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RE: sticking clutch

To: "CHRIS KOTTING" <ckotting@wideopenwest.com>, <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: sticking clutch
From: "Dodd, Kelvin" <doddk@mossmotors.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2005 11:27:58 -0800
Chris:

Thanks for posting.  Not to disparage too much, but I was getting the
heebie jeebies, thinking about MGs launching themselves around parking
lots with roll around jacks firmly embedded in the fuel tanks.

As Chris stated, jack the rear end up, then hit the clutch and brakes at
the same time.  If it is just a rust problem, this is enough to break it
loose.  



Now the stupid mechanic trick admittance.

1966 Land Rover, had rebuilt the engine and taken a couple of months to
install it onto the gearbox.  Rebuilt hydraulics, but the clutch
wouldn't disengage.  Figured the disc had rusted during the long
installation process.

Jacked up all four wheels, and revved the engine up to about 3500 rpm.
All four oversize wheels are booming and roiling.  Header uncapped, and
DGV Weber snorting, within the confines of the garage, the noise is
deafening.  Slammed down on the clutch and brake pedals, with an
incredible screetching of metal on metal the truck's wheels came to a
stop and the engine died.  There was the smell of burning metal, hot oil
and the ticking sound of metal cooling.  

Checking, I found that the slave cylinder pushrod was bent almost
double, which was the first indication of a problem.  After pulling the
transmission backwards (no mean feat on a Landie), I found the center of
the clutch disc had welded itself to the center of the pressure plate.
Checking carefully, it turns out I had put a clutch disc in that was
slightly too large for the clutch cover.  It looked fine till the
assembly was tightened,  pinching the disc.  That's when I figured out
that a 1/4" larger Austin-Healey disc wasn't the best way to save a
couple of bucks.

Broke the weld with a hammer, bought the correct disc.  Straightened the
pushrod, and the Rover lived happily ever after.   

Kelvin Dodd


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net] On
Behalf
> Of CHRIS KOTTING
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 10:09 AM
> To: mgs@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: sticking clutch
> 
> In addition to the two methods described elsewhwere, I have some
> variations
> on the theme:
> 
> RE: Driving around in second gear.  If pumping the clutch doesn't do
it,
> hold
> the clutch down and continue driving, periodically abruptly coming off
the
> throttle and braking (try not to stall the engine), then jumping back
on
> the
> throttle.
> 
> RE: Jacking the car up and dropping it.  A more gentle method is to
jack
> up
> the rear of the car, start the car, and at a moderate speed apply the
> handbrake and stomp on the footbrake.
> 
> Hope one of these methods helps...
> 
> Chris K.




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