Jump to content

Clutch problem.


Recommended Posts

The TR Gods where with me.

I am going to update my thread in case anyone else gets the same problem, but I would expect with the age of TR’s this must have happened many times before.

I was 95% sure I had cured the problem with my clutch when I added to my thread on the 18/8/21 and 20/9/21 but I did not want to tempt fate until I had fitted my replacement clutch slave and master cylinder and all working correctly.

My first job was to remove the clutch slave cylinder, I removed the cotter pin but the clevis pin did not want to come out, my first thought it could have rusted to the push rod, my garage is 4 miles from my home address so I did not have access to all my tools, making it harder to remove the clevis pin, the only way to remove the slave cylinder was to remove the bracket, slave cylinder to gearbox in the hope it would be easier to remove the clevis pin, what happened next I did not expect, when I was unbolting the bracket there was a lot of pressure on the bolts, what in fact what was happening, although I did not realise it at the time, it was in fact releasing the clutch, when the clutch slave cylinder was free from the car there was no pressure on the clevis pin, and easy to remove.

I have completely confused the people trying to help me sorry, I had written, I could put my car in any gear but it was still rolling freely, in reality my clutch pedal was still fully depressed.

On inspection, the piston had first corroded in the cylinder bore, that was making it very difficult to depress the clutch pedal, when it finally released it then entered the end of the cylinder bore which was also corroded, making it impossible for the piston to return, hence giving the impression the clutch had broken when selecting any gear, when in fact the clutch pedal was still fully depressed.

I have now apart from the clutch slave cylinder push rod, completely renewed all the clutch hydraulics, and replaced the clutch pedal, I am now back to factory specifications.

The dimension unfortunately no one came up with, the travel of the clutch master cylinder very important, is now 30mm which equates to 14.76 of clutch slave cylinder push rod travel, see clutch calculator update.

This has been a lot of hard work, but as soon as my refurbished pedal box was refitted I could engage my gears again.

Mick.

Update.PNG.78ecaa4e169817adb77845a09656f7ad.PNG

Link to post
Share on other sites

No Mike

I have only had the car about 4 years which I know is to long an interval between changing clutch fluid, in reality I wonder how many people change the fluid when they should, but with all the other problems I found I am now happy I am back to factory specifications.

Mick.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Changing the clutch fluid  is not  a common service activity- I do mine because I'd seen the amount of milky/cloudy water residue that settled to the bottom of a glass jar filled with old  fluid after a brake fluid change. That water mixture can't be good for hydraulic cylinder bores unless they've been lined with ss.

Edited by Mike C
"fluid" added
Link to post
Share on other sites
21 hours ago, mhossack said:

The TR Gods where with me.

I am going to update my thread in case anyone else gets the same problem, but I would expect with the age of TR’s this must have happened many times before.

I was 95% sure I had cured the problem with my clutch when I added to my thread on the 18/8/21 and 20/9/21 but I did not want to tempt fate until I had fitted my replacement clutch slave and master cylinder and all working correctly.

My first job was to remove the clutch slave cylinder, I removed the cotter pin but the clevis pin did not want to come out, my first thought it could have rusted to the push rod, my garage is 4 miles from my home address so I did not have access to all my tools, making it harder to remove the clevis pin, the only way to remove the slave cylinder was to remove the bracket, slave cylinder to gearbox in the hope it would be easier to remove the clevis pin, what happened next I did not expect, when I was unbolting the bracket there was a lot of pressure on the bolts, what in fact what was happening, although I did not realise it at the time, it was in fact releasing the clutch, when the clutch slave cylinder was free from the car there was no pressure on the clevis pin, and easy to remove.

I have completely confused the people trying to help me sorry, I had written, I could put my car in any gear but it was still rolling freely, in reality my clutch pedal was still fully depressed.

On inspection, the piston had first corroded in the cylinder bore, that was making it very difficult to depress the clutch pedal, when it finally released it then entered the end of the cylinder bore which was also corroded, making it impossible for the piston to return, hence giving the impression the clutch had broken when selecting any gear, when in fact the clutch pedal was still fully depressed.

