Cleaning an oil contaminated clutch plate. Is it possible?

[Lankytim]

Hi all,

 

I'm currently reassembling my Allegro 1500 which has been in bits for the last 6 years or so. The clutch was slipping due to a leaking crank seal, it's otherwise in good condition apart from being soaked in oil. Is there a way of recovering it?

 

I've tried heating it up with a hot air gun, the oil contamination sort of "sweated" out of the lining and evaporated in a big cloud of smoke. Eventually the smoke stopped. I've put it all back together but I'm unsure as to wether it will work or not. I'm too tight to fork out for a new clutch plate!

[twosmoke300]

Suck it and see

[Bren]

If you can be bothered taking it apart again after re assembling it then it's worth a pop.

[simmo]

A  trade rule of thumb used to be if you could write on it with chalk it was OK if you couldn't it was still impregnated with oil this may only be good for asbestos linings though.  Not really relevant but old school rally teams used to spray powder fire extinguishers over the mechanism as a short term get you to the end of stage fix.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I remember when I was a kid, my dad putting an oily clutch plate in metal bowl of petrol and dropping a match in it. This was for an HA Viva van, so it was probably only half a dozen bolts and the prop to get the box out if it didn't work. Knowing his financial situation at that time a new clutch would have been out of the question.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I've been told to dip the plate in thinners and then light it, the theory being that the thinners and oil will burn away while the lining won't.

 

It's one of the (few) bodges that I have yet to try for myself, though.

[Asimo]

I recall my dad boiling one in detergent succesfully. (VW Beetle so not much work involved) (Not much torque either)

[outlaw118]

Hmmm.... would be interested to know here too; The Shed has shat it's gearbox and the garage has said it will need to replace the clutch (150 miles old) if it's oily.

[dugong]

I'd spend the money on expunging the last of the oil (can you get neoprene seals?) and the rest on a new clutch. Less mither in the long term. I tried to clean the Amazon's clutch when the brilliantly* robust felt seal blew and it was a horror story of untold misery and Caledonian expletives. 

[Minimad5]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clutch-Plate-To-Fit-Austin-Allegro-Maxi-/191219845742?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2c85974a6e

[Lankytim]

I have my eyes on that, however it's more expensive than ££FREE££

[Squire_Dawson]

Surely 14 quid is money well spent as opposed to risking failure and having to do the job again, which can't be much fun on a 1500?

[Lankytim]

True dat...

[catsinthewelder]

After seeing that I'm feeling less tight about considering these tricks on the Disco's 100 mile worn but oily plate,  best price so far is £60.

[dugong]

£14 for a new clutch. How much is a neoprene crank oil seal? 

[Lankytim]

I've just put in a new crank seal, so the cause of the leak should be fixed.

[Pete-M]

Soak it in full fat Coke.

 

It was a common rally trick years ago. A couple of litres of coke will strip the oil and grease. Lancia would quite often use it when integrale clutches misbehaved on a stage.

 

If the clutch pushrod seal is failing add as much flour to the coke as you can keep suspended in the coke / flour mix and pour it into the bellhousing - it'll cake around the pushrod and seal a leak as a get you home trick.

 

The Coke will clean the clutch well though.

[cort16]

At 14 quid your running into levels of tighwadedness that can only be matched by running the old engine oil through some of your wifes old tights then calling it and oil change.

I recon it'll be money well spend else you;'ll be cursing yourself when you have take it all to bits again.

[Guest mat777]

From cleaning contaminated mountain bike disc brake pads, I can safely say the best method is to heat it up with a 2000+ degree Celsius blowtorch. Sustained heating until the metallic flakes in friction material are glowing white hot will drive off 99% of the oil in it, whereas the old trick of soaking in petrol then lighting it will leave combustion products behind as new, not quite so bad contaminants 

[stuboy]

flame?

[trigger]

Hang on, it's £14 for a new one and you want to piss about cleaning the old one still? What are you, northern?...

[dugong]

Hang on, it's £14 for a new one and you want to piss about cleaning the old one still? What are you, northern?...

I'm Northern and I'm telling Tim to get a new one.

I think it's a no brainer, but then again, Autoshite condones discs and pads from a scrapyard because they're cheaper, so what do I know?

[Pete-M]

What happened to Autoshite?

 

I thought £14 was more than the collective had ever spent on a car!

[trigger]

I spent £14 on a feu orange air freshener, what does that make me? Actually don't answer that.

[jakebullet]

I've done the blow lamp till oil stops coming out trick on oil soaked land rover series brake shoes before, and it appears to work. Well until the hub seal goes again.

[Lankytim]

Ok ok! I give in! I'll get a new clutch plate! If there was a sure fire way of recovering an oil soaked clutch id have rather have saved my money, however it doesnt seem certain that it will work.

 

Coke is quite pricey anyway.

[nacho man]

Not if you buy rola cola

[Lankytim]

Just googled “can I clean oil from a clutch plate?” and found this thread. Good to see I’m consistent. 
 

Yes, I’m going to order a new clutch. 

[jim89]

32 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

Just googled “can I clean oil from a clutch plate?” and found this thread. Good to see I’m consistent. 
 

Yes, I’m going to order a new clutch. 

Are they still £14?

[EyesWeldedShut]

33 minutes ago, jim89 said:

Are they still £14?

Nah - that was the 2014 price.
£25 this year (+10% surcharge if you pay in Scottish notes  )