Can you degrease a clutch disc?

[earossi]

As I tear down my motor, I have been degreasing all the parts as I go. I made the mistake of putting the RS clutch disc into my wash down system. As I was washing down the disc (just to remove the clutch dust), I realized that the recirculating fluid, which had been used to degrease other parts, was flowing degreaser as well as oil onto the disc.

The disc is reusable if I can be sure that I have removed all the hydrocarbon from the part. Is there a way to clean it up and be assured that the disc will not slip? If I can't do that, I guess I have to accept a $300 mistake and go on!

[ertech]

In the vintage harley world we use gas to clean clutches with great results
read this

best way to clean clutch plates and fibers? [Archive] - Shovelhead Forum

Thanks

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by earossi

As I tear down my motor, I have been degreasing all the parts as I go. I made the mistake of putting the RS clutch disc into my wash down system. As I was washing down the disc (just to remove the clutch dust), I realized that the recirculating fluid, which had been used to degrease other parts, was flowing degreaser as well as oil onto the disc.

The disc is reusable if I can be sure that I have removed all the hydrocarbon from the part. Is there a way to clean it up and be assured that the disc will not slip? If I can't do that, I guess I have to accept a $300 mistake and go on!

Hi Ernie,

Not really,.......I've seen slightly oiled discs in the past and tried everything to remove the oil from the linings. Organic linings cannot be adequately degreased to prevent slippage; only metallic ones can be cleaned.

[earossi]

Originally Posted by Steve@Rennsport

Hi Ernie,

Not really,.......I've seen slightly oiled discs in the past and tried everything to remove the oil from the linings. Organic linings cannot be adequately degreased to prevent slippage; only metallic ones can be cleaned.

Steve,

Thanks for the response. My memory suggested that I was screwed. I was hoping for some "miracle" answer; but, you bring the reality of experience. The disc had about 30k miles on it, so was on the border line for replacement. The decision is an easy one now. I should have the motor down to the heads this next week; so, I am beginning to make progress. And, still having fun, except for an occasional fit of stupidity!

[fred cook]

Once, long ago I was restoring an Alfa Romeo Gulia Spider with drum brakes, very unobtanium drum brakes! Each side had 3 aluminum shoes with rivited linings, 3 wheel cylinders and steel lined finned aluminum drums. The brake linings had been soaked very badly in oil and brake fluid and would have to be cleaned or replaced. This being in Georgia in the early 1970s, I did not know of a shop that I trusted to replace the linings without possibly damaging the shoes. So, I went thru a process of soaking the linings in gasoline and then burning it off. After each burning I would use a wire brush to scrub the surface of the brake lining. It took a dozen or more treatments to finally get the linings clean in appearance and to the touch. When reassembled, adjusted and bled, they worked quite well. So, I guess the question that you have to answer is, how much is your time worth, knowing that if your cleaning is not complete you will have to pull the engine again? If it was me, I would buy a new disc.

[earossi]

Fred,

I wonder if you ended up with my old Alfa? I had a 1957 Spider in 1963 that I ended up keeping only about a month while in college in Atlanta.

Yeah, my time is pretty expensive these days. I have made the decision to just buy a new disc. Unfortunately, I have the RS clutch in my 993, so the disc is close to $400 which makes my stupidity an expensive lesson!

[fred cook]

Originally Posted by earossi

Fred,

I wonder if you ended up with my old Alfa? I had a 1957 Spider in 1963 that I ended up keeping only about a month while in college in Atlanta.

Yeah, my time is pretty expensive these days. I have made the decision to just buy a new disc. Unfortunately, I have the RS clutch in my 993, so the disc is close to $400 which makes my stupidity an expensive lesson!

Your old car, as the one that I had was a '62 or '63 with the 1600 single carb engine. The one that you had would have had the 1300 cc engine. Were you at Georgia Tech in Atlanta? And, while you had your Alfa did you ever take it to AutoVeloce for Paul Spruell to work on it? I worked for Paul for about 3 years in the mid 70s, mostly building engines.

[jhhaas]

I poured Coca Cola down between the case and tranny to clean oil off the disc on a race weekend from a leaking seal. It worked but obviously did not fix the leak so I would only get 4 or 5 laps in at a time but hey...it was good for those four or five laps

[burgermeister]

I've soaked a beetle disc in gasoline & then set fire to it with good results. While you've got mineral spirits all over your disc, there may be less oil than you think - certainly less than if you had a leaky main seal for a while - so it might work for you.

But, engine removal isn't 30 minutes with the 911, and the power output is a bit more as well - if you mind possibly doing it twice, I'd get a new disc.

[haycait911]

I've had very good luck cleaning a 915 disc. a good solvent wash, then, while still wet with solvent, put into a bucket with dry portland cement. not the pre-mix with sand but straight cement powder. left it in a couple of weeks, mixing things around once in a while. take out and rinse well with water. came out without a trace of oil and no trace of slippage using it drag racing with my 3.0. the cement pulls oil out of everything.

ps. also works great on oil stains on concrete and ashpalt. will suck very old oil stains out of concrete.

[patkeefe]

I am currently removing the engine from the SC, which I just put back in not long ago. My clutch slips. It got oiled when I blew out the crank seal. I tried a whole case of carb cleaner on it, and it still slips. Needs to be relined, or a new disc installed.

Sometimes you get lucky. I didn't. BTW, I have a local guy who will reline the disc for like $150. Sachs Power Clutches are quite expensive, new.

I'm going to try the Portland cement trick on the floor; thanks haycait!