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TR2/3/3A tr3 freeway clutch

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sp53

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Have any of you tr3 people ever experienced the clutch pedal losing pressure on the freeway. Logically, I would think that it is an air problem that corrects itself when I drive in town simply because I am using the clutch more. But the unit is sound and bled?

George
 
By 'losing pressure' I take it to mean that depressing the clutch pedal does not disengage the clutch?

One reason for intermittent or partial clutch disengagement problems can be the Dreaded Broken Fork Pin, but I cannot envisage why this would just show up on the freeway.

I think I'd start by bleeding it again. Some slaves are tricky to bleed but I have never found the '3 to be so. Next I would crawl under there and see how much movement I'm getting when the clutch pedal is depressed (need a buddy for this).
 
Strange, but scary. Definitely, check it out, and bleed it again. Good thing it's not the brakes!

Mickey
 
Yeah, I've had a similar problem. Gets worse the longer you keep your foot off the clutch pedal ... I got to driving with my foot on the clutch so the hydraulics wouldn't bleed down. In my case, it was a bad return spring on the slave, combined with a broken taper pin that made the adjustment really bad. The slave still had enough travel to release the clutch, but at first the piston would only return as far as the clutch would push it. From that position everything worked OK. But if I drove for any length of time without using the clutch, the return spring would gradually push the slave piston home and then I'd have to pump the clutch up again before it would work.

The other possibility is a broken spring inside the MC.

Randall
 
Geo, you mention something about the dreaded fork pin. I just got back into the british car scene and I'm rebuilding a TR3. While I have the trans out, what is the fork problem and what can I do to prevent it while I'm rebuilding the engine and trans.
 
Thanks Geo I appreciate your knowledge; you keep it all grounded. You know British cars. I have been driving this tr3s since 1972 and it is obvious to me you have some time under hood. Anyways, I will double check and do what you suggest. Now, that I think about the problem more, I wonder could it be the spring inside the slave cylinder. I rebuilt it a couple of years ago and it is probably the original spring. Maybe it is just too weak to work right. In addition, the return spring is something other than original. When I bought the car in 72 it never had spring. Then later I bought one from Moss and it was so strong I could not get it too work properly. So I do not know. What do you think about the after market springs?

George
 
This is probably no help... my situation was the same as yours. When I got the '3 there was no (external) return spring on the slave. I figured I should make things right so I got a spring from Moss and put it on. Now the clutch didn't work right -- been a long time ago so I do not recall the exact symptom but it was undrivable. Went back to omitting the spring and all was fine.

Thanks for the compliment on my vast knowledge but I think you have mistaken me for someone else. OTOH -- back up a couple of replies and you'll find 'TR3driver' and I can tell you that is someone worth listening to.
 
Hi Randle and thanks for your comments. I am kinda afraid you might be right. I am setting here trying to figure out how to test your theory with out pulling the gearbox. I wonder if I pull the inspection cover maybe………. However, I did replace that pin over ten years ago when I put in a new clutch. I enjoyed the link that Geo turned us on to-- putting an addition bolt in-- I wished I would have. Anyways, I am restoring a 61tr3 now and yes that bolt was sheared off in a kinda funny way where it allowed movement, but worked! It probably rotated on the shaft ¼ inch back and forth. YHA and what was weird is it looked ok. Maybe I will just buy a brand new slave cylinder and see what happens?

Regards George
 
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