Hi All

Will the torment of my V8 ever end....

I was out and about on Sunday and noticed the clutch start slipping. I assumed it was due to the clutch pedal issues I was having before so stopped and checked it all and the pedal was returning properly and the resevouir full of clutch fluid. Jumped back in and it would hardly pull away. Nursed her all the way home with not enough bite left to get the car into the garage...

Whipped the bonnet off and examined the engine closer to see there was a nice stream of oil down the back and front of the engine (as it was clean new oil I hadn't noticed it when I was looking at the clutch res.). It appear the valley gasket in the V8 hadn't sealed both ends and when given a few revvs the oil was hitting the bottom of the gasket and getting out of the ends. The oil at the back looks like it has been getting into the bell housing and onto the clutch

Got a new set of gaskets (including a timing cover gasket as the other one I had was bodged with gasket sealent due to oil pressure issues...) and started stripping it tonight to replace them. While putting it back together one to the timing cover bolts snapped off (about 3mm below the surface).

This car really doesn't like me...

The long and short of my tail of woe is basically does anyone know if the clutch is retrieveable after it has had oil it?

As I am going to have to whip the engine out to stand a chance of getting the broken stud out if I use an entire can of clutch cleaner on it will it be OK or am I going to have to go to the expense of a new clutch too now? (the clutch that is in looked in very good condition last time I had the engine out).

Cheers

Mark

Damn!
Bad luck there
I'm sorry I cant offer much tech advice, but I hope you get it back on the road

I'm sure you will manage it

James

50 - 50 chance that a GOOD clean with brake cleaner might salvage it. By good I mean dunked over night, then sprayed clean. This might work but no guarantees. also you might get an issue with the friction material un-glueing/un-packing its self.
Other than that its time for a new plate.


Clive.

With the cost of Good brake cleaner i would suggest that a new plate straight away is the to go, in case this happens agains maybe a bead of silicon between the block and bell housing when reassembling might be a good idea?
Mac

quote:

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Originally posted by Paradoxia0

While putting it back together one to the timing cover bolts snapped off (about 3mm below the surface).

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I friend of mine baked the oil out of the clutch by sticking it in the oven on a high heat for a long time....

Pizzas round at his never tasted quite the same afterwards though

TBH I wouldn't chance it by just cleaning it and hoping for the best - you don't want to have to take the engine out again do you? From your description it is an old clutch anyway so it is probably best to get your wallet out.

quote:

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Originally posted by RazMan
TBH I wouldn't chance it by just cleaning it and hoping for the best - you don't want to have to take the engine out again do you? From your description it is an old clutch anyway so it is probably best to get your wallet out.

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Or get a BEC- they have wet clutches as standard

Just kidding... sorry to hear about it.... Considering changing over a clutch is a bit of a faff I'd throw some money at it and fit a new clutch... Although a clutch might improve enough to get the car into the garage with cleaning I can't imagine it'd improve that much for you to really be able to give it the beans...

Hi All

Thanks for the advice.

I agree, a new clutch is the safest option. More expense

I have also been recomended to examine the crank seal as that may be the source of the oil (aparently it would be very unlikely for the oil to be getting in the top of the bell housing onto the clutch). Hopfully that is OK as it was rebuilt as new 150miles ago by a V8 specialist.

The valley gasket is leaking under the end seals (due to me following some bad installation advice) so that needs to be replaced (and yes it was a composite).

Whilst the engine was drained I took the opportunity to replace the timing cover gasket as the one fitted was wrong (it was a 4litre one, not the 4.2 type) and that is how the timing cover bolt broke.

Fingers crossed we can get back on the road for the weekend!

Mark

quote:

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Originally posted by jambojeef
I friend of mine baked the oil out of the clutch by sticking it in the oven on a high heat for a long time....

Pizzas round at his never tasted quite the same afterwards though

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I bet that smelled interesting

LOL!

There will be no baking of clutches and talc here... With my cooking SWMBO will thikn it is dinner

Brief update:

The clutch is out, and there is very little noticable oil on the friction material (unless the entire thing is covered and I cannot see any difference!) I did notice that the metal part in the centre of the friction plate was oily. I have given it a good does of brake cleaner but still not sure what condition it is in... You know when you do something and realise it is parrot fassion and you don't actualy ahve a clue what you are looking at........


The bell housing was black inside with oil (which was claen before), and the back of the flywheel was oily so used engine degreaser to clean that out too. The oil seal on the back of the crank had only a little oil on it so assuning that has run there rather than been blown out of it.

The snapped bolt it still in - bring on the expert tomorrow!

Does anyone know how thick the friction material on a V8 clutch should be?

If I change the friction plate should I also change the pressure plate?

Thanks in advance yet again!

Mark

change the friction plate while its out. Havent read the reat of the thread but even a tad of oil on it and it will judder like buggery, becoming very annoying in short order!

No need to do the pressure plate, just clean that well in brake cleaner/thinners.

Update for anyone still following this thread...

New clutch is in, engine is back together (after snapped bolt removed) and all back together.

It appears that the clutch fork may have been at fault! When I was about to put the engine back in I thought I'd grease the clutch release fork again (as I had de-greaed the bell housing) and noticed that one of the slipper pads wouldn't come off. On closer inspection the end of the "shaft" that the slipper pads connect to was worn and that side of the fork was bent out a little

I straightened it up again and sorted out the slipper pad. Regreased, put it all back together and the clutch is as smooth as anything. No pedal sticking, no clutch slipping - spot on

The new clutch has made a MASSIVE difference. It bites about half way thought the pedal travel now (I think a pedal stop is in order) and when it bite it BITES. Wheelspun it is reverse on the driveway The is no slipping and the power is instant to the wheels and there is engine braking (never really noticed it so much before) so the grief appears to have been worth it.

Thanks for all your advise and input on this one.

Mark