Can a hydraulic throw out bearing leak damage the clutch?

[leadfoot]

After my clutch hydraulic bearing leaked, I am worried that my new clutch is damaged... Can it be??

[Double Venom]

Sorry,
But absolutely if the fluid got on the clutch disc.
DV...not a good thing.

[Scott S]

Which do you have? If it is a Mcleod get rid of the banjo fittings and replace them with hard fittings. The flexable stainless lines will work fine with out the banjos.

I am going to have to disagree with DV, rarely does a leaky throwout bearing impact the disk, most of the fluid is thrown off by the fingers of the pressure plate.

Scott S

[Double Venom]

Scott,
Not disagreeing, but--- "IF" the hydraulic fluid got on the disc".

Did the fittings leak...drip,drip,drip. Did a line or the seal burst?
IF the fluid got on the disc, then the disc most likely will need replaced. I've cleaned some minor boo-boos with brake cleaner and the clutch seemed to work afterwords, but a drenching is another story.

DV...Easy to check once it's taken apart

[leadfoot]

DV you sure know how to wreck ones day...

Would it slip if dirty?

It is a newCenterforce dual friction.

[dalola]

This is a mistake made many times! CenterForce Dual Friction clutches and hydraulic throwout bearings are not good friends! They will work better if you remove the weights, but still not recommended. Call the mfg'r of the throwout bearing for clutch recommendations.

Ain't that right, DV!

~Dave

[jopper]

Dave, I have been using the Centerforce Dual friction with the McLeod hydraulic bearing. What are the problems associated with the combo? Wouldn't removing the weights reduce the clamping force?

Jerry

[jopper]

I just got off the line with the McLeod tech line.

He told me that the reason the Centerforce diaphram pressure plate doesn't work well with the hydraulic bearing is because of the centrifigal weights. When you first install the hydraulic bearing you set a distance of 1/8th inch clearance. Then when you bleed the clutch the bearing adjusts this distance out and is then ready to disengage the clutch with the next depression. What happens with the pressure plate is, when you run up the rpm's with the clutch disengaged the weights on the spring steel fingers cause the fingers to move against the hydraulic bearing moving it back into it's original position. So now when you go to shift the bearing has the original 1/8th inch free play.

He said to cut off the weights and the clutch will work fine. In fact he told me that he didn't want to sell me a new pressure plate because I didn't need one. I had actually called him to buy a new one and wanted to get his recommendation.

[Double Venom]

Ding-Ding-Ding!

Don't ya love Red at McCleod! One heck of a guy and don't forget "THEY" donated the entire clutch system for Jenny's car and INSISTED that they include a new flywheel when the one we had appeared just fine!

Dave... Right on fella! PSSSS Call our buddy Jay! He's been trying to get in touch with you.

DV... If it's normal clutch dust, then no it shouldn't slip

[Curt C.]

So what does that mean? It is harder to shift because the bearing has moved back? Does this shorten the life of the bearing? Damn it, I do not remember seeing anything about this in the instructions - Tilton. I obviously have a T/O bearing and Dual Friction

[jopper]

McLeod didn't mention anything to me about harder shifting or shortened bearing like. He said the clutch will work fine if you just remove the weights from the pressure plate.

The problem was when the weights moved the bearing back into its bore the first press of the clutch would close up the 1/8th inch again but not be enough to disengage the clutch completely, thus making it hard to get into the next gear. This only happens if you really spin it up, high rpm, which causes the weights to have enough centrifigal force to flex the spring steel forks towards the bearing.

I didn't get the guys name that I spoke to but I got the impression that he was the owner. Is his name Red. He said the Centerforce clutch was fine without the weights and the only reason he would sell me a new clutch was because he believed "HE" builds a better unit.

[Curt C.]

Called Tilton tech today. They say they have had good success running their T/O with a dual friction clutch. The guy seemed very knowledgable about the problems with other T/O bearing makes.