12 replies to this topic

[RossKnight]

Im up at the barn with my mini now, its been sat for ages and the clutch arm seized, i've taken slave off, and all the other bits, finally managed to get the split pin and the rod out the clutch arm to housing bit, but now i cant pull the clutch arm off, i cant get the ball end out the plunger it seems, could it be because its stuck in gear so the plunger is too far in the housing or something? Is there a nack to this?

desperate for help as i wanted it sorted before its dark

Edited by RossKnight, 27 January 2014 - 01:33 PM.

[Cooperman]

It can't be anything to do with it being in gear as the clutch is nothing to do with the gearbox.

It must just be the arm stuck in the plunger. Pour some releasing oil in, or some diesel, to 'unstick' it. Then just pull it out.

Best thing might be to fit a new arm if there is excessive wear on the ball at the bottom. 

[RossKnight]

I assumed the plunger would have been further in the housing, as the clutch is stuck open(?), I can roll the car around with the car in gear, meaning the ball can't lift out easy enough

 

I will definitely be replacing the clutch arm, pin and clevis pin, as soon as I manage to get the arm off.

 

I can lift the clutch arm up above where the clevis pin went through, but it doesn't seem to want to come out the ball end

[Cooperman]

You might need to lever the plunger away from the clutch by levering against the big net on the end of the plunger.

To free off the plunger without removing the 'wok' you should try some penetrating oil (not WD40, as that is not a pen. oil) down the clutch arm mounting slot, let it soak, add a load more, then when the arm is out you can slide it in & out to free it off. The lubricate it with a thin oil (like 3 in 1). The problem is caused due to it being a steel plunger in an aluminium alloy housing.

You might have to take the 'wok' off to free everything properly and that would be best really.

[RossKnight]

 

 

Terrible picture I know, but this is all that's really happening when trying to lift the clutch arm out of the plunger, you can see the clevis pin hole, is no longer aligned, and it seems to be using the ball end as a pivot point rather than just lifting out

 

I'll get some penetrating oil on it tomorrow, and hopefully the arm will then come out the plunger, really trying to avoid taking the wok off as I don't want to have to try and get the bottom bolts off jacking the engine up etc

Edited by RossKnight, 27 January 2014 - 03:52 PM.

[Cooperman]

I suspect that the clevis pin slot is what is holding the arm in. Put lots of pen. oil on it and be firm with moving it. I've had to knock one out with a mallet once (or twice!).

[RossKnight]

Sorry, completely forgot to upload the picture, it's up now haha.

 

Could it really be the pin slot? the clutch arm seems to be able to move up and down in it, as you can see the pin hole is not aligned, I just can't pull it out

 

 

Thanks for all your help by the way

[Cooperman]

It does look as though it's the arm stuck in the slot. At the bottom it's just a small steel ball-end sitting in a big tapered cup and I've never ever had an arm stick there.

Swing the operating arm out of the way and prise the arm out with a big screwdriver or a small pry-bar, after putting more lubricant down the slot.

Before fitting a new arm, or even re-fitting the same one, clean up the faces on each side of the slot with a fine file & some emory cloth, then grease it well.

One tip is to put the new clevis pin in from the lower, i.e. inside, facing outwards as this makes it easier to fit the washer and split pin.

[tiger99]

It seems to me that there must be an accumulation of rust in the hole in the plunger into which the ball end of the lever engages, so Cooperman's suggestions should work, eventually. It may need a lot of wiggling, and "persuading". Maybe lots of one of the various rust removing chemicals would help, but check that they are safe on ali, or you will be needing a new "wok".

 

I would take the wok off, as suggested, and work in relative comfort on the bench, or wiggle and pull it will watching TV or whatever. It will eventually come out. Being able to get more angular movement on the lever, because the plunger travel is unrestricted, will help, so remove the throwout stop nuts and work it all as far as possible in both directions.

[Stiggytoo]

Hammer.

[RossKnight]

managed to get the arm off, bit of a burr on the ball, is it okay to use?

but anyway im stuck again, i put a nut on the plunger and prised it against the casing and managed to get the plunger to come out a bit more but i cant seem to get it to work back in, i plusgas'ed it, should the plunger slide in and out freely?

[RossKnight]

In a previous thread I was told this;

 

remove the clevis pin and the clutch arm then put a spanner on the lock nut and turn the whole lot round and round whilst spraying it in wd40. then refit and put the slave back on and work it whilst still spraying in wd40

 

Put a spanner on what lock not? What shaft am I supposed to be spinning? I can't get it to free

[Cooperman]

The end of the plunger is a threaded section. This carries the throw-out stop nut & lock nut. Make sure these are locked together and then use a spanner to turn the plunger in the clutch cover. With the arm removed it should rotate freely and should, eventually, run in & out very freely.

With the clutch cover removed, which is the best way to make sure it is OK, you can undo the throw-out nuts and remove the plunger with the thrust bearing on the inside end and clean it up, check the thrust bearing, clean out the cover so that re-fitting is easy, assemble the cover with plunger, thrust bearing, clevis pins and throw-out nuts (loosened for re-setting after final fitting.

When re-fitting the throw-out nuts must be undone a fair way, then adjusted AFTER the cover assembly is installed, the hydraulic system re-bled if necessary and, if pre-Verto, the clutch arm adjustment stop clearance correctly set and the clutch operation tested.