in the gas for that ride but there may have been some left when I filled it. Anyhow I pulled the oil pump cover and the pump was laying their at an angle loosely.  The 2 screws had backed out and the pump cam out of its mount and was doing nothing.  Anyhow it had a four corner sieze. I waited for it to cool and I used my yamaha tool kit and put the screws back in and bled some oil into my water bottle and poured it in the tank and  the compression came back and I rode it home at about 50 MPH.  Then took it apart and cleaned up the 4 corner sieze and locktighted the oil pump and it haS BEEN RUNNING FINE FOR 2 YEARS.  Not sure how long I rode with no oil pump but even a 100 to 1 mix will easily get you home

Doug

Wow that's crazy that the motor still worked after that.   I like the locktite idea.   I am still making sure I fully understand how the oil pump works and that I have it adjusted right.  Thought I'd wait for the spring to go for a ride with both mixed gas/oil and the oil pump running until I know for sure it works.  I understand you need to bleed them after they have been emptied and make sure the gap is set right.  

Hey thanks for sharing you knowledge.  Much appreciated.  

Luke. 

Mix up a quart of 100 to 1 premix and put it in the tank and get the bike running at idle and then make sure the oil pump is bled so no air locks and then disconect the oil line to the carb or the cylinder and block the hole that is left and then run the engine and you can easily see if the oil pump works.  You can see it pump slow at idle and increase output as you rev it up. These pumps are very durable and when I was 16 and really didn't understand jetting everybody related smoking 2 strokes and the prblem was the oil pump and it was pumping too much oil when the real issue was probably carb jetting.  These engines need work and making them pull hard and spinning up the rpm as long as they are under load does not hurt them. When they get to the point where they are just reving and not going any faster thats when you shift.  They do have a cruising RPM  maybe the 2/3rd throttle range. I raced 2 stroke motocross for 20 years and you learn jetting  and how tough 2 strokes really are.  If they get clean air and correct jetting they are fantastic lightweight fun.
Doug

Hey that makes a lot of sense to run it with lighter oil mix and then get the pump working that way.    I read some stuff on how you can see if it is calibrated correctly by measuring the amount it puts out at a specific RPM over a certain timeline.  In your experience how exact does the calibration have to be?  

Thanks very much for sharing your experiences. 

I personally know of members that run 32:1 premix AND a working pump.  As was said, if jetted well, it will not smoke excessively even with a lot of oil...  but I'm talking about regular oil... not "boutique" oils that are designed to be "premix only" at lean ratios...  (I'd recommend staying away from those expensive synthetics and just use regular two stroke oil)

I would get it running at 32:1 or the 40:1 that you already mixed...  great idea and you'll be fine.  Once you're sure about the pump you can either keep adding a little oil to the gas or just run straight gas and the pump.