Morris Minor Owners Club

I have replaced the clutch thrust bearing in my '57 Minor in the last several months and things were running nicely (new gearbox fluid too), but just recently it has become "sticky" between gear changes, especially coming out of 2nd. Also a bit clicky into the gears. If the changes are done gently it's OK. I assume this may be a sign of synchro cones wearing out. If so, how long can the gearbox be nursed before an embarrassing seize-up on a rally?

Would love to know more on this subject myself--Thanks JBennet-----Bill

check oil level

If it's a bit "clicky" then make sure your clutch is adjusted properly, with the biting point about an inch from the TOP of the travel, not the bottom as is common with hydraulic clutches...

Try driving the car, and making sure that you push the pedal right to the floor before changing - does the clickiness go away?

gareth's got it there, clutch needs adjusting after 7 months. probably clutch drag. that 9/16 rachet ring spanner ive got is great for that

Thanks for the advice. I'll try adjusting the clutch and see how it goes. The fluid level has always been fine, so guess this will not be any sort of issue.

it was for me last week

when you here those needle rollers screemin'

sorry "hear"

why? what happened?

when you hear those needle rollers screemin'

Been there myself in 1995 - not something I like to admit to, and not something I'll forget in a hurry - people on the pavement give you a funny look when the car screams and squeals in pain....

and back to Gareths comment on clutch adjustment - sounds like tip top advice. Riley is exactly like that at the moment as I never locked the adjuster (it was only for a round the block drive to check how it felt ). My garage has been occupied since then but it'll get done soonish -a dragging clutch puts extremely high load on the synchros so it is very important not to ignore it! (the clutch is still transferring engine torque the synchro has to cope with the whole engine interia instead of just the clutch disk!!) Change gear gingerly until it's fixed as the slow gear changes reduce the peak forces that the synchro has to transmit. If you break a synchro it'll not fix itself and if you burn them they will always stay rough.

Minor Gearboxes are prone to losing oil. Therefore the gearbox oil should be checked regularly. So if the clutch adjustment is ok (or even if it isn't) it won't hurt to check the oil.

The adjusting rod on ours sheared in two the other week, on the thread but nowhere near where the adjuster was sited.
New one from Bull Motif was £2.75... & £3 carriage

Didn't include a new adjuster though which I was a bit upset about as the old one was ropey & tight on the thread so i had to wind it all the way down with a spanner & then do the same with the locknut, giess I could have done with Brixton's ratchet....!!

had to wind it all the way down with a spanner & then do the same with the locknut

I thought they were meant to be like that? On ost of my cars it was extremely tough / impossible to wind them by hand - this way they are less likely to fall of with vibration...

I have replaced the clutch thrust bearing in my '57 Minor in the last several months and things were running nicely

Silly question I know, but did you replace the rest of the clutch at the same time ? as your posting suggests you only did the bearing.

I only replaced the graphite bearing as this had worn and was causing the engine revs to drag down when the clutch was depressed. Everything else looked fine, so didn't do any other work apart from the bearing. All went very well when reassembled. Only now after a few months is stickyness becoming noticeable, but not to the point where driving the car is not an option.
Fluid levels are still OK and I checked the bite on the clutch last night. About 1 inch from the top as was suggested.
Perhaps constant monitoring while driving will eventually bring up a more specific symptom.

Keep an eye on it as you drive around (but watch where you're going, of course)...

Does the pedal return fully after each depression, or can it be lifted the last half-inch or so? I had that symptom for a couple of years until it was diagnosed that the bushes on the pedal shaft were worn, well in pieces, actually, and so the shaft wasn't turning, but twisting!
Could be connected?

Could be connected?

Or not as the case may be

Quite often seems to be in our case!!

I only replaced the graphite bearing as this had worn and was causing the engine revs to drag down when the clutch was depressed.

This is quite normal as the clutch is mechanical and should always lower the revs when the pedal is depressed, does this no longer happen ? its quite normal for the ignition light to just go out when nothing is pressed but to glow when the clutch pedal is depressed, normally all 3 parts should be changed as a set unless you know its low mileage and its history, if the pressure plate is worn its often not obvious which is why its suggested to change it as a complete kit.

was the thrust bearing the same type as the one you took off. on the 1098 there are 2 different ones. one is ofset forwards, one is level with fork.

Very good point Brix!!
I fitted a box with the wrong thrust bearing - it screwed up the clutch travel a you had to press the clutch release arm to the end of the slot to partly open the clutch.