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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil on clutch disc

As a result of an imperfect seal on the core plug at the back end of the cam, the clutch disc has some oil on it, and I was wondering if anyone has come across some method of cleaning it from the disc. I have had one recommendation using a chemical, that appears to require full body armour, face mask including breathing device¸ leather welding gloves, and I think steel toed boots. I'm looking for something a little more user friendly. I know a new replacement disc is one solution, but this one only has around 2000 miles on it and if there is a way to clean off the oil, I would like to give it a try. Any ideas greatfully appreciated.

George
George Raham [TD4224]

George, I'm being serious so don't laugh, I've become very impressed with kitty-litter's ability to absorb oil. The only issue I could see is to shake/blow all of it out of the springs when you're finished. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

george, how have you resealed the core plug? how many miles on the clutch? is the disc out of the car? my experience has been less than good on trying to remove oil from a contaminated disc. if the disc is not out of the car and you douche the clutch plate and disc...the best you can hope for is a friction surface that is clean and all lubrication removed from the input shaft splines and disc splines and probably the spigot bushing as well.
every time i have sought a short cut to any job i knew in the beginning a right way to do it, after trying the short cut, i ended up doing it the right way.
i think you should save yourself the time and modest expense of the solvent and do the job i think you know you have to do...pull the engine to fix the core plug and replace the disc (and pressure plate if there are a lot of miles on the clutch). pull just the gearbox if you managed to reseal the core plug.
i would be very suspect if i took my car to a garage to fix this problem and they told me they sprayed the clutch plate with solvent through the little inspection cover and i should be good to go.
just my two cents. good luck. regards, tom
tom peterson

George,
Before giving up try using brake cleaner to spray your clutch. It should clean the surface well enough of the excess oil to allow you to drive without a problem...assuming that you've sealed the core plug leak.
Gene
Gene Gillam

Must admit that I assumed that the disc was out of the car. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

Hmmmm ...Been a long time ago, but I had sucesss with a combanation of what two people said here on an Austin with the same problem. (had about 200 miles on the clutch when it when lost the seal).
I did a "shake-n-bake" in a large sack with kitty litter and let it sit in there for a few days, blew it off with an air hose, then used about 2/3 cans of brake cleaner, and air hosed it again.
As I recall, that clutch lasted for many years after doing this.
I did not have the $$ for a new clutch back then!
Time ...I had lots of.
Cheers,
David
David Sheward

Bud,
I must admit that I did crack a smile at your recommendation, but not an all out laugh. I would not have thought of kitty-litter, but it does makes sence when you consider it's ability to soak up liquids. You were also right in your assumption that the disc is out of the car.

Tom,
A new core plug will be used and sealed with J-B Weld. There is approximately 2000 miles on both the pressure plate and the clutch disc. As confirmed with Bud above, the disc is out of the car and on my bench.

Gene,
Brake cleaner was something that I had considered trying, and with your suggestion along with David's experience following the "shake-n-bake" operation, I think I might have the solution.

David,
Thanks for your great description for using the kitty-litter. Not much doubt about how to use it.

Thank you one and all for your great suggestions and comments.

George

George Raham [TD4224]

George,

One follow-up...SAMS Club sells a product called OIL-DRI Quicksorb in 25 and 40 lb bags. It's about the same price, if not cheaper than kitty litter, is finer but doesn't have the dust that kitty litter has. I only mention SAMS because I know it's there...you can probably find it at auto supply stores too. I'd try that before the kitty litter (unless you have cats at home).

Gene

Gene Gillam

One thing that I have used to soak up oil very sucessfully is saw dust,,, It works very well,,,,,

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

It's amazing the things you do, thinking at the timwe, "Well, it MIGHT work..." My grad-school TD had a bad oil leak and a wet clutch, so one night after I picked up a tire by the side of the road I drove to a UCLA parking lot where there were large stanchions set into the blacktop. I put the tire between a stanchion and the front bumper, put the car in 3rd, let out the clutch and let it run until the engine stalled, about 25 minutes. The oil on the clutch was burned off and the car ran fine for about another year, when the clutch finally gave out. Upon removal I saw that the springs, metal core of the disc and the cover were blued from all the generated heat!

Tom
t lange

"I'd try that before the kitty litter (unless you have cats at home)"
LOL ...My "kitty-litter" might just be sam's club oil dri!
I bought like 3 50lb bags of it ...uh, right before somebody ran over our cat!
It then went into a large container and got called "expensive oil-dry". With the cost of the operation the cat had just before some !@#$%^& chased it down in the yard and mashed it, I figure I have about $600 worth of oil-dri / kitty litter.
I haven't used much of it because I drive an MG ...and we all know they never leak oil!

Saw dust is good too ...I have a dead tree and your welcome to come "collect it" and keep all the saw dust... for free!

David Sheward

I remember way back when we had a black Ford (all cars were black then) It used to have a slippin
STEVE WINCZE

Hummm hit the wrong key,,,, It used to have a slipping clutch,,, and Dad used to blow some white powder on it using a straw through an inspection hole ,,,it sure stopped the slipping!!!!!!!!!
STEVE WINCZE

I worked in "Rock-n-Roll" for many years ...saw a lot of "white powder" go through a lot of straws....never saw it keep them from "slipping" though!

Wait: "Dad used to blow some white powder on it using a straw"

Nevermind.....
David Sheward

As i was typing my comment, I was making a list in my mind of people who would have a novel comment about it,,, and yes Dave, you should be happy to hear that you were up towards the top of the list !!!

Peace,
SPW
STEVE WINCZE

I have to quote "Popeye" here ...
"I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam...toot- toot".
Cheers, Safety Fast, and thanks...(I think)
I love you guys on this site for putting up with me all these years.
(I have to keep changing my name on Craigslist)
David Sheward

... an old hack ...

"d'y'know why the Brits don't make TVs?

... they haven't figgured out yet, how to make them leak oil"..

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

This thread was discussed between 24/07/2011 and 26/07/2011

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