3 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

Whilst doing the final preparation for my Cooper 'S' to compete in the East Anglian Classic Rally this coming weekend, I took it for a test drive and discovered a clutch issue. It felt odd and so I measured the arm movement at full depression. The top of the arm moved 0.40" and the minimum should be 0.55".

So I changed the clutch slave cylinder, with no improvement. Then I changed the clutch master cylinder, but still no improvement. If pushed down slowly it disengaged cleanly and re-engaged OK.  However, when pushed down quickly, as it will be on rally tests, the pedal was hard to depress and slow to re-engage causing a bit of clutch slip. 

My thoughts were that there was a hydraulic lock caused by the flexible hose. I didn't have a spare new clutch hose, but a front brake hose has the same threads and is just a bit longer. Fitting it cured the problem, so I deduce that the internal bore of the hoe was collapsing when pressure was applied quickly.

Now it is rally-ready and my son is driving is (I am too blooming old now!). 

[absx2]

I had exactly the same thing happen a few years back so I replaced it with a one piece braided hose which also makes for easy bleeding but I guess you would have to keep the rubber hose for regulations.

 

I had two rear flexi hoses do the same, at first I thought there was an issue with the regulator valve as I couldn`t bleed the rear brakes.

 

Good call with the front brake hose.

[Cooperman]

I have metal braided hoses on all the braking system and will probably change the clutch one in due course.
The regulations allow Aeroquip hoses.

[DeadSquare]

When you replace the clutch hose, remove the earth strap, drill out the connectors either end from 5/16" to 1/2" and fit it over each end of the new hose.

 

It makes an 'engine out' a little bit easier.