You have run into the same thing I did about the clutch push rods. I
ordered a new one from Moss for my '73 Midget (1275), installed it, and
found out the clutch would no longer release. When I compared the two, it
was just as you describe: the old rod looked like it had been made longer
by welding. I put this situation out for the consideration of the list,
and the only response I got back was from someone who said, "Hey, that
happened to me, too". My clutch didn't work until I put the old pushrod
back in. I don't know what the problem is, but the new rods from Moss are
too short to work. If you put yours in, I'll bet you'll find this out.
Steve Byers
Havelock, NC
'73 Midget GAN5UD126009G "OO NINE"
'66 BJ8 HBJ8L/36666 "TARHEELY"
'63 BJ7 HBJ7L/20111 ("Resting" the last 10 years)
"It is better to remain silent, and be thought a fool,
than to speak, and remove all doubt." -- Mark Twain
----------
> From: Dustin Howarth <howarth@pulsenet.com>
> To: mg list <mgs@autox.team.net>
> Subject: more midget clutch saga
> Date: Monday, August 25, 1997 9:14 PM
>
> Hi gang -
>
> I'm back to battling the midget clutch after a week at the beach. The
> parts came in from Moss, and I have a few questions about reassembly:
>
> 1) Other than a hydraulic press or other machine shop equipment, what is
> the best way to insert the brass bushing into the clutch release lever
arm?
>
> 2) I received my new clutch slave cyl. push rod and was surprised to find
> that it is about 1 inch shorter than the one that came in the car from
the
> previous owner. The new part (Moss 180-595) appears to be correct in
that
> it measures 3 inches long -- as specified for the 1275 motor. it seems
> that the previous owner "created" the old push rod by welding about 1
inch
> from another rod onto a 3 inch rod, for a total of about 3- 7/8 inches.
>
> The car ran with the old rod until I started having clutch problems
> (related to problems with disengaging the clutch for anyone not familiar
> with the saga). Could this 'Frankenstein' push rod be the culprit? Not
> being too familiar with the operation of the clutch linkage, what effect
> would this extra long push rod have?
>
> I guess the real question is should I expect the new, 'correct' push rod
to
> work? Everything else in the linkage seemed fine, albeit a little worn.
> I'm replacing everything from the clutch disc to the slave cyl. push rod,
> except the release lever arm.
>
> 3) speaking of release levers, I have two other midget release levers
other
> than the one that came with my car. All three have the same MOWOG part
> number stamped on them, but all show subtle differences, especially
slight
> bends at the slave cylinder end where the push rod connects. Is this
> common, or are they all damaged in some way?
>
> Thanks again for all the help and advice. I hope to be running again by
> the weekend or shortly thereafter. There's still a little summer left,
> right?
>
> Dustin Howarth
> howarth@pulsenet.com
> '73 Midget 'Margo'
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