Ran out of Fluid...Clutch Pedal Pressure...

[peterh]

Hi Everyone,

First time posting and looking for help/suggestions/aspirin.

I have a 1961 3000 Mk1 in good condition. I've had it about 6 months and it's only got a couple of thousand miles after a rebuild on it. I'm a beginner when it comes to looking after an LBC.

Being in South Florida it hasn't had that much use over the last couple of months and when I took it out last weekend I had a bit of a problem. All of a sudden the clutch had no pressure in it and left me in neutral in the middle of traffic. Fortunately I got to the side of the road and was able to re-start the car a short time later in first gear and cover the 2 miles home without having to stop (kind of like a slow version of the movie speed!). Anyway it turns out that the brake/clutch fluid resovior was very low due to a leak which I think is what caused the problem in the first place. This weekend I topped up the fluid with Castrol LMA but the clutch pedal still does not seem to have much pressure to it.

The car now refuses to start. I checked the obvious stuff (yes it does have fuel in it) but am wondering if the clutch may be siezed or something and that is causing it not to crank.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

 

[aeronca65t]

Welcome.
If the brake fluid runs out of your hydraulic clutch linkage, simply adding fluid will not solve the problem. When the system was empty, air replaced the fluid in the system. You must "bleed" this air out of the system or your clutch pedal will not feel right.
You may wish to try "pumping" the clutch pedal up and down a number of times...this may cause the pedal to feel better temporarily, but you will still need to bleed the system (plus, figure out where the system is leaking).
Your clutch is probably unaffected by all of this.....the "clutch" and the "clutch hydraulic linkage" are two completely seperate mechanical systems.
The fact that your car will not start is likely to be unrelated. You may have "run down" the battery a bit, but nothing else in what you have said would indicate that the clutch problem is related to poor starting.
Poor starting would require the usual examination of spark and electrical system, fuel system, compression, etc.

 

[peterh]

Thanks...this will be my Sunday task if I can sneak out in the garage without anyone noticing.

I looked in my workshop manual and while it has directions for BN4 and BN6 it doesn't have specific instructions for 3000's. I assume that there must be a bleed screw somewhere. Could you point me in the right direction.

 

[ThomP]

The bleed screw is more or less between the bell housing and the frame on top of the slave cylinder on the right side of the bell housing. Pretty much where you can't see it. If you remove the transmission tunnel it is in plain sight, but removing the tunnel is a chore in it's self, so most people use a "stubby" wrench or one bent to Norm Knocks specifications to open and close the bleeder.

Not to discourage you, but I hope you like the taste of brake fluid. I can never seem to get the clutch bled without wearing or tasting brake fluid, because of the akward position required for the bleeder hose, catch jar and wrench.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Peter--

You don't say where in South Florida but I am in Miami--if you're not too far I might be able to help you tomorrow (Sunday)--call me at 305-793-9467.

 

[ThomP]

Mike, Pete's in Boca. Do three Healeys in the same general area make a quorum?

 

[Michael Oritt]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike, Pete's in Boca. Do three Healeys in the same general area make a quorum?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well Boca is a bit far for me. I do not have a Healey with me--both are back up in MD--but I am thinking about bringing one down when I come down here for the winter, in which case we should give serious consideration to starting a South Florida AHCA Chapter--I have seen a few others around Miami and know that there are some in the membership book who belong to the tampa Bay area for lack of anything closer.

 

[ThomP]

Bring it down. No place better than Fla. in the winter to drive your Healey.

Don't forget the Gold Coast Classic Car Show in February. Lots 'o nice LBCs and good company too. It is held in Lake Worth, Fl. The last "Classic" had 12 Big Healeys entered and (to my disappointment) not a single 100-4!

We are members of the Orlando chapter, but being a 3 hour drive, never go to the dinner meetings. A South Florida Chapter would be a nice thing.

 

[peterh]

Great news....I charged up the battery, drank a few beers while I waited and hey presto the old Healey started right up. I hate that when two unrelated problems conspire to be one really difficult problem.

Michael thank you for your kind offer of help. I will give you a call but can probably have a go at bleeding the Clutch on my own first...it's a long way up here to Boca from Miami. If I get into trouble I'll get Thom to wave his magic wand over it!

Cheers, Peter.

 

[peterh]

I managed to complete the job this evening and took it for a test spin. Things I learnt from this experience:

1. Check your brake fluid reservoir regularly
2. Check your brake fluid reservoir regularly
3. Check your brake fluid reservoir regularly

 

[bob hughes]

Peter
Did you sort the leak out as well, otherwise you will be doing it all over again in the near future.
There again practice makes perfect!!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

Bob