Morris Minor Owners Club

The gearbox's i was sent were from a 1098 so i can only assume so!

Although i did try fitting my original box that worked for over a year and that didn't seem to work either. I didn't fully test it i just noted how close the lever arm came to the casing of the gearbox. It was the same for both box's. There was no physical way the lever arm could push the clutch plate in due to it hitting the casing.

I'm beginning to wonder if your 'lost 4th gear' was maybe just terrible clutch slip ? I honestly can't see how else you could lose 4th gear........ Is it possible the clutch plate is worn down to the rivets - and/or fitted wrong way round ? Can you post up pics of the release bearing you are using ? And - having re-read the thread, sorry! - I see that the 'lost 4th gear' was the first box - and 'no reverse' was the 2nd box......... So - have you looked inside this 3rd box - and - are the boxes all definitely 1098 type - with ribbed casings ?

I will take a photo later at lunch time when i pop home.

I couldn't even select 4th gear on that box so i thought it would have been the sincro?

Looking at the 2 poor photo's can you tell what clutch it is or what car it came from. ( i didn't purchase it so i have no idea where it was from) it looks similar to a midget/sprite clutch as i saw a drawing on Moss Europe's website.

When fitting the engine in the car i tried fitting the 1098 clutch but it would not fit to this flywheel. (if memory serves me right)

Hmmm - well - couldn't select could indeed be something broken in the selector mech. The clutch does look a bit odd to me - what engine is in the car ?? I can see a thick 1098 type backplate -so if it's a 1098 flywheel - it should take the 1098 clutch.......

its a 1275 (but whiich type i don't know). it was given to me, they guy who gave it to me didn't know where it came from either.

It had a standard 1098 oil filter on it, in the same place and with filter underneath as my old 1098. It now has a screw on type with the filter sitting underneath

I remmeber trying to fit the 1098 flywheel aswell and i couldn't because where it attches to the crank has 6 holes (i Think) and the 1098 had 4??

I havn't looked in this gearbox yet but have put it in and out of every gear and it feels ok. With a definate engagment on each gear.

All box's are ribbed.

Ahhh right - so it's a 1275 Spridget engine (best one to have) and that will be the Spridget flywheel and clutch. Best investigate the state of the clutch plate.

that really doesn't look like a normal 1098 clutch cover. I'd guess it's original for the engine, but not for a minor.

The 1098 clutch is very deep dished, therefore the release bearing was modified to cope with the different offset.
If the lever is in the fully travelled position before it operates the clutch, then one thing you can try is to use a 948 release bearing (it works on Midget clutch with 1098 bocx). This is possibly fixing the wrong problem, but should probably work. The 1275 midget clutch is usually seen as to jerky for a Minor - modifying the lever ratio of the clutch pedal is one fix for that.

Personally I'd pick up the 1098 clutch - even if it's a just second hand cover + a new disk. You'll need to get a 1098 flywheel modified to 6 hole pattern to fit the crank, but that's not too hard.

I will check the clutch plate later tonight.

rayofleamington - The strange problem i have is, It was all working fine with my last gearbox now i have changed the gearbox and its not. So i put the old box back in and now thats not working either! Its very frustrating! The 1098 clutch wont fit this flywheel, i tried fitting my original 1098 clutch from my 1098 enigne.

The 1098 clutch wont fit this flywheel, i tried fitting my original 1098 clutch from my 1098 enigne.

you need 1098 flywheel and clutch, aand the flywheel isn't a straight fit until you get it modified to fit the 6 bolt crank

Using a 948 release bearing should get you going...

right here are the pics of the bearing's the first is from my newest gearbox and the secnd is what i used with this the engine for about 1 year.
Sorry for the bad photos. Its all i could get in a hurry.

Is the difference between the 1098 and 948 bearings just the tickness then?
would i also need to get a 948 lever arm?


[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

They look like the type you need - as long in the arm as possible. Must be worn plate I think. I would stick with that flywheel if you can - modifying a 1098 flywheel is a bit iffy because there is no proper location boss to the crank centre.

I will keep to this flywheel and set up. Its worked for me for years so hopefully a new clutch kit will sort me out then. I am dying to take the car for a proper run after its 4 year rebuild!

Where is the best place to get a clutch kit for my engine then?

I think you only may need a plate - not a complete 'kit'. You say it worked for you before - did it work with that engine ?

Your clutch cover looks wrong to me.
There is something odd about the centre part, it looks unfinished.
Enlarge the picture from;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MORRIS-MINOR-1098 ... 255c7e9877
There are several differences, but that is the cover I would expect to see.

We think it's a Spridget 1275 clutch of some make...........

Yeah it worked with this engine. i have driven around 30 miles with this set up. When i changed to my second gearbox it worked then aswell! It was only when i put the third box in the thrust bearing only just touched the pressure plate mm's before the lever arm hits the gearbox casing (the edge of the cut out which the lever arm goes through). Therefore could not depress the clutch only by 2mm max!

Its defo not a 1098 clutch. I will take it off later tonight and get some decent pictures of it and some part numbers.

Just had a little search for a new clutch and came accross the drawings below whilst looking on the MG owners club shop.
I think my clutch looks more like the 1500 clutch as the casing looks rounder than the more squared 1275 clutch? What do you guys think? I will be able to confirm this later with the part numbers.[frame][/frame]

1500 is the Triumph engine - maybe it's clutch can be used on a BMC 1275 - but I rather doubt it.

hmm...

As the Sprites/ Midgets use the same type of gearbox would fitting the lever arm and release bearing from one of them work instead of using what i have? Or would the leverage be the same?

They had hydraulic operation of the clutch - so different lever arm. I 'think' when the Triumph engine was fitted - it also had the Triumph gearbox - not the A series box.