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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - No clutch

I purchased a 1976 midget a year or so ago as a project car. The 1500 motor was removed and a 1974- 1275 motor and transmition was installed pryor to my purchasing it. The motor runs great after a little carb work but the clutch needed to be replaced. I say that because the clutch would engauge when slightly off the floor. So I pulled the motor and replaced the old clutch with a new 3 in 1 replacement from Victoria British ( the old clutch was completely warn out ) I also replaced the clutch master cylinder, the slave cylinder and the clutch line. My problem is after replaceing everything that operates the clutch and exhaustive bleading of the system even with a vacuume bleader the clutch still engauges when slightly off the floor. I have tryed using the three differant clutch pushrods the 2-1/2", 3" and the 3-1/4" with little success. I have been working on cars for a long time but this has me stumped. Any sugestions?
rp pullen

Other than the "bleed it some more" advice, have you checked the adjustment of the rod from the pedal to the master cylinder? Are all of the holes in the linkage round, not oval? When you step on the pedal, can you see how much the slave moves the pushrod (you will obviously need an attractive assistant for this)? There will probably be some more advice upcoming but for now you've got someplace to start.

Martin
Martin Washington

RP, I too have a 76 that I recently purchased and am putting it back together. It is all stock. I had to rebuild the clutch master and slave and put in a new clutch disc. I had a real problem with bleeding the system so it would work, but finally it was OK. Whatever distance the master cylinder moves, the slave should move the same distance (if they are the same diameter-I think they are). If not, you have air in the system and it is compressing. This is "assuming" you are not leaking fluid. Can you see any bubbles in the semi-clear plastic tube to the slave?
AL MILLER

Just speculating here... are you using the 1500 clutch master with a 1275 slave? If so, that might possibly have something to do with it.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

RP,
Spridget clutch hydraulics are notoriously difficult to bleed effectively. Keep trying.
David "perhaps you need an attractive assistant?" Lieb
David Lieb

is this any help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj1dMdYgRK4&feature=player_embedded

Dave.
DW Warren

I don't understand this. If the clutch engages "slightly off the floor", then it's the opposite of worn out. The opinions above suggest motion loss in the mechanical train, and that sounds good to me:- only just disengaging, and then re-engaging immediately.
Nick

RP.

When I did mine the first time, It took forrrreeevvverrrr to clear the air out or the slave cylinder. The fluid travels a convoluted route and bubbles get trapped.

The next time was many many miles later, and I just kept pumping fluid through the line (the old jar and tube works as well as anything else) and closing the bleeder every five or ten pedal pumps, until I got good resistance. You may still have some very tiny air bubbles in the line, but you'll get good clutch action (take-up pretty close to normal). Eventually, the minute amount of air that may be left will rise to the top of the master and you may notice even better pedal action. Be SURE you have full engagement/disengagement before you start driving.
HTH

Al
ah harad

RP,
Have you checked the pivot bushes on the pedal?
If, although you have bled the system and tried various lengths of pushrod you are still getting insufficient disengagement, it may be that wear at the pedal means that you are not moving enough fluid at the master cylinder. It sounds as though you have replaced everything else but the fault is the same as before - which rather points at the one thing you haven't replaced! Check the pedal pivots for ovality.

Guy
Guy Weller

Thanks everyone for your commits, good info. Nick you are correct after I made the original post I got to thinking the same thing, even thou the old clutch was warn out it should have made the clutch react at the top of the pedel. I will check the bushings and bleed the slave as in the video. I will post the results. Thanks for everyones input.
rp pullen

Again I thank everyone for the help. I looked at every aspect of information everyone gave me including the bleed video. First I would like to say I had no slop in the pedel bushings, and all of the air was completely out of the system. What I found out was that when the pedel was on the floor and I looked at the rod that connects the pedel to the master clutch cylinder I still had a inch and a half to go. So I cut the connecting end off of the old clutch master cylinder that I had replaced and welded it to the end of the new one, adding aproximitly 1 inch to the travel. Huraah !! My clutch now engages in the middle of its travel. No more grinding of gears and the transmision is shifting perfect. My guess is that when the 1500 was removed and the 1275 was installed some part was changed that led to this problem, whatever it was, extending the push rod cured it.
The info everyone gave me helped in the trouble shooting that lead to the discovery.
Thanks again.
rp pullen

This thread was discussed between 17/11/2009 and 21/11/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.