spitfires
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Sudden and complete clutch failure

To: "GIBSON,PETE (A-England,ex1)" <pete_gibson@agilent.com>,
Subject: Re: Sudden and complete clutch failure
From: "RALPH JANNELLI" <RALPH.JANNELLI@Prodigy.net>
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 09:51:15 -0400
Pete,

I had a similar experience some years ago. What happened in my case is one
of the springs in the clutch plate broke out of its holder and got wedged in
between firmly locking the clutch and pressure plate together.

Good Luck

Ralph Jannelli
Matthews, NC
'65 Spitfire MKII
'72 Spitfire MKIV
'80 TR8 DHC
----- Original Message -----
From: GIBSON,PETE (A-England,ex1) <pete_gibson@agilent.com>
To: Spitfire List (E-mail) <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Cc: <Gosling_Richard_B@perkins.com>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 6:48 AM
Subject: Sudden and complete clutch failure


>
> My clutch has suddenly given up!  There I was, driving into work as usual,
>  stopped at a roundabout, go to put the car in first and discover that my
>  clutch is permentanly engaged.  I made it the last few junctions into
work
> by
>  shoving Daffy violently into gear at low revs, then hitting the throttle
to
>  avoid stalling, and double-de-clutching on all my changes - not very good
> for
>  the gearbox I know, but that needs to be replaced as soon as I can afford
> it
>  anyway.
>
> Symptoms - the clutch still 'feels' normal, i.e. the same level of
pressure
> is
>  required to press it.  The clutch does not disengage at all, even
slightly.
>  When I got to work I checked the reservoir, it still has the same level
of
>  fluid as when I checked in during my routine checks yesterday.
>
> This is mainly a question for UK listers, as I need an answer by lunctime
>  today, so unless any of you Americans are out of bed very early you will
> get
>  this too late!  Is there any chance that this is something I will be able
> to
>  sort out myself (at least a temporary bodge), in no more than, say, 1 1/2
>  hours (extended lunch break!), without the use of anything more than a
>  reasonably comprehensive tool kit and the usual bits and pieces (nuts,
> bolts,
>  bits of metal) that lie around in a workshop, plus what can be purchased
> from
>  the motor factor round the corner?  Or should I just bite the bullet and
> take
>  the afternoon off work and limp Daffy over to my nearby friendly Triumph
>  specialist, and beg them to drop everything to give me a couple of hours
of
>  their time to fix her?
>
> I need advice, and quick!
>
> Richard Gosling and Daffy (not in good shape today!)
>
> P.S. Please e-mail answers directly to me (Gosling_Richard_B@perkins.com),
> as I
>  subscribe to the digest, and I can't wait that long for an answer!


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>