Is there a way to free a stuck clutch ---

[k_enn]

Other than opening the case, is there a way to free a stuck clutch?

Here is what happened:  Due to a hand injury, the bike was put in the garage for 2 months, transmission in first gear.  When I went to start the bike yesterday, the following symptoms appeared:
  1.  The clutch lever at the handle bar moves normally, as does the lever at the back of the case.
  2.  When I pull in the clutch lever ad try to roll to bike, the transmission keeps the rear wheel from turning.
  3.  I can shift the bike into neutral to roll it (neutral light on),
  4.  The bike will start in neutral, but
  5.  it runs rough and after a minute or so it appeared that the clutch was beginning to burn (clutch smell and a trace of smoke from the gear box).
  In the past, I have twice had issues when storing the bike over the winter.  Usually I store it in neutral, and have had a clutch issue at times.  (P.S., for the past several years, I have pulled the clutch lever periodically when the bike was in winters storage, and this problem did not occur).  In the past, I could start in neutral, grab the brakes, and drop it into gear to free up the clutch.  Due to the roughness of the engine running now, that is not an option.
  Any ideas?  Do you think that if I pull in the clutch in first gear, keep on the brake, and hit the starter it might break the clutch plates free?  Or is there too high a risk of breaking the starter gear?  Any other thoughts?  
   FYI, it is a 1982, and I don't consider myself competent enough to open it up and do a clutch job myself.  Competent airhead mechanics are few and far between here, and it would be a logistical issue getting it trailered to a mechanic (and hence I would like to get it at least rideable if possible).

k_enn

[Bob_Roller]

Do you reside in an area with high humidity ?

Has a transmission input spline cleaning and lubrication been done ?

With the starter interlock circuits, you can't operate the starter with the transmission in gear, unless you place a jumper wire across the terminals on either the neutral switch, or the switch at the clutch lever .

I vaguely remember the procedure to get a clutch 'unstuck', but you needed to bypass the safety circuits and start the engine with the transmission in gear, pull the clutch lever in and then open the throttle a bit .

Obviously you need to do this in an open area !!!!!

Hopefully someone else can remember exactly what the procedure is .

I found this link on Snowbums BMW Tech site, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page for the procedure .

You don't need to bypass the safety circuits !!!

 http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/clutch.htm

[montmil]

Besides da Snowbum's clutch de-sticking ideas, I have read of effective results by placing the front tire against a sturdy wall, bike in low gear, bring the revs up, then stomp the rear brake...hard.

Usually, what's happening is the clutch components are slightly rusted together due to storage in a damp environment. Reference your regular "clutch lever pull and release" having kept the rust gremlins partially at bay.

Have you considered moving in with Bob Roller?  

[nhmaf]

I would suggest that if you free your stuck clutch with the methods described above, that you may also want to consider pulling the transmission and doing a spline lube in the near future - if the clutch plates have rused there is a good chance that there is rust on the shaft splines too.    The splines on my transmission input shaft and the friction disk had rusted on my bike when I bought it from someone who had it in moist long term storage for a number of years.   In my particular case, the friction disk rust had probably gotten too far along to save it with a normal spline lube, but if I had gone in there I might have been able to see the problem and replace the friction disk for $60, rather than have to rebuild a transmission because of ground down input shaft splines for $560.

[k_enn]

Thanks guys.

I have long suspected that the winter storage problem was moisture related.  On the winter storage, I attributed the moisture to various temperature fluctuations that occur with the onset of winter.  I never thought about a summer problem.  While northern New Jersey is not as humid as many other parts of the country, I now realized that we do get ocassional high humidity in the summer for serveral days at a time, and this is probably what caused the problem.  

I was familiar with Snowbum's method, but am a little leary of riding when the clutch does not work as my street is a busy street with a lot traffic at 45 - 50 mph.   My previously used method (start in neutral, keep rms low, pull in clutch, grab brakes fully, and drop into first) is a variant on his method, but would not work this time because the engine was running too rough to keep it in the right rpm range.  

I tried my thought of using the starter to break it free.  With the bike in first, clutch lever pulled in, carbs dry and gas off, and brakes on full, I hit the starter button.  No grinding, but more of a lurch than I expected and I instinctively backed off the starter button.  Since I did not hear any nasty gear sounds, I gave it another try.  On the second try, I was more prepared and it worked.  

Clutch is now unstuck, and the bike is back to idling normally.  Time to arrange for a spline lube, and clutch inspection.  

k_enn

P.S.  Considering that the bike has been sittting unused for 2 months and not on any charger, the battery had quite a bit of juice.  The battery is over a year old, and had plenty of juice for several starts yesterday, 2 starter runs to break the clutch free, and 2 starts to make sure the engine was running right -- with plenty of juice still left.  

[flybot]

"5.  it runs rough and after a minute or so it appeared that the clutch was beginning to burn (clutch smell and a trace of smoke from the gear box)."

Maybe Im miss understanding, but if its running and your sitting still, its not stuck. More like its binding, or out of adjustment. I would suspect spline lube or cable/lever adjustment. No need for any clutch freeing procedures since it isnt rigidly stuck to the clutch plate or flywheel.

EDIT: I see now you are up and running. Has to be the splines.

[k_enn]

"5.  it runs rough and after a minute or so it appeared that the clutch was beginning to burn (clutch smell and a trace of smoke from the gear box)."

Maybe Im miss understanding, but if its running and your sitting still, its not stuck. More like its binding, or out of adjustment. I would suspect spline lube or cable/lever adjustment. No need for any clutch freeing procedures since it isnt rigidly stuck to the clutch plate or flywheel.

EDIT: I see now you are up and running. Has to be the splines.

FYI, the rough running / apparent clutch overheating was with the bike in neutral.  

I am not sure why there was what appeared to be overheating of the clutch.  I have been doing some research on the issue of a stuck clutch.  That research indicates that while it can be the splines, it is more likely moisture and rust bonding going on with the clutch plates.

k_enn

[bruce_launceston]

My clutch stuck solid in just a week after I washed the bike and put it away without running it.
Now I always make sure I run the bike and use the clutch a few times to dry the clutch plate off before garaging it after a wash.

I think in the end I started it on the centrestand with the rear wheel up off the floor and jabbed the rear brake on untill it released. I remember it took a while and I tried a few different techniques to get it to release.