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T-Series So much for a nice drive the clutch has gone loco

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Stewart

Stewart

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Made it 10 feet out of the garage then had to pull back in. Clutch is very very funky. At full pedal depression there is a light squealing and a fast pulsing in the pedal. Clutch does not engage till 2 inches from the top of the pedal travel and I can shift without problem with the clutch pedal depresed at 2 inches.

Any ideas on what could of happend. It was fine the last time I drove it in august and it looks like its only done 200 miles since then. Clutch system was completely replaced 6500 miles ago.
 
Can you say "broken pressure plate"? (or more accurately "cracked diaphram disk")
Sorry
Bill
 
Nahhh... Composite TO bearing has taken a Brody.
 
On topic but a bit off to the side. When you install a TO bearing, do you grease any the face it. When you install a Pressure plate should you degrease with Lacquer thinner?
 
Did you replace the hose when you did the clutch?

If it's swollen up on the inside (typical failure mode) it will trap fluid and move the effective pedal up. It's also much more likely to die while unused. The pulsing symptom is more common when when the motor is warm but who knows?

If it was the T.O. bearing, the pedal should drop rather than rise. The pressure plate could only get longer (reduce travel) if the arms could move outward. I don't know how would that happen.
 
Vinnie, no grease on the throwout bearing, and it's always a good idea to degrease the surface of the pressure plate. Brake cleaner works very well for this, as does lacquer thinner or acetone.
Jeff
 
Replaced everything when I did the restoration master/slave/hose/entire clutch assembly. The only thing prior to noticing this was a slight whirring sound when hot only when the clutch was let out in neutral which I figured was the transmission and from what I could tell from reading was not a big deal.
 
Yeah, the whirring sound s/b the trans. I suppose if the clutch disk actually collapsed it would allow the pressure plate mating face to move outwards as thought the disk was worn out but that would be just plain weird! Does the clutch slip under acceleration?

Get someone to press the pedal while you watch the slave cylinder. It should travel around 10 - 12mm and should travel with the evenly pedal movement. If it's less and smooth, it's probably a hydraulic problem. Otherwise, it's got to be inside. Ouch!

Good luck!
 
Did a quick drive with it this evening and the clutch is not slipping and the engagement is smooth. Have all the parts lined up now I just have to find a hoist and then the games begin. This really kills me as the car is running beyond fantastic otherwise.
 
Stewart,

I bought a 2-ton cherry picker on sale at Pep Boys a few weeks ago. If you have a way to move it, you can borrow it (at your own risk, of course!)If the schedule works, you may get free labor (and hauling?) in the deal as I would like to do an R&R with someone who has done it before doing it myself. (I did a zillion VW engines many years ago and considerable work on the MGs more recently so at least I do know which end of a /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif to hold.)

What I don't have yet is a chain or a balancer-pully-thingie to attach to the motor.

(I'm in Encino so this offer only applies if you are working in So. Pasadena - NOT Grand Forks....!)

If you are interested, send me a PM with a phone number.
 
Thanks for the offer I will let you know if it's going to be needed. Your more than welcome to come out and watch the only catch is the work will most likely be done down in norco sometime right after christmass.
 
Norco's a bit of a schlep. I'll probably pass but thanks for the invite!

Adam
 
Don't know if this applies to MGBs, but my newly rebuilt MGA was exhibiting similar problems. The free play on the clutch push rod was not correct. Adjusting it to the correct clearance cured the problem.
 
The hydraulics on Slave Cyl only moves a little. If your pushrod on the MC or the slave is worn say 1/16" the clutch will feel worn. Every 1/16" counts.
 
Well its finally fixed and I'm beat. Throw out bearing was completely gone except for a small sliver on one half. Cant belive that happened in less than 8k miles. I hope this one lasts because the rubber mounts on the rb cars are evil.
 
new here, but some experience.

FWW... a worn throwout as you describe will come from a poorly adjusted pushrod... too tight(long), specificly, or not quite complete bleeding. too long a pushrod keeps the throwout aginst the pressure plate too hard all the time. same as "riding the clutch" . there should be enough play that everything is just loose but with no excessive freeplay at rest.
sometimes,when not quite completely bled(every last little bit of air out), a small adjustment of the pushrod will make the clutch seem to work fine,but after sitting a while and/or some use, the last tiny bit of air will work out.... air will be replaced by fluid and the slave will take up all the slack in the pushrod, resulting in the same condition making the throw out wear prematurely.
 
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