Over the last couple weeks I posted questions about a problem with the
clutch in my son's 79 MGB. Thanks to all that responded.
The symptoms were very hard shifting into first, couldn't get into reverse
with the car running. Most thought it was hydraulic, so that's where we
started Saturday morning. I bleed and bleed the system. This helped some,
but still didn't resolve the problem. Next I checked the clevis pins at the
master and slave cylinders. The pin at the master cylinder was very worn
allowing a lot of slop in the linkage. I figured this was it and changed
the pin. Better, but still no go. I checked the fork from the master
cylinder and saw it was ova led out. I had a new master cylinder, so I
figured I might as well change it and that should be the end of my problem.
Changed the master cylinder and bleed and bleed. Still no go. Well that
eliminates the hydraulics and linkage. Guess we'll pull the engine and
transmission to see what else might be wrong. One thing I noted was that
when pulling the car up on the ramps the clutched didn't engage until the
pedal was almost fully released (A major clue that I didn't pay attention
too).
We got the car in the garage and eventually got everything undone. What a
bitch the front mounts were. This is the first late model engine I've
pulled. The mounts are different between the early models and late models.
I now know you don't have to unbolt the mount from the frame. Oh well, you
learn something new every day. Anyway, we got the engine and transmission
out eventually.
I separated the transmission and looked at the clutch. The clutch disk was
worn, but not to the point of failure, but it smelled very burned. I looked
at the throw-out bearing and found the problem. The graphite was gone,
nothing, not even a piece left, just a metal ring. I don't understand why
the thing worked at all. I would have thought it would have squealed badly
with the metal shell against the spinning pressure plate, but no noise.
This was a first for me, I've never seen this failure before. I now know
why we couldn't get it into gear and why the clutch didn't engage until the
pedal was almost fully released.
I replaced the clutch and got everything back together. The metal plate on
the left motor mount was cracked so I had to order a new piece, everything
else I had already, just have to reorder some parts for the 74 B I'm
restoring. John is coming home again on Wednesday evening, so hopefully
we'll get the engine back in Thursday so my wife can get her car back. In
the mean time I'm forced to drive my 71 TR6 until we get his car running
again. :)
Ken
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