John, we have found using CRC, non-flammable red can brake cleaner seems to work well. Drain whatever fluid is in the clutch now, simply put the red straw on the nozzle, spray the entire can in the clutch, install the plug, start and run the engine, pressing the clutch in and out. If you don't know the integrity of the clutch, adding cleaner could make it dis-lodge more "trash" than you want??, just a gamble. Hope this helps.
** - NOTE, we always disconnect the battery while doing this procedure. Depending on the year of your car, dropping the can could cause sparks on the battery post at the starter, so use caution!!

You won't find carbon tet to use, and it's not for someone unskilled in its use. It's definitely a carcinogen. Doug's suggestion makes sense to me. Brakleen has acetone and toluene in it. Similar to most carb cleaners also with toluene.

Sorry, that's the green flammable one. The red can, non-flammable contains perc, or perchloroethylene. Like carbon tet, it's carcinogenic, it's bad for the environment, and may have some longer term health hazards. Toluene is a better choice in my view. It's flammable, but you work around gasoline, and know how to deal with that hazard. https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/chemicals-and-contaminants/perchloroethylene-pce-perc

Carbon tetrachloride and perchloroethylene were some of the all-time favorite solvents used in degreasing operations at both individual and industrial scales. Their volatile, nonflammable solvent properties made them ideal. As Tim mentioned they are considered bad for human health and the environment. Toluene isn't quite as effective a degreaser as the previously mentioned chlorinated hydrocarbons, but will work just fine for this application.

On the scale you are using it common sense should keep you safe (good ventilation, don't breathe it, get it on you, wear gloves). The convenience and safety of using an aerosol can to load up the clutch is a definite plus in my mind.

good morning Doug
Thanks for the suggestion on the clutch rinse. When my son comes over today, we'll see if we can get the project going. I have three 53 hornets, two standard overdrives. When i told him about maybe doing a clutch replacement, he showed me your video on line. I'm glad to have a son not afraid of getting his hands banged up. If the solutions doesn't do the trick, we may look for leads from you.
Thanks again,
john schulien

I just thought that I would add that carbon tetrachloride used to be used in the dry cleaning industry for many years. It's an excellent degreaser as you know. Due to this being a carcinogen, it has been banned for some time now, and the industry moved to use perc, another chlorinated solvent. That has less severe potential for health and environmental issues as also noted above, but industry is moving away from chlorinated solvents as much as possible for many reasons related exactly to human health and environmental effects.

I just happened to have to pick up some items from the dry cleaners the other day and asked them what they are using. They no longer use perc at the dry cleaner I go to, and he suggested that by 2020, it will be banned for the dry cleaning industry altogether in Washington state ( a few places still use it currently). They use a product by Chevron Phillips called Soltrol, which is a hydrocarbon (paraffinic). So, somewhat like toluene, it does have some potential flammability hazards (less than toluene), but overall, much less hazardous to human health and the environment. It also is not as good a degreaser as the chlorinated solvents. Leaves much less odor in dry cleaned items though.

So please, when you use the chlorinated solvents, just dispose of them correctly. They are very persistent in the environment once they are released, especially into soils. I expect that the CRC solvent with perc won't be available all that many more years, although currently there is no new regulation (perhaps some deregulation?) planned.

I used to love the odor of carbon tet - and I'm still alive!