On Sat, 23 Mar 1996, Robert J. Donahue wrote:
> Just took the TD on a shake-down cruise. First time she has moved under her
> own power in 25 years! I've been working on the mechanicals for almost a
> year now. Everything went surprisingly well. Turns out I didn't need the
>tools
> or the fire extinghiser I had brought along. But I did find one problem, when
>I
> release the clutch pedal it engages very slowly, like molsais in January. No
> problem with slippage or anything, just slow. Being a novice backyard
>mechanic,
> I am unfamiliar with the clutch mechanism. Is anything in the clutch
>lubricated?
> I ask this because I had found that the grease in other parts of the car had
> turned into a sticky goo like the insides of a Fig Newton. Any ideas? I'm
> hoping something just needs some fresh lube or cleaning. (By the way, the
>clutch
> was working fine when it was parked 25 years ago. I've had this car so long,
> that I'm almost my own DPO.) Thanks in advance.
Your TD sounds like my TC. I began restoring it when my first daughter
was born, but got sidetracked by other cars and other projects. It still
isn't back together, and #1 daughter is now 23 years old. :-(
Your TD is a 1953, so it probably has the two-rod clutch linkage rather
than the rod & cable linkage used on earlier TDs. The factory introduced
the rod & lever linkage at TD22251, supposedly in response to complaints
that the earlier cable linkage (a holdover from the TD's Y-Type ancestor)
was unreliable. I suspect the real reason was that it was less expensive
to manufacture. When the rod & lever linkage is unworn, unbent, and well
lubricated it works fine, but in my experience the older cable linkage
gave better service over a long period of time (primarily because
alignment isn't so critical).
Start by making sure all the pivot points in the linkage, the cross-shaft
bushings in the clutch housing, and the clutch pedal bushing are all well
lubricated.
Is the clutch return spring (on the sump) in place? If it's
missing you'll have a wonderfuly light pedal action, but poor pedal
return.
If that doesn't improve matters, concentrate on isolating which componant
is introducing excessive friction. Disconnect the linkage from the lever
on the cross-shaft (on the clutch housing), then work the clutch pedal to
make sure the linkage itself moves freely in both directions. If it
doesn't, keep disconnecting sections of the linkage until you isolate the
stiff joint.
Also make sure the linkage isn't bent out of alignment and that the pivot
points aren't badly worn. Either condition will cause the linkage to
bind. If the pivot points are badly worn, either replace or rebush them.
If the linkage isn't at fault, then the most likely culprits are inside
the clutch housing. You were planning to pull the gearbox anyway,
right? :-)
Make sure the cross shaft rotates freely in the clutch housing, but
without any noticeable play between the shaft and its bushings. The
bushings must be kept lubricated! Use grease at assembly time, and give
them a squirt of oil every time you lube the chassis and/or change the
engine oil.
At assembly time clean the splines of the gearbox's input shaft (where the
clutch disc slides back and forth) thoroughly and smear on a VERY light
film of grease. Don't overdo it, or the grease will work its way onto the
friction surfaces of the clutch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 NEMGTR #2271
Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO (daily driver)
fold@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us
If cars had evolved as fast as computers have, by now they'd cost a
quarter, run for a year on a half-gallon of gas, and explode once a day.
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