Clutch slip & slave cylinders

Clutch slip & slave cylinders

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Skyedriver

Original Poster:

18,839 posts

289 months

Friday 20th April 2012
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Well afte 4 years off the road, (during which I rebuilt the engine fitted a new gearbox then left it to rust in a damp garage while I moved house and did a renovation) a new MoT, a knackered rotor arm & coil, its back on the road.
But the clutch seems to slip intermittently.
I have a feeling its because the pushrod isn't travelling back up the slave cylinder (but I might be wrong)
Its an A+ engine, with an MED gearbox, and a clutch slave that sits on a bracket at about 45 degrees to the horizontal.
Should there be a return spring like on the mini slave cylinders which lie horizontally?
I have a spring which looks like the one on Minispares, the slave has a hook which looks like it could for a spring but this spring seems short and catches on the rubber boot. (Actually it now lies somewhere on the subframe where it fell an hour ago).
thanks everyone in advance
Tony H

camelotr

570 posts

175 months

Saturday 21st April 2012
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As far as I remember, there is no spring on a verto setup.

Check if the clutch arm has sufficent free play when not engaged (only a minimal needed). If not, check the slave cylinder if it goes back free when disengaged. Sometimes the rubber hose can fail and become blocked/partialy blocked.

Also check the underside of the clutch housing. No oil there? The clutch needs only a little bit of oil from the crankshaft oil seal to start slipping.

Clutch arm to slave cylinder rod is the correct lenght? Some people keep on velding it up to temporaly "cure" battered slave cylinders.

Skyedriver

Original Poster:

18,839 posts

289 months

Saturday 21st April 2012
quotequote all
camelotr said:
As far as I remember, there is no spring on a verto setup.

Check if the clutch arm has sufficent free play when not engaged (only a minimal needed). If not, check the slave cylinder if it goes back free when disengaged. Sometimes the rubber hose can fail and become blocked/partialy blocked.

Also check the underside of the clutch housing. No oil there? The clutch needs only a little bit of oil from the crankshaft oil seal to start slipping.

Clutch arm to slave cylinder rod is the correct lenght? Some people keep on velding it up to temporaly "cure" battered slave cylinders.
Hhmmmm
I have a fear about oil on the plate as there's a trace of oil on the clutch housing.
the engine was fully rebuilt in 2008 but stood for 4 years
I wonder if the weight of the crank/flywheel has distorted the seal
The slave & pipe are new, but the pushrod needs a gentle shove to get the slave to fully retract.
I've lubricated the pivot points etc and fitted a temp spring to see what happens but so far the pushrod still needs a push home.
If its oil and an engine out job again I think this really is the end of the line.
It's a clubby so slightly more space to work but still don't fancy doing a clutch in situ

Cooperman

4,428 posts

257 months

Saturday 21st April 2012
quotequote all
S**t happens!
It sounds like oil on the plate, but it's easy to change a clutch plate and 'red' seal in-situ.
The weight of the clutch and flywheel can't impact on the seal as it's all taken by the end main bearing.
Undo the engine mounting, put a jack under the sump, remove the 8 off 5/16" UNC clutch cover bolts. Undo the top engine steady, jack the end of the engine up about 1" and the cover comes straight off. Then just remove the flywheel and change the clutch plate and red seal.
A mornings work for a star like you!

Skyedriver

Original Poster:

18,839 posts

289 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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Cooperman said:
S**t happens!
It sounds like oil on the plate, but it's easy to change a clutch plate and 'red' seal in-situ.
The weight of the clutch and flywheel can't impact on the seal as it's all taken by the end main bearing.
Undo the engine mounting, put a jack under the sump, remove the 8 off 5/16" UNC clutch cover bolts. Undo the top engine steady, jack the end of the engine up about 1" and the cover comes straight off. Then just remove the flywheel and change the clutch plate and red seal.
A mornings work for a star like you!
Thanks for the confidence boost Peter

Regarding your first line, I think I should get a private plate for this car:SHH 1 T
If it can possibly go wrong, it will. Never known a car like it with the exception of a '72 MGB Roadster I once had. Thinking about it, same age, same manufacturer...

So why would a "red seal" go when it was all put together right has just stood, with the exception of the ocassional start up?

Could it have hardened off




Cooperman

4,428 posts

257 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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Might just be a duff seal. I built a 1071 full-on rally engine with everything new. I started it and oil was dripping out the bottom of the clutch/flywheel housing, so I whipped the clutch cover and flywheel off and, sure enough, oil could be seen running from the lip of the seal. Fitted another seal and it was fine.
Make sure you protect the seal lip from the primary gear splines using the special fitting tool or bind masking tape around the splines when fitting the new seal (but I'm sure you know this!).

Skyedriver

Original Poster:

18,839 posts

289 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
quotequote all
Update:
Pushed the pushrod up the slave a few times, lubed the pivots, spring on. took up road and no slipping. There is a trace of oil on the split pin dangling in the drain hole.
Will try it over the next few days and see what happens,but if past perforance is any indicator.......

Skyedriver

Original Poster:

18,839 posts

289 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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20 miles today - no slipping........actually began to enjoy it!