Diesel on clutch = slippage

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:12 pm

Changed my fuel filter today, but in the process some diesel spilt out into the engine bay, thought nothing about it.

A few hours later set off in car & it was slipping something chronic, realised it may have been the diesel getting onto the clutch as the car had been absolutely fine until the filter change.

Er, will the diesel burn off under heat whilst using the car? or is there something else i can do to clean it off???

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:35 pm

Hmm, I thought the clutch housing was pretty much sealed? dunno,

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:37 pm

It should be possible to simply burn it out, by starting off in high gear, letting the clutch slip well and truly.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:49 pm

Cheers Anders, i'll give it a go tomorrow....i'll report back on success or failure....

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:50 pm

Yeah you could, but normal usage should see it sorted.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:05 am

Burning off large amounts of oil or diesel on the clutch is asking for trouble. You're likely to burn the friction material, overheat and crack the flywheel surface and overheat (and hence knacker) the spring plate. You may find that the clutch never stops slipping and you end up having to not only change it, but also have the flywheel re-faced.

My advice would be to use some cheap white spirit, and "spill" it into the same place as the diesel went. There are some fairly obvious holes in the top of the bellhousing, and I'll bet that's where the diesel went in. Do this with the clutch depressed so that you rinse the surfaces of the friction material, and then leave the clutch depressed with a bar while you leave it to dry.

I've also successfully used a strong mix of fairy-up liquid, and then rinsed it out well with a pressure washer (with the engine running, but the clutch depressed, gearbox in gear and handbrake solidly on to ensure a decent rinsing throughout the clutch) Thereafter leaving the car with the clutch depressed to allow it to completely dry out.

There is of course the risk of either contaminating the release bearing with water, or removing any lubricant there may (or may not) be on the input shaft splines, but if you're careful that risk is far less than the risk of damaging the clutch with excessive slippage.

It's worth spending some effort to make sure the clutch is cleaned off as changing a clutch that you didn't have to is unfunny.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:22 am

What he says.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 4:47 pm

DavidRutherford wrote:Burning off large amounts of oil or diesel on the clutch is asking for trouble. You're likely to burn the friction material, overheat and crack the flywheel surface and overheat (and hence knacker) the spring plate. You may find that the clutch never stops slipping and you end up having to not only change it, but also have the flywheel re-faced.

My advice would be to use some cheap white spirit, and "spill" it into the same place as the diesel went. There are some fairly obvious holes in the top of the bellhousing, and I'll bet that's where the diesel went in. Do this with the clutch depressed so that you rinse the surfaces of the friction material, and then leave the clutch depressed with a bar while you leave it to dry.

I've also successfully used a strong mix of fairy-up liquid, and then rinsed it out well with a pressure washer (with the engine running, but the clutch depressed, gearbox in gear and handbrake solidly on to ensure a decent rinsing throughout the clutch) Thereafter leaving the car with the clutch depressed to allow it to completely dry out.

There is of course the risk of either contaminating the release bearing with water, or removing any lubricant there may (or may not) be on the input shaft splines, but if you're careful that risk is far less than the risk of damaging the clutch with excessive slippage.

It's worth spending some effort to make sure the clutch is cleaned off as changing a clutch that you didn't have to is unfunny.

Thats the devil on the wall - worst case scenario.
Since you are depicting a big jobbie clutch change anyways - I'd certainly try my own option first - before splitting the drivetrain in halves.

If you dont try - you will never win

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:51 pm

Cheers for the advice chaps, it is better than it was, but i'm hoping driving it everyday will eventually burn it off over time, failing that i'll have a go at cleaning it with the methods described.....

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:20 pm

or a new one

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:59 pm

u never know Ken

, for my sake i hope not.....

Terry Brooks · Post by **Terry Brooks** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:49 pm

Hi Mulley ..........I did the same thing the first time I changed the deisel filter,it took around 60/70 miles or so to just wear off .............I was advised by some-one to pour coca-cola

down the clutch housing [in the same way as David R. describes with soapy water ................heavens knows what the guy who gave me that advice knows about "Coke"

] .........but I thought better of it and it just cleared up anyway.
T.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:19 pm

Terry Brooks wrote:heavens knows what the guy who gave me that advice knows about "Coke"

Cleans copper coins well?

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:28 pm

Sorry, did I miss something? Where did David split the drivetrain?

Terry Brooks · Post by **Terry Brooks** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:32 pm

Way2go wrote:
Terry Brooks wrote:heavens knows what the guy who gave me that advice knows about "Coke"
Cleans copper coins well?

So does HP Sauce and Heinz Ketchup

...............and I would'nt pour that F***er down either

T.