Dieseled the clutch..

[Remps]

So a few days back I was on a road trip when my IP feed line cracked at the back of the motor, covering the underside with some gallons of diesel. Fixed the fuel line and got the diesel scrubbed off the truck, but now the clutch slips with over half throttle. So obviously some diesel made it's way into the bellhousing and coated the clutch. There are two open slots on the bellhousing behind the turbo, and a narrow slot at the bottom, where I think I can spray brakecleen in. My question is, will the brakecleen harm the clutch friction materials?

[dazedandconfused]

No it shouldn't harm it.

[ellis93]

Lord I hope not.......because I'd have screwed up a lot of new clutches lol

[Remps]

Ok, I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Spray the crap out of it, give it a 1/4 turn, spray it again, etc. I am thinking there is supposed to be plugs in the two slots in the bellhousing behind the turbo?? Could be where diesel got in to begin with.

[Remps]

Turns out those slots behind the turbo are just indentations. Sprayed a couple cans in from the bottom shut off and running, with the clutch pedal blocked down, and it still slips. Not quite as bad as it was, it will hold about 3/4 throttle now. Gotta drive it easy or turn the pump down till I get another clutch/engine in this thing one of these years.

[CumminsPower59]

I was going to comment earlier, but I wanted to see how the brake cleaner worked out. From my previous experience with friction surfaces, once they get some sort of petroleum product in them, not much is going to get it back out completely. I've gone through can after can to try and get truck brake linings cleaned up so the thing would work good enough to get to where I need it to go, but even then, the friction surfaces were pretty much FUBAR. I know, I know...apples to oranges...

You could always pull it out and blast it again, get it as dry as possible. May end up working....? If it were my pile, I'd give 'er a try

[ellis93]

I was going to comment earlier, but I wanted to see how the brake cleaner worked out. From my previous experience with friction surfaces, once they get some sort of petroleum product in them, not much is going to get it back out completely. I've gone through can after can to try and get truck brake linings cleaned up so the thing would work good enough to get to where I need it to go, but even then, the friction surfaces were pretty much FUBAR. I know, I know...apples to oranges...

You could always pull it out and blast it again, get it as dry as possible. May end up working....? If it were my pile, I'd give 'er a try

Dad and grandpa use to set 18wheeler shoes on fire to dry them out
Basically sweating out the axle grease.

[Remps]

Yea, that's what I was afraid of, the frictions soaking up the diesel like a sponge. If I pulled the trans and the clutch and threw the clutch in a vat of brake cleen, it'd prolly fix it. When this motor eventually comes out, I am going to silicone the friggin bellhousing to the block to avoid this ever happening again. Also going to make a rubber plug I can jam into the narrow slot at the bottom. Although I don't think that's where the diesel got in, it's the only opening in the bellhousing. There is a rubber plug and a little metal plate with two bolts behind the turbo on the bellhousing that I pulled when brake cleening, but didn't look like it was letting brake cleen get where I needed it to go. So I sprayed most of it in from the bottom. The clutch actually feels a little grabbier now than it did before this happened, just doesn't quite have the same holding power as before.

[Farmboy]

Do some power braking in the driveway.. When it starts smoking, lay off it. That ought to dry er out..