Many, many thanks to those who responded to my non-titled request for help on
the clutch hydraulics of my 1971 BGT (OK, so I am a novice at this list stuff).
I think David Council hit the nail on the head. I do recall some squealing
before she died last fall, and when the clutch blows at the slave cylinder, I
also get a very high pitch grinding sound that appears to be the clutch plate
spinning but not catching.
Now for the obvious question. Can I do this in my home garage (a two-car
garage that is shared between my BGT and my wife's car). She would like me to
dump the car, but I feel like a heart surgeon trying massage life into this old
baby. I have already replaced all the floor pans, rocker panels, front and
back fenders (basically the lower 12 inches of the car). I replaced the
entire interior and seats, and new rear springs. However, I am a very bad
mechanic when it comes to spinning things like the engine and trany.
Do I give up the ghost and sell her for $1,800 or press on? BTW: I must do
this at home, taking in to a mechanic for repairs is not an option since the
wife will say get rid of it. What tools do I need and how much can I expect to
incur in expenses beyond the $100 for the clutch components (cover, disk and
release bearing). Is this a weekend job, or several months (assuming I work on
it all day Saturday and half of Sunday)?
Again, many thanks for the excellent help on this list.
Jim Porco
71 BGT (down for the count)
------Original Message------
From: Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
To: MG List <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: April 10, 2000 3:41:23 PM GMT
Subject: Re: [clutch hydraulics]
I'll second David on this. It doesn't sound like it's a hydraulic problem
at this stage, but an internal clutch problem. Not good news, but it's
bound to happen eventually to all of us. Kind of like taxes...
David Councill had this to say:
>When my 71BGT had this problem, I too hoped for an easy fix. But in my
>case, the problem was excessive wear on the pressure plate and the release
>bearing. This caused excessive piston travel. Your symptoms correspond.
>
>But I also had a slight squealing sound precede this problem of mine.
>
>If this is the problem, you can get a clutch kit (release bearing, pressure
>plate, clutch disc) from any supplier for around $100 or so, but you will
>also have to pull the transmission and/or engine.
>
>David
>67 BGT
>71 BGT
>
>At 11:07 PM 4/9/00 -0400, James Porco wrote:
>>Hello all:
>>
>>I seem to be having a problem with my clutch hydraulics. I have rebuilt
>>the master cylinder (Moss kit), purchased new lines, and a new clutch
>>slave cylinder (again Moss). I bleed everything fine, and I never get
>>good solid pressure. After about ten pumps on the clutch (after it has
>>been bleed about 15 times) I loose all pressure at the clutch slave
>>cylinder. What happens is that the metal piston in the slave cylinder
>>seems to go beyond the housing and the rubber gasket/cup pushing the metal
>>piston out gets cock-eyed in the housing. In fact, the last three times
>>(I have done this about 5 times already), part of the rubber gasket is
>>protruding out of the metal housing with the metal piston cock-eyed in the
>>housing. All the fluid drips out via the rubber gasket. This is all at
>>the clutch slave; the master slave cylinder is fine.
>>
>>I have already rebuilt the hydraulics at least five times and it is always
>>blowing out at the clutch slave. I did buy a new push rod that attaches
>>to the transmission, since the piston keeps pushing beyond the housing I
>>wonder if the problem is the pin (but I assume this is stock since I
>>purchased it via Moss)? Or, if I have major transmission problems? I do
>>have about 2 inches of freeplay at the transmission. That is, I can move
>>the connector rod at the transmission all the way back and forth without
>>feeling any movement in gears (this is the part that push rod connects to
>>the transmission, not freeplay at the clutch pedal). I do not know if
>>this is normal (transmission freeplay) or not since the gears are in
>>neutral (I get the same freeplay if it is in gear or in neutral).
>>
>>I think I have covered all the bases, ANY help would be appreciated. BTW:
>>this is on a 1971 MGB-GT, all original parts (trany and engine).
>>
>>Many Many Thanks,
>>
>>Jim Porco
>
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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