I have now apart from the clutch slave cylinder push rod, completely renewed all the clutch hydraulics, and replaced the clutch pedal, I am now back to factory specifications.

The dimension unfortunately no one came up with, the travel of the clutch master cylinder very important, is now 30mm which equates to 14.76 of clutch slave cylinder push rod travel, see clutch calculator update.

This has been a lot of hard work, but as soon as my refurbished pedal box was refitted I could engage my gears again.

Mick.

Update.PNG.78ecaa4e169817adb77845a09656f7ad.PNG

Good update, I think sometimes the age of our cars introduce things beyond the normal issues in the repair manual, glad you got it resolved. 

Gareth

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you Gareth

In general my car is a good ex US TR6, but unfortunately it was converted from LHD to RHD late 2016/2017 by a non TR special specialist, who would cheat to save money all the time, nobody forced me to buy the car.

I had to rewire the car because I found 50 bullet connectors where there should be non, I found self-tapering screws holding down the soft top and fuse box which should have had UNF bolts, he had to remove them first, luckily for me the correct bolts recut/cleaned the threads, missing nuts in the rear lights, thrust washers needing replacing, bonnet micro blistering, ducting not refitted, door switches and lights not refitted, glove box light not refitted, no bulbs in the small gauges, all now corrected, I could go on, the joys of owning a classic car.

I am a carpenter and will not be beaten by a car, I like to make it as correct as possible, (not original just working safely) I am always very pleased when I find a problem like the pedal box bodge and correct the bodges it is very satisfying, and you soon forget the problems you had.

Next job sort out my brakes, :angry:

Mick.

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, mhossack said:

Thank you Gareth

In general my car is a good ex US TR6, but unfortunately it was converted from LHD to RHD late 2016/2017 by a non TR special specialist, who would cheat to save money all the time, nobody forced me to buy the car.

I had to rewire the car because I found 50 bullet connectors where there should be non, I found self-tapering screws holding down the soft top and fuse box which should have had UNF bolts, he had to remove them first, luckily for me the correct bolts recut/cleaned the threads, missing nuts in the rear lights, thrust washers needing replacing, bonnet micro blistering, ducting not refitted, door switches and lights not refitted, glove box light not refitted, no bulbs in the small gauges, all now corrected, I could go on, the joys of owning a classic car.

I am a carpenter and will not be beaten by a car, I like to make it as correct as possible, (not original just working safely) I am always very pleased when I find a problem like the pedal box bodge and correct the bodges it is very satisfying, and you soon forget the problems you had.

Next job sort out my brakes, :angry:

Mick.

Its funny.. Early in my classic car ownership career I would have been apalled by these bodges (have had some good ones.. attachment points for the rear radius arms on a spitfire made from carboard was the best!). But now I see it like archeology.. I always think.. So... why did they do that? were they unskilled? Skint? Missing the correct part? or aiming to improve something. If it was skint or unskilled then I really don't mind.. we have all been there and it meant that they were really keen to keep the car on the road. Who knows, if they hadn't bodged it and it could not be driven it might have been neglected a undriven and eventaully crushed..

Cheers

Tim

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes Tim I agree.

As posted I am a carpenter, retired, I made and fitted, fitted bedroom and kitchens, 99% of the time if you know what you are doing the work is easy, do it right do it once, (the laziest person takes the most pain), the only time you really earn your money is when you get a problem, either of your making or someone else’s, when this happens to me my brain goes into overdrive, how to solve the problem, I always have a lot of trouble sleeping until I solve the problem.

I have one small problem left to solve, I hope to do a professional bodge, and if it works I will add it to my thread.

Mick. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
15 hours ago, mhossack said:

when this happens to me my brain goes into overdrive, how to solve the problem, I always have a lot of trouble sleeping until I solve the problem.

Ha ha I think a lot of us are just the same, losing sleep about how we are going to solve something, it becomes all consuming. 

