Mk1 Clutch replacement, upgrade?

Mk1 Clutch replacement, upgrade?

Author
Discussion

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Tuesday 5th May 2009
quotequote all
Need a clutch badly on my Mk1 1.6 Eunos now, didn't see the point of replacing it until it was thoroughly worn out. Well now I have to rev match or else I get a horrible crunch, and I have about 0.5mm of travel on my clutch pedal. Firstly, where is the best place to get a clutch kit from? I looked on mx5parts, but they seem to only do uprated clutches. So, secondly, would this be of any benefit/worth the extra outlay? The car is pretty much standard.

Cheers Guys!

Oh yeah, easy to fit?

Oldandslow

2,405 posts

213 months

Tuesday 5th May 2009
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Are you sure it's the clutch? Check the clutch slave cylinder for leaking fluid.

Firefox1

140 posts

207 months

Tuesday 5th May 2009
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If it's not the slave cylinder budget around £150 for fitting. If you have access to a four post lift it should not be too difficult to fit but you do have to get the car up high enough to drop the 'box out. I brought the Sachs kit for mine but didn't fancy crawling around under it on the drive in February so used a garage near Silverstone who I trust fitting time was 3.5 hours and costs included changing the gearbox oil.

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Wednesday 6th May 2009
quotequote all
How do I go about checking the slave cylinder? I just assumed it was the clutch getting worn because I've put 10-15k hard miles on it since I've had it, and it didnt seem to have much travel when I first got it. Are they self adjusting? Its biting just off the carpet now, perfectly driveable but worst when cold.

ETAAnyone else having problems with the MX5parts website? I'm at work and it just crashes my internet every time I go on it. Anyway they have a Sachs clutch kit for £150 and a different clutch kit for £90, is the Sachs worth the extra? I know with the brake discs the pattern parts are just as good, wonder if this is the same?

Edited by OllieWinchester on Wednesday 6th May 07:57

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Wednesday 6th May 2009
quotequote all
Simplest thing first.. Have you checked/replaced/bled the hydraulic clutch fluid?

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Wednesday 6th May 2009
quotequote all
Err, no. I presume I just find the reservoir and check it has fluid in it then? Why would it need bleeding?

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Wednesday 6th May 2009
quotequote all
Check it's got adequate fluid in and that it's not gone all manky over time (it shouldn't tbh, unless we're talking ancient, or there's ingress), if it's got air or water in then it'll affect the operation. The most likely cause is that the slave cylinder has gone bad though. Replacing it is cheap and easy, you get to it through the offside wheel arch.

Edited by Howard- on Wednesday 6th May 14:32

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Thursday 7th May 2009
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So, isn't there a chance that my clutch has just worn out then?

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Thursday 7th May 2009
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Normally it's the other way round - i.e. there's too much pedal travel before it bites.

I'm not saying it's definitely either way, just that MX5 clutch slave cylinders have a far bigger reputation for dieing than MX5 clutches smile

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Thursday 7th May 2009
quotequote all
So assuming my fluid is ok, how do I go about finding if my slave cylinder is knackered then? Or shall I just replace it anyway and hope it solves the problem? I'm not too good at wielding spanners, is this worth attempting with a slightly more clued up mate, or shall I book it in? Sorry for all the questions....

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Thursday 7th May 2009
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AFAIK the way to tell is to squeeze the rubbber boot on the slave cylinder, mine certainly pissed fluid everywhere. If the clutch feels "vague" in addition to this, then I'd say that's what it is.

Does the clutch slip at all? Sounds like the clutch itself is fine tbh

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
No slip, no judder, just a gradual shortening of travel over time. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, but it seems better when you first set off, and fine when you are underway, but give it five minutes of stop/start town work and it gets obstinate. Struggle to get first while stationary, have to rev match when changing etc.

scratchchin

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
OllieWinchester said:
No slip, no judder, just a gradual shortening of travel over time. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, but it seems better when you first set off, and fine when you are underway, but give it five minutes of stop/start town work and it gets obstinate.
Almost identical to my symptoms, clutch felt vague after a bit of "use". Slave cylinder my good man smile

OllieWinchester

Original Poster:

5,682 posts

199 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
beer

Howard-

4,958 posts

209 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
music

Oldandslow

2,405 posts

213 months

Friday 8th May 2009
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Deffo sounds like slave cylinder to me. Not too hard a job (I managed it). You can either get a new cylinder for ~£20 or a new seal kit for the old on ~£10 (MX5parts had both when I needed them). Probably better to get a new one.

You can go at it from underneath or remove the drivers side front wheel and go in through the wheel arch. Cylinder is on the drivers side of the gearbox. It's a 2 spanner job and even bleeding the fluid through is simple enough. You'll also need some 5mm plastic tubing (£1 for a metre from B&Q) and maybe £10 for new fluid (Brake fluid DOT 4.0 or 5.1, 4.0 is fine this is not a high temp application like actual brakes)

See handy link
http://www.miata.net/garage/slavecyl.html