33 replies to this topic

[nomininolife]

:sad: I am having clutch problems. I have converted an auto to manual and everything is fine except for the clutch it takes 2 to 3 pedal pushes to get the pressure to engage a gear, I have replaced the copper pipe, the flexible pipe and the slave cylinder(all new parts. The master cylinder is from my other mini that worked fine --- no leaks and good pressure. Air in the system may spring to mind first off but I have bled the thing god knows how many times and just fluid comes out and no air.

Does anyone have any ideas before I am sectioned its driving me crazy


Many Thanks

David

[Dan]

Sounds like it's either out of adjustment or a hybrid mix of Verto and pre-Verto parts. Was the clutch disc on the lump you fitted new? If not and it is Verto then it is not easily possible to get it fully adjusted, as the setup needs to be done on a new disc. It is always best to fit a new disc when fitting an engine anyway though, whether it is Verto or not.

[Guess-Works.com]

Any fluid landing on your left foot, as could be a leaky master, also as Dan says, make sure it's all from one source, ie you need a verto slave with a verto clutch and a non-verto slave with a diaphragm clutch ( early type )

[nomininolife]

Hi Guys thanks for the quick replies

It is a complete new borg and beck clutch and there are no leaks whatsoever, also all adjustments are correct. Good one isnt it

[Guess-Works.com]

Last thing which pops to mind... are you sure it's a clutch master and not a brake master, can't remeber if they have different bore sizes.

[nomininolife]

Thanks Guess works I've been through that one, I went and bought a new seal kit it wouldnt fit took it back anyway now i do have a clutch master cylinder fitted it worked fine on the car i have taken it from.

[Dan]

The only other thing that comes to mind is a collapsing CRB. This happened to me recently (the week before MITP45) and when it happens it feels a bit like this and everytime you adjust it it works fine for a few hours and then slowly re-adjusts itself out.

[nomininolife]

Thanks Dan

Thanks for the idea.

This does not work at all not even for a few minutes. I have just been out and bled it again----- it is still the same, there is no fluid loss the base of the master cylinder is dry. We have tried bleeding it slowly and then pumping the pedal a few times and releaseing the bleed screw but it is still the same.

Do you think it could be the master cylinder that is low on pressure even though it does not leak?


Regards

David

[cowboy]

i had a simular problem with my old engine and clutch, i had a new slave cylinder and flexi pipe, and i couldn't get the clutch to disengage, there was plenty of movement at the slave cylinder but no matter how much i adjusted the clutch it wouldn't work.

the clutch worked fine if i used a bar on the lever, but not when i used the pedal, the lever just seemed to be to far away from the slave cylinder for it to work properly, i over came this problem by adding an extra inch to the slave cylinder push rod, not exactlly the correct thing to do, with brand new clutch fitted but nothing else was working for me, this solved my problem and the clutch worked well.

did you change the clutch plate or diaphram? or are these the ones which were on the car originally?

:wales:

[nomininolife]

Hey cowboy

Thanks for the reply

The clutch is a complete new (recon) three piece kit.

The thing i cant get my head round is if it can get enough pressure up for the correct amount of travel after three pedal pushes why cant it do it in one, it obviously has the physical capacity to do it.

the clutch works fine, the biting point is half way so it is just finding the way to get instant pressure

I spoke to Nick at Minibitz here in sheffield about this earlier today he said he wouldn't advise me to do it but thats what other people have been known to do (extend the bar)but thanks for the thought anyway.

Regards

David

[cowboy]

i think we need to go technical on this one and work out slave cylinder movement for each pedal depresion..

for this you will need an extra person to sit in the car and press the clutch pedal down, while you have your head in the engine bay, with a tape measure.

open up the tape measure, and place it along the push rod with 0 at the slave cylinder, not the position of the pushrod along the tape measure, and get the person sitting in the drivers seat to press the pedal, and note the amount of movement for each pedal depresion.

if the master cylinder and slave cylinder are working correctlly then the amount of movement should be the same for each pedal depresion.

IE if the start point is say 35mm and it moves to 50mm everytime you press the pedal, then there must be a problem with the new clutch fitted.. if the figures change then something is wrong with the set up of the master cylinder to slave cylinder...

can you post up the results of this test for everyone to continue helping cheers

[nomininolife]

Hi cowboy

Thanks for the continued support

The clutch its self seems to be fine it takes up drive and stays engaged fine.

I know there is more movement on the second and third press of the pedal, i set a distance with my finger earlier today. I will get exact measurements in the morning.

Thanks again for bearing with me

Regards

David

[Dan]

You did remove the return spring before setting the return stop I presume, as it still sounds like the return stop is out of adjustment or it's a brake master but you have already said it is the correct master. Or a duff slave but again you have already said it is a new slave.

You said it's a new Borg and Beck and then you said it's a recon clutch kit, which is it?

[Bluemini]

I recon you may have the wrong flex and slave combo. There are 2 different internal diameters for each and coupled together wrong will give you the wrong preasue, thus not pushing the slave piston out far enough.

If that isnt the case, just extend the pushrod that goes from the clutch arm to the slave, i was going to make an adjustable one for mine so I could get it spot on.

Or it may be that the clutch arm has straightened over time, they are quite prone to this. You have 2 choices, either try and heat it up and bend it back a bit, or buy a new one.

[siggy]

Whats the answer to Dans original question?????????????????


Siggy