Pushed the clutch in while in deep water

[work765]

I was crossing a deep stream when the guy in front of me couldn't make it. I forgot and pushed the clutch in on my AX15 to stop.

I heard somewhere water can get in to it and to never push the clutch in while submerged.
Will I be ok? Or what should I do? It was fresh clean running water

Thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

I've never heard that. And can't quite imagine what it would hurt in a clutch that would not already be damaging with the pedal out, since the clutch and flywheel are always spinning with the engine.

I know some say don't do that in case you stall the engine, but maybe they're worried about the throwout bearing spinning and getting some water in the grease? If so, you're still ok until it stops working.
Same for the clutch actually. As long as it still works, it's still working.;D

But wait for others. I've been around a long time, but know for sure I have not heard everything yet. And plenty of good rules to follow that I probably don't!

Paul

 

[broncnaz]

I wouldnt worry about it. Water wont really hurt it. What tends to be the issue is mud/sand ect that may be in the water. If the water was clean no big deal if it was a mud hole still not a huge deal just means you could get mud on the disc surface and it may wear a little but still no big deal as it should more or less self clean.

 

[sykanr0ng]

They also tell you not to push the clutch in while crossing railroad tracks.

Not because of damage, but it's not a place that you want to stall the engine.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Don't push the clutch in has more to do with loosing momentum and loosing that bow wave when in water up to the hood. If it stayed running, the water wasn't deep enough for the "don't press the clutch in a water crossing" to matter.

 

[spray1963]

Wheeling here in South Florida involves mostly swampy deep mud and water, the issue we have with clutches and water is just like drum brakes and water. If the clutch is submerged and you push the clutch and disengage the pressure plate you have now soaked the disk in water. When you release the clutch many times the water will let the clutch slip and you have no power. Think about driving drum brakes through deep water and get them really wet, when you hit the brakes you don't have any until they dry out. The clutch has to dry out as well to engage. As long as the clutch is working now your fine.
Throw-out bearings don't last very long if the are constantly submerged in in water. I use the bearings that are greaseable and as long as you grease them after each trip they last pretty good.
As a kid I blew several clutches playing in the swamp. The '68 bronco I had then was a 200 six with no power anything, I could pull the motor and change a clutch on it in 45 minutes. I move a lot slower now!

 

[work765]

Good to know!! Thanks guys. I had some read some stuff awhile back about how bad it was to push the clutch in while submerged. So I was a little worried. But on the drive home it was shifting fine.

 

[Apogee]

I had a friend trash a clutch disc and warp a flywheel playing around in deep water in college, but he was asking for it. Overheating the clutch and then diving into deep water isn't doing anything any favors...