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MG MGF Technical - Can't change gear!!

Hi All
Could anyone offer some advice? I don't seem to have a clutch any more. Coming off a motorway, flicked it out of fourth to queue at some lights, and found I could not get out of neutral. Luckily it was on a downhill slope, I managed to turn the engine off, knock it into first, and turn the ignition as she was rolling downhill and then jump in. (A hair brained and brown trousered manoeuvre if ever there was one. Nearly lost the door on a lamp-post) I then had the joy of driving home 10 miles in first.
The pedal seems to be a little stiffer than it should, but nothing happens when I push it. It does return fine.
There has never been any slipping / burning from the clutch, I just don't seem able to lift it any more..
Are there a few things a DIYer could check before handing it over to the garage?

Cheers,

Jim
J. A. Farrington

Jim,

<............the clutch, I just don't seem able to lift it any more >

Do you mean the pedal is stuck down?

If so, it's not unknown for the clutch release shaft to stick where it enters the bell housing. It's in a vunerable position and open to gumming up. You need to take the engine access panel off to get at it easily, though you may just be able to reach it if you get the car up on ramps. Give it a spray of WD40, claen it off and then some more WD40.


If the pedal is up and pressing it has no effect, it could be that a seal has gone in either the master or slave cylinder. Check for leaks on both and also the level of fluid in the master cylinder resevoir. You should be able to get a seal kit and it's not too difficult a job to replace the seals.

HTH
Tony




Tony

a search of the archoves turned up this thread

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=69&subjectar=69&thread=2001120611151232759

Mike
Mike (Mersea Office)

Thanks very much for the advice guys.

Tony, "I just don't seem able to lift it any more", meant that pumping the clutch pedal does not lift the clutch plates from the drive, (i.e. nothing happens). When the motor is not spinning, I can knock it in / out of gear, and it stays in the gear it is put in, maybe I could have roll started it in 2nd, but that lamp-post would have come up that much quicker.
I suspect that your master / slave cylinder theory may be worth following up I'll keep you posted. Odd that there still appears to be pedal pressure, which is not the case in the link.
Can anyone point me to a diagram / article on MGF clutches for dummies?

Cheers

Jim
J. A. Farrington

> I can knock it in / out of gear, and it stays in the gear it is put in, maybe I could have roll started it in 2nd.

Get away! When my dislodged gear cable left me with fourth gear only, I could pull away from junctions fairly comfortably.
That Jeremy Clarkson fella was impressed that some £100k monster could pull in fourth - I smiled to myself.
Steve Madden

You're not wrong, MGF's are very torquey, are you saying though, that you could pull away from a junction in fourth without the use of the clutch pedal?

Even in first, approaching a zebra crossing with a pensioner threatening to cross, and knowing that coming to a full stop would require another straining push followed by hanging onto the steering wheel while trying to drag yourself in, turn the ignition,and shutting the door before it hits the pensioner, really makes you weigh up mowing the old dear down.

For such light small cars, MGF's are a bug*er to push. Not sure why.

Any suggestions about how to fix the clutch?
Cheers,

Jim
J. A. Farrington

Jim,

Email me and I will send you some data sheets.

Tony
Tony

Jim,

if she's stuck *in first* then you're pushing the engine around as well as the car!

If not... well, Fs aren't actually that light. Certainly not when compared to LIzzies and Caterhams.

Good luck, either way.

Jamie
J Wakeham

Hi All
Bad news from the garage, looks like the entire clutch has packed in, and will need to be replaced. There goes my new exhaust that I wanted to buy.
If they are dropping the engine out anyway, are there any jobs / bits they can replace at the same time? I have already asked for the timing belts to be changed, as she is coming up on 60,000 miles.

Cheers

A rather glum out of pocket Jim
J. A. Farrington

Jim,

An opportunity to replace the engine mounts - especially if you have the original black type - and maybe other bushes that may be worn?

My engine came out at similar mileage (for other reasons) and there were several such bushes and mounts worthy of renewal. Small cost items and little labour once the engine is out.
Dave Livingstone

This thread was discussed between 09/10/2004 and 13/10/2004

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.