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Midget Clutch

To: MGs <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Midget Clutch
From: Michael Chaffee <mchaffee@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 21:57:38 -0500
For those of you faint of heart, I can vouch that at least on the '74 
Midget, clutch bleeding can be accomplished by two people with some time 
and a hose.  I'm sure it's easier with one of the magic tools, but I 
don't have one of those.

While we're on the subject of clutch drag, let me mention one other source
of clutch problems that may not be intuitively obvious at first:  the
thrust washers.  When I first bought my Midget five years ago (Five years! 
And it seems like only yesterday...), it had a severe clutch chatter
problem.  Replaced the entire clutch, and now it not only chattered but
dragged a bit as well.  I lived with it that way for a few months, then
finally decided to replace it.  New clutch, replacement confirmed good
flywheel - still chattered, still dragged just a little.  Fast forward to
this last Labor Day.  I finally got around to replacing the engine, and
discovered two things: 1. The old engine had roughly 1/8" free play
forward/backward on the crankshaft (I still can't believe it didn't hurt
itself like that), and 2.  The new engine's new clutch does NOT chatter or
drag at all. 

I think the two things are related: if the clutch is an extra 1/8" 
away from the T/O bearing, it might be enough to cause drag, and, like 
suspension bushings and brake shimmy, the tiniest runout in the 
flywheel/clutch could be magnified significantly by the crankshaft moving 
forward and backward, manifesting itself as one wicked grabby/chattering 
clutch.

Just one more thing to think about in this whole mess, I guess.

Michael Chaffee
mchaffee@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu

CCSO's secretary has officially disavowed any knowledge of my actions.


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