What should I use to clean the surface of my new pressure plate, I do not have rubbing alcohol.

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P.j. "yellow jacket"

I used lacquer thinner to clean mine.
(edit for spelling)
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AIM-jaxpac257

[This message has been edited by paulcal (edited 03-23-2005).]

Use brake clean or kerosine, just make sure you wipe off all the excess and let it evaporate before putting the clutch disk on it.

actually kerosene, and most petrolium products, will leave a film of oil residue. use brake kleen which is available at vertually all auto parts stores, and once the parts are clean only handle them by the edges or use a clean cloth or paper towell.

Brake or carb cleaner.

Oh darnit.. I completely forgot about spraying the pressure plate and flywheel with solvent before I put 'em together. Should I take them apart to do so now? Already got the tranny and engine mounted together :-(

-Steven

[This message has been edited by Steven Snyder (edited 03-24-2005).]

I helped a friend install a new clutch in his camaro. Will there be a problem if we didn't clean the plate. Id like to know cause I will have to do this on my 84 soon!

quote Originally posted by fieroelliott: I helped a friend install a new clutch in his camaro. Will there be a problem if we didn't clean the plate. Id like to know cause I will have to do this on my 84 soon!

Heh.. that makes two of us!

I use brake cleaner it works great. If you do not clean the oil of it will not work right and will lead to clutch failure. It is the same as getting oil on your brakes no grip.

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I use brake cleaner it works great. If you do not clean the oil of it will not work right and will lead to clutch failure. It is the same as getting oil on your brakes no grip.

... and with that I am off to the garage to seperate engine and tranny for a thorough cleaning!

EDIT: That sure went smoothly; I'm already done taking it apart, cleaning it, and putting it all back together! (1 hour)

[This message has been edited by Steven Snyder (edited 03-24-2005).]

For those of you that asked, the cause of clutch failure if you don't clean the plate and the flywheel is the stuff they spray on it to prevent rust while they are stored on the shelf ( something like cosmoline) If you don' clean it it is like having oil on the clutch. As mentioned brakeclean works excelent.

quote Originally posted by helmes: For those of you that asked, the cause of clutch failure if you don't clean the plate and the flywheel is the stuff they spray on it to prevent rust while they are stored on the shelf ( something like cosmoline) If you don' clean it it is like having oil on the clutch. As mentioned brakeclean works excelent.

ug...did not know that....when I did my auto-to-manual swap, I just slapped it all together....new flywheel & clutch, out the box - onto the car....
I expect the flywheel had a coat of stuff on it too....yay

For that AND brake rotors, I use laquer thinner or brake cleaner.

quote Originally posted by Steven Snyder: Oh darnit.. I completely forgot about spraying the pressure plate and flywheel with solvent before I put 'em together. Should I take them apart to do so now? Already got the tranny and engine mounted together :-( -Steven

If you don't take it apart and clean it now...then you will do it once you run the car. I blued my first pressure plate the first time I replaced it b/c of the residue on the pressure plate. Had to get another on b/c it took the temper out of the springs. I also replaced the clutch b/c it had the petroleum product from the pressure plate embeded in it...and I didn't want to take a change on doing the job a third time. Though it did not hurt the flywheel at all...and I got real good at dropping the cradle...I won't make that mistake again.

Good luck.

Frank

I also heard brake fluid works?

quote Originally posted by netpro55: I also heard brake fluid works?

you heard wrong. use brake kleen. it works and it's not expensive.

quote Originally posted by netpro55: I also heard brake fluid works?

Brake fluid is a light weight hydraulic OIL.....emphasis on OIL. Whoever keeps telling you this stuff is scary.

Alcohol solvents work very well in removing waxes and greases. If you do not have rubbing alcohol, which is isopropyl (very cheap), then there are a number of substitutes. I use 91% isopropyl a lot in my shop for a lot of things, since I can get it for 80 cents a quart.

Fuel line antifreeze, such as HEET (almost pure methanol) or ISO-HEET (almost pure isopropyl) can be used with good results. I have used HEET to start wood fires since it is very flammable. The fuel line deicers are very dry with no water, because pure alchohols soak up water quickly. (Interesting side note:
you can pour 50 ml of pure HEET into 50 ml of water, and you won't end up with 100 ml of liquid. You will have less, because the alcohol and water molecules co-mingle between each other)

In a pinch, Windex can be used. It dissolves grease and waxes well too. Just be sure to clean like you would clean glass to get it absolutely clear. Lots of Windex, and lots of paper towels.

Others have mentioned lacquer thinner, and although more expensive than alcohols, it dissolves the crud very effectively.

Denatured alcohol, ethanol with a poison, can be used also.

VERY expensive, would be Everclear, or PGA. Almost pure ethanol, but with the "booze" tax. But then, there is the temptation to clean your brains and guts with such a solvent.......

[This message has been edited by zardoz (edited 03-25-2005).]

I was pretty sure that I tossed my RAM clutch on without cleaning it a couple years ago! It seemed to work alright, probably burnt the crap off. I guess I got lucky. This time around I cleaned the flywheel and pressure plate with carb cleaner until it was squeaky clean.

quote Originally posted by zardoz: Others have mentioned lacquer thinner, and although more expensive than alcohols, it dissolves the crud very effectively.

It's very close to a universal solvent. Body shop guys use it for about everything. Warning: it desolves most paint, quickly.

Another great cleaner is orange cleaner. Works on lots of crud and is water clean-up. It will strip paint if left on for a while. It isn't an environmental polluter either.

Paint thinner works too, but on clutches I like break cleaner the best.