TROUBLESOME CLUTCH ?

NZ Truth, Issue 1190, 20 September 1928, Page 15

TROUBLESOME CLUTCH ?

Thick Oil Causes Even the Best Of Them To Slip

Among the man^ troubles whi t nimity of an owner are those ii IN ih© last five or six years very great improvements have been, made >to this important unit of the' car, but even the best of clutches will slipV and when this occurs a good deal, of damage can be done if the job of correcting the trouble la not set about m the proper manner. - . In nearly every case where such slipping is experienced it is due to,an overplus of thick oil finding its way on to the clutch faces. The remedy for this state of affairs is to clean the excess oil away. This can be done by means -of thoroughly swilling the clutch out with petrol." '■'..' ' It is advisable to use kerosene for the first flushing, as this seems to get deeper into the plates and allows .the petrol to make a cleaner job. ' In most cars there is an inspection plate m the top of the clutch housing, and this will have to be removed* : - •• . :, While an assistant pushes the clutch 6ut;as : far as' it will go.^about a 1 cupful of kerosene should be squirted, by means of a long-necked oil-can, between the'' plates; V The clutch can then be let m and the engine started. •■ :

Lch are liable to upset the equar icidental to the clutch. With the clutch running at a medium speed, the centrifugal force will throw the kerosene off the plates, carrying a large percentage of the excess oil with it. The same process can then be repeated two or three times with the petrol, using about a oupful each time. With a dry plate clutch no further work will be needed, but m the case of the metal unit a small- amount- 'of. light oil, such as "3 m 1," should be injected ■between the plates. After the.olutoh has been cleaned . m this manner, It will quite often be found that slipping still ocours. This Is due to an entirely different cause. . . ■ The clutch plates being, clean, they require the rearward travel , of . the clutch pedal to be greater before they are brought into close contact. The clutch pedal will either be' found to come back against the footbo.ards or the stop set screw which is 'fitted to' some clutch pedals ;wiil be ; foundscrewed down too far. : Slightly lifting the floor" board "by means of a rubber or fibre pad, or easing the set screw until the clutch is fully engaged, will cure the slipping.