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Oh no - clutch woes!

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neilh

neilh

Senior Member
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79 / 1500 midget -
Having finally got everything re installed the engine started fine. After a few minutes warm up the auto choke slowed it down fine, so I figured - lets see if it drives.

So, The clutch pedal goes down about 2/3 of the way before any significant resistance, then its firm and goes to the floor, followed by a major mashing of the gears as i try to shift!!!
The clutch & disc is all new, with original thrust bearing as it showed no signs of wear. I pulled the slave cylinder and checked the push rod - it has about 1/2 inch movement before it meets any resistance.

I feel the need to pull the engine again, but does anyone have any other ideas before i start!
TIA
neil
 
Sounds like maybe air in the system and the clutch is not releasing all the way. I do not think there should be that much travel before resistance is felt! It is either that or the bearing has disintegrated and not releasing the clutch. I would definitly try bleeding first! If there is air in the system, a little pumping on the pedal before shifting should allow it to work (just as a test)! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
re bled 2 times and no difference... pedal still goes 2/3rd way before i feel resistance from the . Definitely leaning towards thrust bearing!
 
Unfortunately it does sound that way. Can you use a flashlight and peek through an inspection hole and see the bearing to visually inspect it before you take everything out?
 
You do know there is an adjustment for travel on the cylinder? The rod that goes into the cylinder can be adjusted a bit for throw.
 
jlaird said:
You do know there is an adjustment for travel on the cylinder? The rod that goes into the cylinder can be adjusted a bit for throw.
Click to expand...
Not that I recall on a 1500 ... and not the 1/2 inch of free travel it has now at the release arm!
 
Acording to the VB catalog the 1500 clutch slave slides in a yoke which pinches it to hold it in place. Do you have it pushed fully forward such that if you move the rod with your hand you can only get about 1/16" front-to-rear motion?
Bill
 
Billm said:
Acording to the VB catalog the 1500 clutch slave slides in a yoke which pinches it to hold it in place. Do you have it pushed fully forward such that if you move the rod with your hand you can only get about 1/16" front-to-rear motion?
Bill
Click to expand...
VB is almost correct, it does slide in a yoke, but a retaining bolt on the yoke engages in a slot in the side of the slave cylinder such that there is no adjustment possible!
 
What is the condition of the master for the clutch? You can't bleed that,, can you? Does it need rebuilt?
 
Hi Neil, having gone through some headaches with my 1500 clutch, I can relate to some of your woes.

This may be a long shot, but by any chance is it a Quinton Hazell clutch? The first time I tried to change mine, I finally concluded I had a defective pressure plate, but in my case, it wouldn't show any signs of releasing. I replaced it with a Borg & Beck and it worked perfectly. I had gone to the extent of sticking a mirror through the starter hole, and saw that the pressure plate didn't move at all.

The slave should have about 5/8" of travel, so if you are only getting about 1/2" and the pedal isn't getting hard until 2/3 of the way down, you may still need to bleed it. Here's a gotcha I have found since I've had issues bleeding the 1500 clutch. If you do it by the book, there may be an air pocket trapped at the peak of the hose, and to get rid of it, you have to stomp the pedal quickly to the floor and release it quickly (bleeder closed at this point). That will get the air pocket to either burp up through the master cylinder reservoir, or get it into the slave. Then, bleed the slave once more and it should work.

You did make sure to get the clutch disk in the right way, yes?
 
Hi Neil,

Bleeding a clutch on a 1500 is nearly impossible due to the way the hose runs. Bleeding the clutch the way you would normally bleed your brakes or a clutch on any other car will NOT get all the air out. Because the hose run is higher than the master cylinder, air always gets trapped in the highest part of the hose run. Only extreme measures will get it out.

If your clutch hose is of the translucent variety, have some one pump the peddle while you watch under the bonnet, and you will probably see a big bubble moving back and forth in the hose.

My way of dealing with this is to bleed the clutch from the master. I jack up one side of the car getting the master as high as possible. I push down the clutch hose getting it as low as possible. I remove the pedal box cover and use a pry bar to depress the clutch. I loosen the clutch hose at the master just enough to see a little fluid. I watch the bubble and wait for it to make its way back up to the master. I push the clutch in, then I tighten the hose and release the clutch. Repeat alot and be sure to clean up any fluid that gets on the paint. A thick rag under the master will help with this.

I have seen many other tricks posted on the forum that may work better, but I have not tried them yet.

You may already know this, so forgive me if I am telling you something you already know.
 
Sparkydave, Morris.

Good points on the clutch bleeding, I'll take a good look at the hose and see if i can spot a bubble. I used a mityvac to bleed it, and it took forever to draw fluid, so you may be right on....
Neil
 
Just another thought- Is your master cylinder returning fully when you release the peddle? I have heard of the masters sticking in mid-stroke while the spring pulls the peddle up.
Bill
 
I don't see any air in the line, but i'm going to try the workshop manual method of bleeding - instead of the mityvac suction method... i'll post the results....
 
neilh said:
I don't see any air in the line, but i'm going to try the workshop manual method of bleeding - instead of the mityvac suction method... i'll post the results....
Click to expand...

Bleed per the book, she runs and shifts ... thanks to all
Neil
 
Yeeeeeeeee haaaawwwww!

I went through a lot of agony (and brake fluid) trying to bleed my clutch with my Mityvac.
 
Glad to hear it's working. I used the Mityvac successfully, once I found that quirk with the hose trapping the air pocket. Another thing I learned; if you remove the slave cylinder and reinstall it, you'll need to bleed it again, even if you don't disconnect the hose. Ask me how I know this :smile:.
 
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