Vintage Clutch Fluid

Hudsy Wudsy
Hudsy Wudsy Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
There's always a regular supply of vintage clutch fluid on ebay. I wouldn't be the one to open a vintage (factory) can of Hudsonite and use it, but there are numerous oil company and parts supply house brands available that have little value as collectibiles. Do you think that their use is ill advised? I'm no chemist, but until someone who knows better says so, I'm inclined to doubt if it's likely that any degradation to the product has occured. I'm open to your opinions on that , though. While I'm sure that these brands varried in quality when they were new, and none were as good as Hudonite, is it the consensus that these products are inferior to modern ATF?

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I remember when I was looking at getting new gear oil for the Model A, I did some looking around and calling around. What I found was that that oil in general has a 5 year shelf life, at least thats what I was told about it. So I would say it would be a bad idea to use lube thats 50+ years old.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Jim, You can get Hudsonite clutch fluid from the HET club store. Keep the old cans for your display shelf.
  • Hudsy Wudsy
    Hudsy Wudsy Senior Contributor
    Hudzilla wrote:
    Jim, You can get Hudsonite clutch fluid from the HET club store. Keep the old cans for your display shelf.



    On a quite recent thread discussing Hudson clutch parts and their suppliers, someone indicated that they didn't have the results that they expected when they used the Hudsonite that they bought from the club store. That's not the general consensus though, is it? Others of you have had sucess with the fluid, haven't you?
  • oldhudsons
    oldhudsons Senior Contributor
    Original Hudsonite has a distinctive smell, I don't know what the ingredient is that produces it. Auto trans. fluid seems to work but I wouldn't use anything else as the "job" of the fluid is to keep the cork soft & pliable.

    I've had problems with slippage when on the rare occasions I've used the "off brand" items & would recommend NOT using them!

    I've not used the Club Store product as have a large supply of the original.

    At one time the Club had some made by Permatex & it worked well, I don't know who supplies them now.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    James P. wrote:
    On a quite recent thread discussing Hudson clutch parts and their suppliers, someone indicated that they didn't have the results that they expected when they used the Hudsonite that they bought from the club store. That's not the general consensus though, is it? Others of you have had sucess with the fluid, haven't you?



    The store clutch fluid, also available from Doug Wildrick and other Club sources works fine. If the "expected results" were that it would repair a non-functioning clutch--not so much. If your clutch plates are stuck together from lack of use/running dry, Geoff Clark has posted a procedure for flushing the clutch using acetone and/or other solvents. Then you add the available Hudson clutch fluid.



    I hope everybody likes this posting or I will quit in a huff.:D
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Most of the folks I know driving with Hudson clutchs use ATF. I asked a couple about not using Hudsonite they all said ATF runs fine with no problems and is easy to get from the local auto store.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    51hornetA wrote:
    Most of the folks I know driving with Hudson clutchs use ATF. I asked a couple about not using Hudsonite they all said ATF runs fine with no problems and is easy to get from the local auto store.



    But then, you guys use Molson Golden for anti-freeze...:D
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    And maple syrup in the tranny works like gold. If its not cold we ain't happy. Its below zero and I am on my deck in shorts typing this....
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    For what it's worth, the clutch fluid sold by the Club Store is (or at least has been, traditionally) that which is brewed up by C&P Products of Maryland (run by an H-E-T member). The ingredients of this compound are identical with those used in the original Hudsonite, and C&P got the approval of American Motors to market the fluid.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    make that a ontario golson molden in a stubby... yuck !!! 40 year old beer. lol dermott.
  • SamJ
    SamJ Senior Contributor
    Gotta admit, Derm...I left the GWN, but I kept my Molson muscle...:D
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    $30.00 a 24 just to rent it , wobble pops while sitting on a running board at a cruise coming soon. dermott.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Oil, kerosene, diesel or gasoline, will not deteriorate in a hermetically sealed can. The only things which will cause them to go off is bacterial action if exposed to air and light. Hardy little critters, those microbes!

    Geoff.
  • Hudsy Wudsy
    Hudsy Wudsy Senior Contributor
    SamJ wrote:
    The store clutch fluid, also available from Doug Wildrick and other Club sources works fine. If the "expected results" were that it would repair a non-functioning clutch--not so much. If your clutch plates are stuck together from lack of use/running dry, Geoff Clark has posted a procedure for flushing the clutch using acetone and/or other solvents. Then you add the available Hudson clutch fluid.



    I hope everybody likes this posting or I will quit in a huff.:D

    I want to thank all of you for sharing your thoughts on this subject. SamJ, I would be most distressed if you quit in a huff. If you drove of in a HUFF, that would be a different matter. I like the mid-thirties streamliners the most...
  • russmaas
    russmaas Senior Contributor
    My father still has 3/4 barrel of clutch fluid left. He had a sample analysed overseas and they copied it and we bought a 55 gallon barrel of it. Need some, let us know. Also we had the corks reproduce, maybe sweden, to exact specs still have hundred's of those in a small barrel--if you want to recork your own clutch!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    what do you do , glue the corks on?
  • russmaas
    russmaas Senior Contributor
    Jimalberta wrote:
    what do you do , glue the corks on?



    Not quite... Put them on your stove top steamer and after they are moist push them in with the end of a spoon . Then cut it down on a lathe to the specs...does take some muscle. Pops has done hundreds of them that way over the last 25+ years. He did a run of 10-12 plates for Jack Miller when he was in business every couple months.
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