Morris Minor Owners Club

I had some work done in February to my car including the crankshaft replacement, as well as the clutch and linkage. Everything seems okay, but depressing the clutch is still causing drain, to the extent that you can't start the car unless the car is in neutral.

If you depress the clutch, the battery drain is evident. The car is tuned up a bit so that it doesn't stall when the clutch is depressed while driving.

What could the potential problem be?

Thanks!!!

Rosemore wrote: ↑Wed Sep 11, 2024 9:22 pm I had some work done in February to my car including the crankshaft replacement, as well as the clutch and linkage. Everything seems okay, but depressing the clutch is still causing drain, to the extent that you can't start the car unless the car is in neutral.

If you depress the clutch, the battery drain is evident. The car is tuned up a bit so that it doesn't stall when the clutch is depressed while driving.

What could the potential problem be?

Thanks!!!

You can't start the car unless the car is in neutral?!! How on earth else would you start the car? Start it in gear and crash into something? I cannot understand this at all. You do not touch the clutch at all when starting the car.

There is always a small dip in revs when the clutch is depressed at idle. It is normal for the charge light to flicker at idle and come on quite brightly when the clutch is depressed The carbon release bearing of the standard Morris Minor clutch set up means that the clutch should never be held down whilst waiting at lights etc. You should always put the car in neutral, release the clutch and apply the handbrake when waiting. If you do not do this you will suffer rapid clutch wear.

Stephen

There are times when it is safer to park and leave cars in first gear such as on a hill. The car should start safely when you push the clutch pedal down, this car does not. You cannot start with the clutch pedal pressed. This is a large enough dip in revs to stall the car unless tuned rich.

You are quite right that the car should start in gear if the clutch pedal is depressed but you're asking a question about your "tuned up a bit" car without explaining what that means. As far as I can tell, the clutch plates are not separating by pressing down on the pedal. What are your gear changes like when driving around normally?

What do mean by "drain"? I don't understand how pressing the clutch pedal can drain the battery unless the tick-over is too low? That sounds like you need to adjust the carb mixture and/or idle.

rocco wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:27 am You are quite right that the car should start in gear if the clutch pedal is depressed but you're asking a question about your "tuned up a bit" car without explaining what that means. As far as I can tell, the clutch plates are not separating by pressing down on the pedal. What are your gear changes like when driving around normally?

What do mean by "drain"? I don't understand how pressing the clutch pedal can drain the battery unless the tick-over is too low? That sounds like you need to adjust the carb mixture and/or idle.

Thank you for your reply.

I mean that the car fails to turn over on ignition when the clutch is down and doing so, for example if the car stalls, seems to really drain the battery - but I might be wrong on this one. When depressing the clutch during gear change, it does not stall, but it used to, I overcame that by turning the tuning screw a bit so that it does not stall. But yes, maybe there is some resistance on the clutch....

I agree that it can be safer to park in first gear when parking on a steep hill but I would always take the car out of gear into neutral to start the car.

Stephen

check if your clutch is fully disengaging.
Put the car in gear with ignition off, to prevent starting, now push the clutch pedal fully down and get someone to turn the engine with starting handle to see if it rotates without trying to move the car.

Could be a bad connection to the battery as more draw on the battery when the clutch is engaged.

"Could be a bad connection to the battery as more draw on the battery when the clutch is engaged."
Please explain what that means. I am puzzled as to why the clutch draws more from the battery.
When the clutch is disengaged, e.g. at traffic lights to select neutral, the engine revs. reduce slightly, as already posted above. Usually enough to stop charging the battery, as indicated by the red light on the speedometer.

There is no relationship between the battery and clutch, that I know of.
Maybe a start would be to check adjustment, free movement etc.

The only extra drag on the engine with the clutch pedal depressed should only be from the clutch operating bearing and the crankshaft thrust bearings. The former may depend on the clutch pressure plate and the crankshaft thrust bearing should be un noticeable.

One other ‘different speeds’ in the drive system is the gearbox shaft bearing in the crankshaft when the clutch pedal is operated.

Maybe your battery, connections, solenoid or starter motor are so marginal that you have an issue?

oliver90owner wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 11:17 am The only extra drag on the engine with the clutch pedal depressed should only be from the clutch operating bearing and the crankshaft thrust bearings. The former may depend on the clutch pressure plate and the crankshaft thrust bearing should be un noticeable.

One other ‘different speeds’ in the drive system is the gearbox shaft bearing in the crankshaft when the clutch pedal is operated.

Maybe your battery, connections, solenoid or starter motor are so marginal that you have an issue?

Thank you oliver90owner you described it better than me

I sounds like your clutch is not fully disengaging, causing drag which is stopping the engine from turning freely. It might be helpful is you explain what clutch and throw-out bearing is fitted to your car. Is the clutch properly adjusted? Is there sufficient free travel on the pedal?

(I experienced similar problems with the midget clutch in my 1275 traveller. Even with the correct adjustment there was too much throw causing the clutch thrust plate to rub on the fingers of the diaphragm and ultimately to fail. This was resolved by removing the thrust plate all together and fitting a roller thrust bearing.)

Good luck.
Jim

If you depress the clutch, the battery drain is evident.

What!!
There is no way on earth anything to do with the clutch is causing 'Battery drain'....

There are possibilities of the clutch and it's disengagement, or not, affecting the tick-over, but then at tick-over the system is barely charging anyway. But that will be evident in other ways such as the car still trying to move, or it screeching from the clutch slipping. But it cannot 'drain the battery' per-se.

Is this where we find out it's an Electric Conversion.....

It might be that clutch drag with the pedal depressed is causing the engine to turn over with more difficulty, making it seem that the battery is drained......?

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 10:37 pm It might be that clutch drag with the pedal depressed is causing the engine to turn over with more difficulty, making it seem that the battery is drained......?

Thinking about it this is most likely true....

Thanks for all your input.

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 9:46 am check if your clutch is fully disengaging.
Put the car in gear with ignition off, to prevent starting, now push the clutch pedal fully down and get someone to turn the engine with starting handle to see if it rotates without trying to move the car.

I've tried this just now, with the clutch pressed the starting handle does turn the engine just about, but there is a lot of resistance. When the car is in neutral the handle turns much more freely.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Your clutch is not fully disengaged when pressed, that's your issue, you need to check clutch adjustment. Is it a standard minor mechanical clutch?