I do think a good percentage of the enjoyment of our cars is working on them. 

Gareth

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just to say the gist of these last three posts is just so 'Spot on'

and why the classic car hobby is such fun.

Fixing them, upgrading them is second only to driving them.

It is also a part of car ownership, that is very sadly, in the main,  lost to following generations.

John.

Link to post
Share on other sites
20 hours ago, Tim D. said:

Its funny.. Early in my classic car ownership career I would have been apalled by these bodges (have had some good ones.. attachment points for the rear radius arms on a spitfire made from carboard was the best!). But now I see it like archeology.. I always think.. So... why did they do that? were they unskilled? Skint? Missing the correct part? or aiming to improve something. If it was skint or unskilled then I really don't mind.. we have all been there and it meant that they were really keen to keep the car on the road. Who knows, if they hadn't bodged it and it could not be driven it might have been neglected a undriven and eventaully crushed..

Cheers

Tim

In the 70s and very early 80s sidescreen parts just weren't available here in Australia. I drove without a starter motor in my TR2 for 18 months, knew every petrol station with a slope to clutch start. I had aero screens for 10 years as new windscreens didn't exist.

We are blessed today with every part available at a reasonable price. Most of us are also much older and have more financial resources.

I agree, we need to be a bit understanding of some of the bodge repairs we discover.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi John Morrison.

This made me laugh, (Fixing them, upgrading them is second only to driving them.), so no Wetherspoons in your area.

And John McCormack you also made me laugh (Most of us are also much older and have more financial resources.) older yes 66, but I must correct you, you mis spelt a word I think you meant had.

Now off to my garage for some John Morrison therapy, remove my front callipers :angry:, and I do have a Wetherspoons 2 miles away. 

Mick.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 10/25/2021 at 11:10 PM, Mike C said:

Changing the clutch fluid  is not  a common service activity- I do mine because I'd seen the amount of milky/cloudy water residue that settled to the bottom of a glass jar filled with old  fluid after a brake fluid change. That water mixture can't be good for hydraulic cylinder bores unless they've been lined with ss.

I have always used silicone brake fluid in the clutch for the last 20+ years because of leaks, corrosion and the brake fluid going strange colours. I now think that I should have used silicone for the brakes as well?

Bruce.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Bruce

I did not want to get into silicone wars on this forum, it bores me.

As you know I have just rebuilt my clutch hydraulics and have used silicone clutch/brake fluid without any problems.

I have now found out I have a brake problem, so will renew where necessary and use silicone brake/clutch fluid.

Mick.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

I wrote the sentence below on the 26/10/21

(I have one small problem left to solve, I hope to do a professional bodge, and if it works I will add it to my topic.)

I can’t claim it worked as well as I would have liked.

I have read people were having trouble fitting part no: 125217 Gaiter pedal to cylinder push rod dust cover.

In my topic you would have read I needed to change my clutch pedal and reposition my C/M/C, when done the slot cut in the bulkhead for clutch pedal and the dust cover was cut too far back, so I thought I would cut a piece of stainless steel 50mm wide it came 150mm long so I stayed with that, I cut out the correct size slot in the stainless steel. I then cut a 2mm thick piece of rubber the same size with a slightly bigger slot to allow the dust cover to fit on to the stainless steel plate, and act as a shim.

I thought once in place I could undo the C/M/C bracket part no: 146413 and it would be easier to fit the dust cover, no such luck it was just as hard, and still not down at the back, I think the C/M/C boot is stopping it going down that little extra, but as my car is now up on axle stands fixing my braking problem I can’t roll it out into the day light to try and fit the dust cover correctly.

The C/M/C bracket had a nice small gap at the back down to the bulkhead to allow my plate to slip under and a small self-tapper at the front.

I will add a photo to show what I have done.

Mick.

725412206_Stainlesssteelplate.thumb.JPG.bf165b8dd1b95afb54daeaad2831e448.JPG

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions. By using this site, you agree to the following: Terms of Use.