2a Clutch Help Please !!

[Shabba277]

Hi folks,  just wondering if anyone has a few ideas,  bought a 2a petrol the other day which had been stood for a couple of years,  whilst the previous owner kept the engine runing every now & then he never moved it.  The clutch works, eventually.  I did look back through the forum and tried all the tips for freeing a stuck clutch but none of them worked,  so I took the gearbox out can't see anything in there untoward.  I am wondering now if its the cylinders,  as I said clutch does work, about a minuate after being pressed, it you push the pedal more than once, its like pressing a brake pedal, then you can see the slave slowly slowly releasing alowing the clutch to engage.  Anybody any ideas before I put the box back in.
Thanks peeps.

[carbore]

Does the clutch work if you "pump" it, like if you have brakes and pump them and they work.

If the car has been laid up then the clutch fluid will absorb moisture and may also have air seeped into it. Pumping will compress this air and make the clutch work (until the next time you need it).  From your post it sounded more like the clutch pedal action was delayed/slow as in press ONCE then wait a minuet and it moves. Id expect it to either work instantly or work after pumping.

PS I'm no series 3 expert yet (ordered the wrong bits yesterday for example!)  so id wait for some more thoughts.......

[Shabba277]

If you pump it you can only press the pedal once, maybe twice, then it will go about halfway down and go solid, leave it for a few moments, then it moves freely again, but will not engage the clutch properly.
Thanks for your idea.
Shabba277

[carbore]

Maybe you have(had) two problems?

The clutch/gear mechanicals may be jamming but also the clutch hydraulic system has air in.  that would mean that when you say the pedal goes hard after pumping, its actually the hydraulics "working" but maybe there is a later mechanical jam as well.  When you say the clutch pedal works normally it could just be compressing the air i.e not working and not exposing the mechanical jam.

Im sure there are some other things to check around thrust bearings linkages and plates etc... (maybe these were what you tried before). Hope this helps even if it opens up another line of thought.

[Shabba277]

I think the mechanical parts are ok, with the slave removed the arm goes up and down ok, and on the gearbox shaft the collar thing goes in and out,  don't know what it's called sorry,  can't see anything else in there that could give me any jip,  if the plate was stuck i would not be able to get it out of gear would i ? As far as the hydaulics do go the slave seems to move freely enough however when you press the pedal, it's still hard and but the piston stops at the end on the slave, ie does not retract,  think i will start with the hydraulics.
Thanks again

[Devon-Rover]

IMHO

For the sake of restoring it buy all new bits. Hardly complex to get new girling / Lucas TRW master and slave cylinders and the flexi is a standard 88 inch brake hose.

Whilst they don't leak now they might in the future. and what you describe sounds like either a cylinder problem or the flexi has perished inside and so is restricting the flow.


BTW i have found the best way to unstick the clutch was to warm the engine select nutral on the transfer box selcet 1st on the gearbox, Start the engine and with your foot depressing the clutch pedal select in one sharp movement low box. This should free the clutch up.

[baron von ledwidge]

hey mate, i dont wanna sound condresending but the slave cyllinder wont retract on its won it requires the back pressure from the arm to retract when assembled, my pedal had a similar problem the other week because the release bearing had collapsed and the arm was not aloowing the slave cylinder to return meaning it just went out further and further till the arm ca into contact with the flyweel casign and made the clutch go hard, maybe the return is slow as the pressure plate sprigs arte warn or the release bearign is stiff bun imho if youve got it all apart i would replace the clutch anyways as it will probably go soon enough and the bits are cheap as chips did mine last week for like 65quid
aaron

[onslow]

Hi folks,  just wondering if anyone has a few ideas,  bought a 2a petrol the other day which had been stood for a couple of years,  whilst the previous owner kept the engine runing every now & then he never moved it.  The clutch works, eventually.  I did look back through the forum and tried all the tips for freeing a stuck clutch but none of them worked,  so I took the gearbox out can't see anything in there untoward.  I am wondering now if its the cylinders,  as I said clutch does work, about a minuate after being pressed, it you push the pedal more than once, its like pressing a brake pedal, then you can see the slave slowly slowly releasing alowing the clutch to engage.  Anybody any ideas before I put the box back in.
Thanks peeps.

Sounds to me like the rubber hose has collapsed inside and restricting the flow seen a few series do this

[Shabba277]

Thanks for your respone peeps, I replaced the clutch slave & master and all hoses,  and it works fine now.  Just a bit of welding to go then its back on the road !  :lol: