Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: roadie on December 01, 2011, 05:07:41 PM
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Am I imagining things? It was night when I got home, but I have noticed my pads are down to approx 1.5mm, I hear what sounds almost like a dull hiss when I grab the front brakes, and when I got home, it "appeared" like I had some black "sludge" floating on top of brake fluid in master brake cylinder. Lil lost...I mean, I know my pads need changing and plan to do next week when Connie goes down for mx, but the floaters? The sound? Is that the sound the pads make when they are about toast? I thought for sure I'd get more than 15,000 miles out of the shoes, but I guess I use them alot. Any input...appreciated...thx
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If you are looking into the master cylinder reservoir from the outside, through the walls, then I would not worry about it. It is probably the plastic damper (anti- slosh plate) that floats on top of the brake fluid. The plate is really a piece of white foam but the edges turn black from the fines in the brake fluid. If you are not used to seeing that thing float in the M.C. it would probably look odd to you. By the way, once the edge does turn dark it is hard or impossible to clean it so you will get used to it.
No one has found any sludge type material in a C-14 brake system, at least not that I have heard of. The brake fluid is totally isolated so it is unlikely to become contaminated (you can turn the master cylinder upside down and it will not leak). Brake fluid does turn darker with time and eventually gets nearly black but there should not be anything thick in the fluid.
Brian
Am I imagining things? It was night when I got home, but I have noticed my pads are down to approx 1.5mm, I hear what sounds almost like a dull hiss when I grab the front breaks, and when I got home, it "appeared" like I had some black "sludge" floating on top of brake fluid in master break cylinder. Lil lost...I mean, I know my pads need changing and plan to do next week when Connie goes down for mx, but the floaters? The sound? Is that the sound the pads make when they are about toast? I thought for sure I'd get more than 15,000 miles out of the shoes, but I guess I use them alot. Any input...appreciated...thx
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If you are looking into the master cylinder reservoir from the outside, through the walls, then I would not worry about it. It is probably the plastic damper (anti- slosh plate) that floats on top of the brake fluid. The plate is really a piece of white foam but the edges turn black from the fines in the brake fluid. If you are not used to seeing that thing float in the M.C. it would probably look odd to you. By the way, once the edge does turn dark it is hard or impossible to clean it so you will get used to it.
No one has found any sludge type material in a C-14 brake system, at least not that I have heard of. The brake fluid is totally isolated so it is unlikely to become contaminated (you can turn the master cylinder upside down and it will not leak). Brake fluid does turn darker with time and eventually gets nearly black but there should not be anything thick in the fluid.
Brian
Thx Brian, puts me at ease a bit...what about the noise? Is there a tell tale sign when pads are going bad?
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I don't know- I never burned all the way through a set of pads on a motorcycle. That said, all the motorcycle brakes I have experienced do make a 'hissing' sound with good pads.
It is easy to check the pads with a flashlight and without taking anything apart. You will have to maneuver your head and the light around a bit but you will be able to see the edges of the pads and there should be a gap between the steel backing plate of the pad and the rotor (the gap IS the pad material). Stock brakes have a groove in them that serves as a wear indicator- if you can see any of that groove, the pads are OK. You <might> need a small mirror to see all the pads but it is still quite easy.
I find motorcycle pads look dangerously worn when they are only 1/2 used up. They are thin to begin with, and appear even thinner when still inside the caliper. I have seen a lot of "worn out" pads that are less than 1/2 used up when compared with brand new pads. In fact, brand new pads look a little worn out to most of us. At least they are cheap, right? ::)
Brian
Thx Brian, puts me at ease a bit...what about the noise? Is there a tell tale sign when pads are going bad?
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Just sounds like a louder hiss lately...maybe becauase I'm feeling the maintenance bug and thinking it needs...I'll check again, but thinking I saw about 1.5 mm of pad left last weekend when I checked. Thanks Brian. Always super helpful insight.
