Morris Minor Owners Club

Help required!
Hi all,
I have a strange problem with selecting gears.
I am re-building my Morris 1000,it has not yet been on the road,my problem is I have been driving it up
My drive and was going into gear O.K.It then decided not to let me engage any gear.ater adjusting the clutch
Within an inch of its life,all I could achieve was a horrible crunching noise and still no engagement.
I needed to get it on to the ramps to remove the gearbox,and found if I put the car in first gear with the engine off,
then started it,the clutch worked O.k!
I have now removed the gearbox and clutch,and can find no obvious fault with the clutch,pressure plate seems fine.no broken springs.roller release bearing is not seized and revolves freely.Clutch plate very worn.
Could this be a gearbox fault,nothing obvious externally.This is a ribbed box.
Any ideas greatly appreciated!
Best regards,
Martin.

what type of clutch did you fit if it was borg and beck thease are cheap copies made in china go for ap drive line

Did you put the plate in the right way round?

Everything is still apart,Prior to this problem I had never had the clutch or gearbox removed.
Gearbox and clutch is still on my bench,I really want advice before I re-assemble,
Many thanks for getting back.

If the clutch plate is very worn then it might be time to replace it

It sounds to me that the clutch plate was 'stuck' to the flywheel - and your 'starting it in gear' freed it off. That is a very standard procedure for freeing a clutch. So I doubt you needed to take the gearbox off at all - it was fixed when you drove it up the ramps !

Hi,
Prior to putting the car into gear with the engine off,then starting the car and driving up on to the ramps,
I had previously carried out this technique on several occasions,and still could not get the car in gear,which
rules out a stuck clutch plate.wish it was that!
Thanks.

roller release bearing is not seized and revolves freely

If it is a roller release bearing, that is not standard in a Minor, it is a carbon thrust and does not, or should not revolve!

Do you have some pictures of the clutch and release bearing to post so that we can see what is going on?

You told us "the clutch worked ok " ergo - it's fixed !! And as Richard points out - standard Minors don't have a roller release bearing......

Nobody said the release bearing fitted was standard, just that it was a roller....

Exactly - so that suggests the possibility that there may be other non-standard parts on the car - which may be contributing/the reason for the non-releasing clutch. eg - is it hydraulic?

Hi All,
Let me just try to clarify my dilema,I don't think I explained it well.
I bought the Morris as a project,and got a few things sorted and the engine
started,good so far,at this stage gears were selecting O.K,I was driving it up and down my drive.
Out of the blue I couldn't get it into gear!Thinking the thrust bearing must have gone I dropped the
gearbox to find nothing obvious wrong!
I believe as you say that a roller bearing is not standard,but an aftermarket upgrade,but was working well!
I am trying to upload some pics,heres hoping!
Thanks to all.
Martin
Ps No luck with pictures,but nothing out of the ordinary to see,yes clutch is not hydraulic.

I still think it was stuck... But put a new plate in - and re-assemble !

Hi All,
Yes clutch plate was stuck to flywheel!
Wacked in a new clutch,the jobs a good un!
Many thanks for all your helpful replies.
Martin