clutch whine when depressed fully?

[Mark Wright]

Hi I have been in the process of restoring my Morris Minor, whilst the engine was out of the car I fitted a new complete clutch. Today is the first time I have been able to properly run the engine (thats OK) but I have an issue with the clutch; when you push the clutch pedal to the floor it makes a kind of grinding noise when its fully depressed. I have got more that 1" play on the pedal and it still grinds but only when fully depressed. I can engage 1st and reverse in the garage and the car moves OK. Cant try it on the road yet, no MOT or windscreen.
I am thinking its something to do with the release bearing?? It was a new complete clutch from the Birmingham Morris Minor centre.
Any advise would be appreciated as to what this noise is?

[philthehill]

Did you fit the clutch centre plate the right way round?

[Mark Wright]

Hi Phil I'm sure I didI followed the Haynes manual and as it was on the bench double checked before fitting?

[bmcecosse]

Don't press the pedal down so far..... Just enough to select gears is the aim.

[philthehill]

You should be able to press the clutch pedal fully without any noises being detected.
Reduce the free play to 3/4" (as stated in the BMC wksp man) and see what happens though with 1" plus of free play you should not be over centring the thrust bearing so it catches on the first motion shaft.
Get someone to press the pedal whilst you look through the left hand lever aperture and see what is happening.

[bmcecosse]

Reducing the free play will INCREASE the depression - which is already too much... There may be no mats/carpets etc in the car - allowing the pedal down too far. Or - add a rubber/wood block on the floor. As long as the clutch frees and gears engage cleanly - that's all you need.

[philthehill]

Yes it will increase the depression but we do not know what is wrong - is it too much depression or not enough?
I did say above to set the clutch linkage to the correct amount of free play and see what happens and take it from there.
To make the clutch work by fitting a block of wood or extra packing i.e. carpet under the clutch pedal then there is something wrong - it should not have to come to that.
In the past I have run my Minor with a standard gearbox / clutch linkage and without carpet and I have never experienced any problem.
My advice is to find out what is going wrong and rectify.

[bmcecosse]

It only makes the noise when fully depressed - so seems likely that's the problem! As long as the gears are clear - all will b e well. Who knows - maybe the new pressure plate assembly is a bit deeper than before - or a thicker carbon thrust. Hopefully it will all settle down - but I urge to NOT keep pressing it 'too far' to the point of making the noise... By no means unknown to fit blocks under clutch and throttle on comp cars to prevent overtravel...

[Mark Wright]

I think I have found the problem; i've driven the car up onto a pair of ramps and taken off the nearside gearbox inspection cover as Phil suggested, with wife pushing clutch pedal the clutch withdrawal lever (as described in Haynes) was not pushing on the release bearing but pulling, the 2 retaining clips were the only things holding in place. Ive checked the Haynes manual and it clearly shows its the wrong way around in my car, I imagine when fully depressed the clips were catching something hence the noise!
So, I fitted it the wrong way around and it looks like I need to get the gearbox out to swap the lever around. as its on the ramp I will leave the engine in and remove the gearbox, i've got an engine hoist to grab the back of the engine.
The good news is the clutch works fine as it drove onto the ramp, as this is the first clutch i've ever replaced I guess they say you learn from your mistakes!
Thanks for your advise so far.

[philthehill]

Well done for finding the problem even though it means taking the gearbox out.
Phil

[bmcecosse]

Didn't even think that was possible....oh dear...