[Spridgets] HELP Diagnosing a Clutch Problem

[Larry Macy]

Good thought David, however in my personal experience when the thrust  
washer fell out the only change was a bit of difficulty shifting,  
sometimes. I recall no change in the clutch travel or pressure.

But Kevin, check that anyway, just to be safe. I do not want to spend  
another day swapping that engine out quite so soon.

Larry


On Sep 17, 2008, at 11:28 PM, David Riker wrote:

> With the engine off, have one person watch the front crankshaft  
> pulley.
> Have a second person depress the clutch pedal. Using a long pry bar  
> or pipe,
> pry back on the crankshaft pully while the person inside the car  
> releases
> the clutch.  If the front pulley moves forward and backwards AT ALL  
> you can
> be 99.9% sure that you have lost the thrust bearings inside the  
> engine.
> VERY common problem on spitfidget engines.  Do not continue to run the
> engine or siginificant damage to the crankshaft will result.
>
> For repair, look up threads on pinning the thrust bearings.
>
> David R.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kevin Valentine" <kevinv1275 at gmail.com>
> To: "Spridgets" <spridgets at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 6:45 PM
> Subject: [Spridgets] HELP Diagnosing a Clutch Problem
>
>
>> Hey All,
>>
>> The clutch is in a 1500 Midget.  We recently swapped engines.  All
>> was fine immediately after the swap but the following symptoms have
>> begun to surface;
>>
>> When the engine is off and the clutch is depressed, it feels like a
>> normal clutch.  (Easy to push in and release).
>>
>> When the engine is running the clutch is much more difficult to
>> depress and the pressure pushing back on the pedal (pedal resistance)
>> is more than when the engine is not running.
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-- 

Larry Macy
78 Midget

Keep your top down and your chin up.

Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
lmacy at phillymgclub.com
Board Member at Large
Philadelphia MG Club

One of these days, you'll look back on all this, and plow into a  
parked car.