Clutch fluid getting brown

About two months ago I put Galfer lines on my bike and drained and filled both brake master cylinders. I decided that I might as well do the clutch while I was at it so I did. The old fluid had gotten pretty dark but I didn't notice any burnt smell. So, now the fluid in my clutch resevoir is turning brown again, while the fluid in the brake resevoir is still the color of olive oil. I used Motul 5.1 when I did the flush and fill. Any ideas why the clutch fluid is getting dark so fast? Anyone know if this could cause me problems in the future?

Thanks,
Mike

Yeah the clutch fluid gets dark before the brakes on mine and it's normal...I guess cause we might use the clutch more? I'm not sure but there is less clutch fluid so it tends to turn dark earlier.

Did you replace the clutch line with a Galfer or did you just drain/bleed the system? Otherwise it's normal for the brake fluid to react to the rubber in the standard hose and turn darker.

The clutch line is stock. I only drained and flushed it because I already had the bleeder out to do the brakes and I figured I might as well do the clutch as well.

I'm not feeling any slippage, even at the track, so I guess I'll let it go then.

Maybe this will help.http://speedzilla.zeroforum.co...10700

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by robmbridge &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did you replace the clutch line with a Galfer or did you just drain/bleed the system? Otherwise it's normal for the brake fluid to react to the rubber in the standard hose and turn darker.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Even if you put braided lines on it will turn brown. The seals in the MC also contribute to the fluid changing color.

I was told it turns brown from the UV rays from the sun, mostly. This is the reason you see some people use the wrist band looking bands around the reservoirs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...=WDVW

I heard that braided hoses actually still have the rubber inside them. It's just the metal surround that stops any expansion of the rubber tube.

Anyone got a spare one they want to cut in half?

Also what we really should be asking is, does brown brake fluid perform any less well than clear fluid?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by robmbridge &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also what we really should be asking is, does brown brake fluid perform any less well than clear fluid? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I change mine about every 6k miles and I haven't noticed a degradation in performance as it nears 6000 miles.

BTW I have reservoir covers and it still turns brown.

This topic came up last time, like 3 years ago , and most steel lines use PTFE not rubber and once the lines are replaced the fluid stll turns brown. If I remember right the people that had other than OEM master cyclinders and lines did not have a problem with the fluid changing color. If I'm wrong, the slave may have the same seals as the MC and the fluid will still turn brown.

But, who cares, the clutch still works and my reservoir cover hides the brown fluid

I was told it was the heat that causes it

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by oneliterduckeater &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was told it was the heat that causes it</TD></TR></TABLE>

Then why does the brake fluid stay clear?

It turned brown on me within two track days after I changed my fluid. I would just put red dye food coloring in there so you can't tell the color change, plus it looks like Hondas run on red blood instead of Motul 5.1 .

There's less fluid in the clutch resi so it changes first. Don't worry, your brake fluid will go too.

I noticed that the stock fluid turned brown within the first 1000 miles however I did not change it for another 4000 miles and when I did I used plain old Suzuki brake fluid, 6000 miles latter still looks like olive oil, no racing just fairly aggressive street riding could be the brake fluid.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RC5150 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was told it turns brown from the UV rays from the sun, mostly. This is the reason you see some people use the wrist band looking bands around the reservoirs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...=WDVW



</TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought the wrist bands were to absorb any brake fluid that might boil over during racing.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpeedKills &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Then why does the brake fluid stay clear?</TD></TR></TABLE> it was also my understanding that it was heat that caused the turning of color,maybe its because the slave cylinder is subjected to more continuous amounts of heat than the brakes.plus the res is smaller.

It might be a combination of UV rays and heat from riding, but I thought it had to do with moisture that gets into the syste, around the cap that makes the fluid in the clutch reservoir brown.

The heat is the usual cause due to the clutch line placement on the frame.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RC Cola &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I thought the wrist bands were to absorb any brake fluid that might boil over during racing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah. That too. People actually use them on cars as well.