Cleaning a clutch disc

It is safe.

The success you have will depend on how saturated it is.

 

we used to soak them in white gas and burn the oil out.

 

The other side of the coin is that, if you replace the clutch disc, you won't have to worry about:

1) What it was contaminated with,
2) How saturated it was,
3) How good a job you did removing the contamination and,
4) Doing the clutch job again in 1000 miles because the clutch shudders(assuming the leak is fixed).

Yep, done that....

 

yes, burn with fire. immerse the plate in gas overnight, remove and take outside and light it up with a torch. it will burn all the oil out of the clutch material. it only burns for a minute or so as the clutch material in inflammable. i've done it to vw clutches and harley clutch plates before.

 

And by "white gas" you mean something like Coleman stove fuel, not gasoline, right?

Just to keep everybody on the same page here...

 

How much cheaper is a clutch disc than the labor to replace it?

 

+1. Or, what is the labor cost if after it is back together, it ends up slipping and needs to be replaced anyway? I had the seals fail after a clutch job at the local dealer....about 11 months later, it was covered under Ferraris unlimited mileage warranty (only 4500 miles had passed), the clutch did not slip before, but they went ahead and installed a new disc.

 

correct.

 

Inflammable and flammable mean the same thing. It burns. Noninflammable is the word I believe your looking for. ​

 

I had the input shaft bearing and seal go south, maybe a year after replacing the clutch. The disc was previously relined with carbon/Kevlar by Centerforce, under warranty and was nearly "new" but wet with gear oil. Being the cheap ba$tard that i am, i soaked it several times with brake clean and scrubbed it with a stiff bristle brush, hopeing to exorcise the evil grease deamon from my disc.

After three track days and some serious clutch useage, i am satisfied that it worked - no slipage or grabbing.

my .02
chris

 

I know, but there's still a price for spending hours working on ones car.

 

Price?? Mental pleasure... and a great escape from the world. I try to pay that bill as often as possible.

But I agree with your original statement... I'd get a new disc.

But then, I'd probably soak the oily one in lacquer thinner until it quit leaching oil, brushing it down well. Dry it in the sun for a weekend then oil wipe the metal bits and wrap it up for a "rainy day" spare. And if I'm being totally honest, it would sit with the other spares for years and eventually get tossed.

Rick

 

Technically if the clutch disc would burn it would be "combustible". Flammable (and inflammable) are used regarding liquids, vapors and gasses.

 

A 355 clutch isn't too difficult to remove, cleaning the disc is certainly worth a try. I've had good success cleaning clutches and brake shoes on old British cars with brake cleaner. A can or two and a bunch of paper towels, maybe a small stiff wire brush and you're probably good to go.

 

Webster’s New World Dictionary College Edition, doesn’t state flammable and inflammable relate solely to liquids, gases, or vapors. Flammable and inflammable are defined as: “easily set on fire; that will burn readily or quickly; combustible”. I’m trying to think of a liquid that burns, and I can’t think of one without having it be in the gaseous state and then mixed with a certain amount of oxygen. There must be a bunch out there, however. I got splashed in my eyes with water in a swimming pool once. That burned. Naw, I don’t think that counts.​

 

Gasoline

 

Gasoline in a liquid form burns? I guess if it gets in your eyes.​

 

Gasoline does not burn. Only the fumes burn.

 

I guess if you really want to put a fine point on it gasoline has "vapor".


vapor - A gas formed by boiling or evaporating a liquid.

fumes - (chemistry) Particulate matter consisting of the solid particles generated by condensation from the gaseous state, generally after volatilization from melted substances, and often accompanied by a chemical reaction, such as oxidation.

 

so i suppose we now need a dictionary to clean an oily clutch plate? mae cupla.