Clutch Fluid

stev1955
stev1955 Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
On my 30 Essex six whenever I go for a drive or even run the engine for a while the clutch fluid comes out around the throwout bearing and drips off the the flywheel when the engine is stopped. I don't mean all of it but I might get a puddle the size of a tennis ball on the garage floor after shutting the engine off. There was no seals around there when I had everything apart nor do I see any on the parts breakdown. Is this normal and do I just need to keep the clutch full of the proper amount of fluid?

Comments

  • Joe30Essex
    Joe30Essex Expert Adviser
    Steve,
    Are you sure it's Clutch Fluid? That happened on mine, but it was motor oil from the drain tube in the oil pan being plugged-up. Had to drop the pan and clean out the tube, and that took care of the problem.

    Joe
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Joe30Essex wrote:
    Steve,
    Are you sure it's Clutch Fluid? That happened on mine, but it was motor oil from the drain tube in the oil pan being plugged-up. Had to drop the pan and clean out the tube, and that took care of the problem.

    Joe

    What Joe said.

    A puddle "the size of a tennis ball" is quite a bit, considering the clutch only runs in a few ounces...:huh:
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    HI Steve,

    Here might be an easy way to tell if your puddle is engine oil, or clutch oil without dropping the oil pan.

    Drain the clutch, and refill with 1/2 pint of Dextron III automatic trans. fluid. Take it for a drive, then after it sits, check the color of the oil in your puddle on the floor. If it's red, it's the clutch leaking, if brown engine oil color...... there you go.

    Have been using Dextron III in the multi-disc clutch on my '20 Eszex for a couple years now, and it works great. Also has the added benefit of extra detergent additives that help to keep it all clean inside.

    Hope this may be a help.
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Thanks for the replies. Yeah it's red so I know it's clutch fluid. I had the clutch resurfaced by Ron Fellows and what's in there (or what's left) is the fluid he sent with the clutch. I really hadn't drove the car but around the neighborhood until recently as I just now got it road worthy. I'll empty and refill with the right amount of Dexron III and see how it goes.
  • Marconi
    Marconi Senior Contributor
    Should be a seal on the inside of the T.O. bearing that seals against the trans input shaft and a leather bellows type seal on the outside that seals the clutch cover.
  • stev1955
    stev1955 Expert Adviser
    Thanks Marconi. I did silicon seal the clutch cover to the flywheel but there was no seal inside the throwout bearing assembly. I thought maybe the grease packed in there would sort of seal the assembly against oil seepage but I quess that is not the case.
  • Clutchguy
    Clutchguy Senior Contributor
    Joe, if you are referring to the Essex on your icon, it doesn't have a positive seal. Marconi is correct with his description, but only Hudson got this starting in '32, Essex in '33, and then the new design in '34 for all. I beleive your Essex has a slinger ring built into the t-bearing ,but has no positive seal. The leather seal inside the later throw-out bearing stops fluid from running out once the engine is shut off,and must be good and in place. Slight sepage is common. Big spots of leaks should definately be addressed. Verify the p/pl.is not leaking. Also,did you clean and seal the flywheel back on,torque to specs?. Hope this helps, CG
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