Wet sump clutch is actually nothing but your regular wet type clutch in your bikes. Do not get confused by the term used, it is actually to put forth that inside the engine there is an oil sump present which is a pool of oil stored and later pumped all over the engine for lubrication and cooling purposes when in operation. We covered an article on dry clutch types but in real the wet type clutch system is a lot more used. In fact over 98% of the bikes manufactured all across the world come with a wet type clutch fitted as stock. Yes there are both good and bad sides to this which we are going to check out.
Wet type clutches are located inside the engine assembly, so if you look at the engine compartment, you will not be able to make out where the clutch assembly is located exactly. On the inside the clutch assembly is connected to the gearbox for the purpose it is made. The main thing about wet type clutches is they are kind of dipped on the oil all time. So it is not just that during the operation period they are lubricated with oil, but even when the engine is in the off state, the oil sump at the bottom of the engine case contains some of the clutch assembly dipped in it. There is a good reason for why that is. First of all the lubrication makes sure the clutch operation works smooth and noiselessly. Secondly it keeps the clutch ready and protects it from any sort of hardening or degradation being dipped in the oil. And also the oil makes sure temperature change has no effect on the clutch plate and hence even during cold starts, the clutch is perfectly more than capable to perform absolutely perfectly During the operation of the clutch, the wet clutch moves with the oil sump still in place, so there is a bit if power loss in transmission as the oil acts as a bit of a resistance to its operation. But in real life conditions, this hardly makes any difference and one will not even be able to make out any difference. This is the reason why almost all the bikes use wet type clutches as they have a longer life due to the internal operation and also have a low manufacturing and running cost since they have a longer life. Wet clutches are also more capable of handling slippages better since they are properly lubricated and hence there is no knocking and hammering of the clutch operations. Though this has absolutely no change in the performance of the clutch action being heavy or light, it all depends on the coil springs located in the clutch plate. Also in wet type clutches, the number of friction plates are also more than in dry type clutches. There is a small thing about wet clutches one has to be wary about and that is the engine oil of the bike. Since the clutch is dipped in the oil, whatever the clutch loses in friction, it all goes into the oil. This is the exact reason why bikes are given oil filters. It is to filter out all the particles of the clutch that get loose due to the friction of the clutch. This is the exact reason how the clutch slowly starts losing its effectiveness and needs replacement after certain time of operation.
Advantages of Wet Type Clutch:
Long life
Smooth operation
Heats up less and is cooled by engine oil
Less noise and knocking
Less maintenance issues
Capacity to handle slippages well
Less initial cost
Disadvantages of Wet Type Clutch:
Need for oil circulation
Need for oil filter and regular oil change (reduces the drain interval by some, but the overall impact is not so huge).
There is loss in horsepower due to resistance from engine oil.
Servicing is tough and needs dismantling of the engine casing and oil drain.
Wet clutches do have their own share of headaches, but overall they are still the best way to go in case of clutch operations. There is a very good chance that your current bike is running a wet type clutch, if so make sure to care for it properly and you must have yourself known that one does not really need to worry about the clutch at all, it is pretty much maintenance free. So make sure your clutch is in proper shape and do not ride on the clutch else it will reduce its life no matter which type it is. Ride hard, ride safe and stay tuned to safexbikes.com for everything about two wheelers.