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Thx Brian, puts me at ease a bit...what about the noise? Is there a tell tale sign when pads are going bad?
You can't stop any more?
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You can't stop any more?
:) still stops just making a new noise I've never heard before.
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:) still stops just making a new noise I've never heard before.
You're just listening better.
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:thumbs:
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BTW, it's brakes, not breaks.
Goof. ;D
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Duh :). I'll fix. Of all people it had to be the boy from Arkansas that catches the typo. Geez.
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Duh :). I'll fix. Of all people it had to be the boy from Arkansas that catches the typo. Geez.
:rotflmao:
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Duh :). I'll fix. Of all people it had to be the boy from Arkansas that catches the typo. Geez.
I'm from KC MO.
But I love tearing up the twistys in Arkansas. 8)
;)
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I'm from KC MO.
But I love tearing up the twistys in Arkansas. 8)
;)
By the way, it is "twisties", not "twistys" ;D
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Damnit! :o
I can't remember the last time I messed that one up! :P
8)
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Seams theirs a speling insurection in progress....
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As long as it does not get inciteful....
Brian
Seams theirs a speling insurection in progress....
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Quite!
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Damnit! :o
I can't remember the last time I messed that one up! :P
8)
Hey Jimmy, it's dammit not damnit. ;D
That'll learn ya!
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This thread delivers (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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Indeed. 8)
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Am I imagining things? It was night when I got home, but I have noticed my pads are down to approx 1.5mm, I hear what sounds almost like a dull hiss when I grab the front brakes, and when I got home, it "appeared" like I had some black "sludge" floating on top of brake fluid in master brake cylinder. Lil lost...I mean, I know my pads need changing and plan to do next week when Connie goes down for mx, but the floaters? The sound? Is that the sound the pads make when they are about toast? I thought for sure I'd get more than 15,000 miles out of the shoes, but I guess I use them alot. Any input...appreciated...thx
Interesting enough I just changed out my clutch fluid master cylinder (brake fluid as well) and it had a 1/8 inch of black sludge settled at the bottom of it! I assumed it was the remnants of a rubber seal of some sort but I never actually found out what it was.
The clutch works and feels fine but there is just a slight trace of the black stuff still in the bottom of the container...even thought I pumped almost half the fluid container through it. >:(
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Interesting enough I just changed out my clutch fluid master cylinder (brake fluid as well) and it had a 1/8 inch of black sludge settled at the bottom of it! I assumed it was the remnants of a rubber seal of some sort but I never actually found out what it was.
The clutch works and feels fine but there is just a slight trace of the black stuff still in the bottom of the container...even thought I pumped almost half the fluid container through it. >:(
Don't panic, don't worry. That crap in the bottom of the clutch reservoir is normal. The next time you drain the reservoir get you a paper towel and wipe that junk out before you refill.
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Don't panic, don't worry. That crap in the bottom of the clutch reservoir is normal. The next time you drain the reservoir get you a paper towel and wipe that junk out before you refill.
You have any idea what that crap is and how it got there?
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You have any idea what that crap is and how it got there?
Brian (BDF) had a good explanation for that stuff but I don't remember exactly what he said it was. It's from normal wear in the clutch system. I had the same thing in mine but from the sounds of it, not as much as you had. Do you know how long it's been since your clutch was bled, if ever?
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Probably more info. than you want....
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4458.msg51395#msg51395 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4458.msg51395#msg51395)
Brian
You have any idea what that crap is and how it got there?
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Brian (BDF) had a good explanation for that stuff but I don't remember exactly what he said it was. It's from normal wear in the clutch system. I had the same thing in mine but from the sounds of it, not as much as you had. Do you know how long it's been since your clutch was bled, if ever?
It had been a long while...maybe a year? :-[ The fluid was getting yellow so I just caved and bought a vacuum pump kit and did all 3 of my bikes brakes. ;D
Thanks for the link BDF! Sounds like mine was due for a change in under 2 years.