3 replies to this topic

[TVS]

I'm trying to work out why my clutch is biting right at the end of its travel.... I've adjusted the return stop on the clutch arm to the HBOL recommended gap... its got a new slave cylinder and pipe and the master cylinder isn't leaking! There feels like there is about 1 inch of free play on the pedal before master cylinder starts to do anything - which feels about normal. The pedal box is from a later car with built in servo but as I've rebuilt the car I've never driven it to know if this made any difference before.
It seem to vary slightly, if I'm in traffic and using the clutch a lot then it gets so bad its very difficult to get the 'box in 1st and impossible in reverse with out selecting 4th first. On a run its OK. Would appreciate any advice! Thanks, Toby

PS Its a vetro (sp?) clutch on a early 90's 1275 engine in a late Mk2 car & pedal box as above!

[tommy13]

It sounds as though you have considered /eliminated most of the possibilities. The 1" free play sounds a little excessive and I wonder if it's worth getting your head under the dash with a torch and working the pedal free play to see how much of this in the pedal/clevis pin/master cylinder fork joint. Clevis pins are often deeply grooved and fitting a new one can make a surprising improvement. Make sure you dont have too many layers of carpet restricting the travel . I read somewhere there may be a problem with the Verto type slave cylinder mounting plates flexing and or cracking. You could check this for flexing while someone presses the clutch. The clearence between the arm and the stop can be reduced by about half, but if you do this and it makes the clutch useable you must check it very regularley to make sure it doesn't close up further.
If you are sure there is no air in the system and none of this works then you must suspect the clutch itself. Was it new ? badly manufactured ones are not unheard of. There may be oil on the clutch from a failed oil seal which can cause drag and difficulty engaging gears

[Grayedout]

If it's got a return stop (7/16" headed bolt ) in the housing then you have a pre-verto clutch.

If so then people have been jknown to have no end of problems with the clutch arm travel just not being long enough and I known people to weld extensions on the pushrod, bend the clutch arm etc etc.

Check the play as above but with your mix of parts you may just have enough travel !

[TVS]

Thanks for the input... that's interesting, I assume it is a verto clutch as it uses a pre-engaged starter but the slave cylinder is mounted in the traditional mini position, not on a metal plate?
I'll have a good look under the dash about the travel... see if I can't reduce the free play and check for carpet fouling etc!