Easy way to clean a clutch plate

[WilliamTO-35]

About 15 years ago, I was having trouble with the clutch sticking closed on my Ferguson TO-35. That is, it would not disengage some of the time when I pushed in the clutch pedal. ( I managed to put part of my front loader through my closed garage door as a result !)
I knew engine oil , and perhaps transmission fluid, was getting into the clutch housing , from the drippings, and apparently the clutch disc was gluing itself to the flywheel. Adjustment of the throwout bearing yoke didn't solve the problem. I had heard about using a CO2 fire extinguisher to clean off a clutch, but instead I used a mixture of mineral spirits and lacquer thinner sprayed into the clutch housing , using a siphon sprayer and my air compressor. I probably sprayed a gallon of solvent onto the clutch . It worked like a charm, and I've had no more problems with the clutch for the last 15 years of occasional use. (In retrospect, using straight mineral spirits would have been safer .) Sure, I know, it was a shortcut, but we just don't all have the time and money to tear down old equipment and replace parts when the machine is only used occasionally.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Brake cleaner works good for cleaning oil off of a clutch facing. The trick is to get whatever you use to wash away the oil to evaporate so there's no residue from the "cure".

 

[lhfarm]

Brake cleaner works good for cleaning oil off of a clutch facing. The trick is to get whatever you use to wash away the oil to evaporate so there's no residue from the "cure".

I've got a '79 CJ7 jeep with a clutch that grabs. I'm sure it is comtaminated with oil from a blown valve cover incident. I've been trying to find the time to replace the clutch, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I'm going to see if there is an inspection plate that I can use to give it a brake cleaner bath.
Thanks to both of you for posting the tip!

 

[Soundguy]

Can't agree more with FWJ.

spray carb or brake cleaner is the 'cheap' fix of choice for many ford owners unwilling to replace their 3$ tranny input shaft seal.

Cleans good, evaps fast.. and leaves no residue.

Soundguy

 

[WilliamTO-35]

I'm sure brake cleaner is a good choice for many such jobs, given that it's designed for use on friction pad components. However, my choice of lacquer thinner and mineral spirits was quite effective, and not randomly chosen. I would have needed a gallon of brake cleaner, which at the time was a lot more expensive. Lacquer thinner leaves no residue, and mineral spirits leaves only a very small residue. Considering that the clutch had been soaking in motor oil for several years, ( rear main bearing seal leak), I doubt that the tiny residue from mineral spirits would be of any concern. Lacquer thinner is a very strong solvent , and works well on oil residues. Mixing the lacquer thinner and mineral spirits was done to prevent too rapid an evaporation of the lacquer thinner, so that it could soak into the oil sludge over a period of an hour or two and loosen it . Brake cleaner evaporates fairly rapidly. Overspray from lacquer thinner will ruin paint, however, so that's a consideration on some vehicles. And, of course, my paint type solvents are highly flammable, and may not meet various local air quality regulations if you run a business. So, I think the choice of solvents does depend on the particulars of the job, and in my case there was a very large amount of sludge and baked on oil to remove. Fortunately, there was a convenient access hole at the bottom of the bellhousing. Having had no more problems for 15 years now, I'm satisfied with my approach.

 

[Soundguy]

Check yer cans.. laq thinner is .. or used to be a component to many 'spray' cleaners.

If you want you can also mix naptha into the MS / laq thinner... etc.

Soundguy