Incredibly Low Clutch

Post by **salty_monk** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:08 am

Not much is the answer to this....!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:48 pm

iwant1,
as yopu come off th clutch in neutral, you make the gearbox input shaft spin. With a quiet engine yo can just hear this if you listen carfully, but if the gearbox is faulty (or if the gearbox floor cover plate is out

) you can hear it more.
Change the gearbox oil and look for LARGE metal bits [chunks]. Small metal particles [silt] is normal. Use engine oil to refill. Aparently using EP80/90 gearbox oil will damage the gearbox..

Post by **phil63** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:31 pm

I had this problem , it turned out that all the links were worn nearly through , after I made up some new rods and welded up the links it was far better , just a thought. Phil

Post by **iwant1** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 9:52 pm

Hmm the cover panel was out, and indeed i can still hear it with the panel in but not nearly so much. Thanks guys, i think i was worrying unneccessasarily again, dam me and not being able to spell! what engine oil should i use for both the engine and the gearbox then rayo?

Post by **Cam** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 11:12 pm

15W/40 seems to be the general opinion nowadays (and I'm sure Ray will agree) but 20W/50 will also do the job. Just make sure you get a reasonable quality one. More so for the engine than the gearbox though as it does not have to handle the temperature extremes.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 11:32 pm

ep80/90 will not lubricate the needle rollers on the lay shaft

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 3:41 pm

As Cam said - Good quality 20/50 for the engine (if you can get it) otherwise a very good 15/40. Keep clear of the 4.99 oils.

For the gearbox I've used a medium quality 20/50 but still not a £4.99 one

Post by **Matt** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:27 pm

when my engine was using more oil than petrol (well nearly) it was using £2/5l oil

it was due for a rebuild any way ;)

Post by **catsoup** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:50 pm

paulg wrote:I have always had the reverse of this problem - the clutch is very fierce; I mean that when letting the clutch out most of the pedal upwards travel has no effect, the clutch starts to bite nearly at the top of the travel and is fully engaged after about an inch or so. There is adequate free play at the top.
This makes for pretty abrupt starts for unfamiliar drivers - or regulars who forget!
It has always been this way and remaineds so after a new clutch/release bearing were fitted. I also renewed the clutch linkage parts and there was no change.
I would be interested in any comments ? Are all Minor clutches ;ike this?

I had a clutch like that once. Dunno how accurate this is but somone told me that it was because a midget clutch had been fitted. It certainly went away next time I changed the clutch. (Whole kaboodle, not just the plate)

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:21 pm

paulg,

the fierce clutch has always been a feature of the car even after new engine and gearbox mountings.
The clutch linkage was completely renewed after it started to drag. Again, no difference in operation as far as fiercness is concerned.

One thing that can make the clutch operation less easy is when the clutch pedal shaft and the bearings in the chassis leg get worn and damaged. This means you get something like stickslip on the pedal where it only moves in a notchy way (can be spotted with a trained foot).
If the clutch pedal shaft and bearings aren't the reason, then there's the linkage itself - There's a Heath Robinson way to modify it... Redrill a hole in the clutch linkage nearer to the pivot (either the pedal or the intermediate shaft). Then you get less travel of the release bearing for the same movement of the pedal making it smoother.
If you do that you'll need to push the pedal further to fully open the clutch, but if as you say it is fully open without to much travel, then it should be ok.

Post by **57traveller** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:23 pm

You can/could get Unipart 20W/50 from East Sussex Minors - was £6.50/5 litre + v.a.t. Excellent stuff, been using it for ages in both engine and g/box.(1098cc)

Post by **Willie** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:27 pm

PAULG.....I don't know which model Minor you have but
you should check the amount of free play at the clutch
pedal. The earlier models should have 3/4",the later models
1 1/2"(if you have only 3/4" on a later car then the clutch
disengages too early and doesn't re engage until later than
it should do). NO Minor clutches are not usually fierce. Since
you have changed the clutch driven plate and the cover plate
you could have a flywheel with an out of true face where the
clutch plate mates with it.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:48 pm

nice Wille! i can see an opportuaity to sell one of those fly wheels ive got in that pile

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:51 pm

i can see an opportuaity to sell one of those fly wheels ive got in that pile

Mark as you have so many spares why not put an ad in the for sale section with some parts and a price list you will then have room for some more.

Post by **paulg** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 11:43 am

Been away so haven't picked up the thread.
Will get a chance this week (I hope) to have a look at the play/adjustment. Will update when I have. Need to check her over anyway and grease the steering (on the way to Oxford from Portsmouth she started misfiring at Newbury - points I put in 3 weeks ago had "settled down" ! Ok after readjustment but the strangest thing happened... on the return - in the dark with rain and wind [the weather not me] she faded and the engine stopped firing. Put my foot on the clutch to coast into a conveniently sited layby and the ignition light came on; let the clutch in as I entered the layby and she fired ok; restarted the journey and she was perfect all the way home. I think that the ignition key must have been jogged by a bump and just turned off the ignition and then jogged back again (after 40 years its a bit sloppy). Anybody else had this happen?)

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 11:52 am

paulg,
That could have been a lkot of things - I once had a Minor cut out on right hand bends - that was a loose coil connection.
Petrol pump is also a common cause of the engine stoping - driving over a bump can sometimes restart them. Fortunately the pump usually stops in slow traffic which is pretty safe, but it can be a bit hairy when it happens on a duel carriageway in rush hour in the dark!

(one of those times you drive on the starter motor to get off the tarmac before someone hits you at 80mph...)

Post by **Matt** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 3:37 pm

how long can you drive on the starter motor for???

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:02 pm

Condition of your battery would affect that question I would guess Matt

Post by **Matt** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:14 pm

a ballpark figure with a good battery

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:17 pm

I think RAY is the expert on this subject.