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MG MGB Technical - Clutch slave cyl movement

Does anyone have a measure of what the movement of the clutch slave pushrod should be? I'm having a problem with the new clutch in the B not fully disengaging. I've bled the system without result.

I'm seeing about 1/4 inch movement at the slave pushrod. It feels like a little more would do it (I can get it into 1st gear, but not reverse).
Tom Goodwin

Sounds as though you still have some air in the system. Bleeding the slave cylinder can be difficult and I had to resort to an "Ezibleed" which pressurises the master cylinder and forces the fluid through the systems. I don't know if you can get a similar product in the USA though.

Hugh
Hugh Adamson

tom,

I had the same problem when I put in my new clutch, new clutch slave, cyl, AND Clutch hose. After you bleed the clutch again put the rear of the car on jackstands, start the car, try to go thru the gears as if you were driving ( REMEMBER, YOU ARE ON JACKSTANDS SO DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY ) then, get out of the car and SEE if the rear wheels are spinning while the car is idling. If the rear wheels are spinning a little while the car is in neutral THAT"S OK. Let it do that for about 20 minutes, then turn off the car, take the car off the jackstands and NOW go drive it. You will be amazed. Best of luck, Aaron
aaron

Slave travel should be 1/2" to 5/8"
gerry masterman

If you have an Eazibleed, it's easier to bleed the clutch from the bottom up. Paul Hunt recommended this and I have tried it - it's brilliant. Unbolt the slave and let it dangle. Attach the eazibleed to the slave nipple and let it push the fluid through all the way up to the master cylinder. Works first time.
Mike
Mike Howlett

I found that it can take two or three tries with
the eezibleed to get the MGB clutch bled.

However, I found that I get much better results with
a lower pressure of 10 PSI. Using the recommended
max of 20 PSI seems to inject air bubbles into the
system.

A leaking clutch hose can also let a lot of air
in, and should be replaced if its condition is
at all questionable.
Ronald

Tom-
You can get an Ezibleed from the Little British Car Company http://www.lbcarco.com/
Steve S.

Tom. I have measured the pushrod travel on several cars with working clutch systems. While many have stated there is 1/2", or more, of travel, my measurements ran from .368" to .375" and were very consistant from car to car. Thus, from my measurements, 3/8" of movement is sufficient to operate the clutch properly. Les
Les Bengtson

Thanks guys,
Another couple rounds of bleeding (one of them pointed downhill on the driveway) was enough to get proper operation. I'm seeing around 3/8" of movement, which works OK. My son is glad to get the B back (it's been a 3 month rebuild project). Now I can have the garage for the TR6.
Tom Goodwin

Ronald - did you put the EeziBleed on the *slave* as Mike said? I also used it on just 3 or 4 psi.
Paul Hunt

I have one of these pressure bleeders:

http://www.motiveproducts.com/

It works much better than an Eezibleed since it can hold more fluid, has a gauge and hand pump so pressure is far more controllable, no need to screw around with a spare as an air source, list goes on. The only thing is that you'll need to adapt a brake M/C cap (at least for the tandem non-servos) to it or use one from an EEzibleed kit.

Another bleed method I heard at some time was to connect a hose to the bleed nipple and come all the way back to the reservoir with it. Open the bleeder a bit and start pumping. The air will come up through the hose and back to the reservoir, where the bubbles will come up and pop, returning that air to the atmosphere where it belongs. Keep doing this 'til, you guessed it, you don't see anymore air bubbles.
Wade Keene

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2002 and 09/12/2002

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