jagnut66

Hi, I'd be interested in the black & white one, as that is what the rest of my collection consists of, so happy to swap one for that. I'll pm you my mobile number. Best wishes, Mike.

The 'guy with the nipple spanner' is me, as I can't keep asking others to pop round, so I'm mostly on my own. Which is why I, after reading your post, I came up with the idea to make the little tool pictured below. I utilised the extension piece in conjunction with a home made plate, which bolts onto the slave cylinder and depresses the piston. I then bled the clutch through again. Resulting in a very firm clutch pedal, far better than I've achieved before, even with help. I shall be hanging onto this little home made tool. However, although I can now engage gears, there is still a crunch when engaging first and then slight resistance with the rest afterwards. Despite this making the car usable (sort of), it is not really satisfactory. So time to take it back apart and re-examine what I've done. I'll also revisit the possibility of it being an end float / thrust washers issue. I'm hoping I find something........ Best wishes, Mike.

Thanks Steve.

In answer to the first part, yes, the nipple is above the feed pipe. Just to clarify, I take it you mean that I should unbolt it from the bell housing, separate it from the pushrod for the release bearing and then clamp it with something, so that it's pushed fully home, in much the same way that you would wind a brake calliper home when installing new pads. Then bleed it through again. I'm assuming you mean you ground a bit off the face of the mounting boss, which bolts to the gearbox bell housing? Best wishes, Mike.

mmmmm.... You might be right, I'll go back to the start and revisit the first thing I did, which was to change the clutch cover and driven plate. Then work forward from there if I don't find anything. I hope I do, as this doesn't make any sense to me. I've changed the clutch loads of times on my Minors without all this grief. The only difference being that Minors have a mechanical clutch linkage rather than a hydraulic one. Maybe there's a 'schoolboy' error in there which, having got so involved with this, I'm not seeing..... 'Woods for the trees'........... Best wishes, Mike.

I believe it's the same one as was in there originally. Though with that extension piece removed both of them appear to be of the same type. With no apparent play on the engine pully, I'm at a loss as to what to try next. I would say I wish I'd never pulled it all apart in the first place but it was beginning to graunch a bit, which was probably down to that worn cover, so I'd probably have had to take it apart sooner rather than later anyway. Feeling a might frustrated with it at present I have to say. Best wishes, Mike.

This has been at the back of my mind since you first mentioned it. I have now tried this, firstly on my spare 1300 engine, which does have some movement, enough to make it 'knock' when you pull the pully and push it back again. It doesn't seem that excessive but may be on the limit, is the threshold the same for a 1300? Trying it on the 1300 unit first, because it is out and therefore access is easy, gave me a feel for what you were talking about. With the 1200 unit still being in the car I put a board down and went underneath the car, so I could get a good grip on the pully. I found no apparent movement at all, after several attempts to find some. Hopefully this is a good sign.................... Best wishes, Mike.

Well, I'm back on this again. The clutch gradually got worse until I couldn't engage gears at all. So it's back in my garage, in the air once more. On the plus side the Dave Mac sliding propshaft is now fitted and it's a definite improvement. Also I have had the gearbox off (again) and fitted a new (new) release bearing, there is now no noise when depressing the clutch. However, I had no joy, even with a friend (old school trained mechanic) helping, getting it to engage gears with the engine running. He thought the pedal pressure (always good having a second opinion) was good enough but no joy. So I refitted that extension piece to the clutch arm. Plenty of pedal pressure now and I could now engage gears. But only with a bit of a crunch. I am starting to wonder if it might be my old gearbox, everything wears out after all....... However, the only way to prove that one way or the other, is to source a known (definitely, beyond any doubt) good one. Though it doesn't hurt to have a spare. Does anyone have such a box that they are willing to part with? Thanks and best wishes, Mike.

Hi, I have a little collection of old style numberplates on my garage wall, which I have collected over time, as a bit of 'wall art'. I was also fortunate enough at the time to be able to find out what cars they came off, as most came from scrap yards or off cars being broken for parts. However, in amongst them I have two sets of duplicates, namely numberplates for both the front and rear of a car bearing the same number, so therefore I have two (different single plates) I'd like to swap with anyone who may have a similar collection, which also has duplicates in it, or anyone who might like to start one, when (for example) renewing / replacing the old black and silver (or white) numberplates on their car. As I have two to swap I can help two individuals start their own collection in the latter case. Obviously there is no title, nor rights to one, with any plates, they are simply for wall (man cave😃) decoration. If anyone is interested please get in touch. Best wishes, Mike.

Wow, that was so easy compared to all the messing around trying to get the trolley jack in a suitable position during the previous occasions I've raised her. Thanks Clive, I went with your suggestion this time, with due trepidation because this is when you find out just how solid your front crossmember or how secure your diff really is. Thankfully no creaks or groans and she is now up in the air. Noted John, now she is up in the air I can get a fix on where this is and whether my trolley jack would be able to reach it comfortably or not. If not I'll stick to using the diff, which incidentally is also the point where I jack the rear of my Morris's up. The world is full of little ironies and coincidences............ 🙂 Best wishes, Mike.

Hi, Something I have done before a couple of times but I've always found it a bit of a dilemma, as to where the best place on the chassis is to jack up my Herald, using my trolley jack. I've looked online and all the information / pictures seem to be of Spitfires rather than Heralds, as requested by my search.... What are the best jacking points to use to raise the car, assuming a solid chassis? I want to put axle stands front and rear, as I need complete access under my car, so I can remove the gearbox and (also) change the propshaft. I'm hoping someone can provide a diagram or similar that I can refer back to if I need to. The points I've used before have always been a bit of struggle to reach with my trolley jack (the Herald being considerably nearer to the ground than my Morris), so I'm hoping that there are points I can use that are nearer to the outer edges. Many thanks, as always, for any advice offered. Best wishes, Mike.

You are correct. We are now in a new Carolean age, which is what the reign of a Charles as King is known as. As you also said. God save the King. Best wishes, Mike.

There is some truth in that, though I think the line was through a sister or cousin of Richard, as his son died before he did. Tony Robinson presented a documentary on this very subject a few years back but the latest Australian heir wasn't interested in claiming the throne for himself..... Had Richard 111 not lost (unexpectedly) on Bosworth field our history might have been very different...... Best wishes, Mike.

She gave us her promise at 21. She kept it until the very end. She was this country's rock and it's constant. She was our ambassador to the world and the whole world respected her, even the republicans. I feel like we have lost a very dear friend. May God bless her and may she now rest in peace. God Save The Queen. God Save The King.

An option I agree Colin but I prefer the grip of a rubber version. I've had other cars where the rubbers gone and you're left with a shiny metal pedal which your foot can slip off at inconvenient moments..... Best wishes, Mike.

Hi, I am looking to replace mine also, what solution did you come up with? Many thanks, Mike.

I've heard of that somewhere before, I will give it a go. As you say, a simple test. Best wishes, Mike.

As it was running reasonably well up till then my first port of call will be the bearing, unless I spot something more serious when I remove the gearbox...... again........ Best wishes, Mike.

NOS -- so that could mean the grease inside had dried out unfortunately -- tell me about it. Best wishes, Mike.

This developed this afternoon driving into Nottingham. Lots of lights, one way systems, mini roundabouts, low gear work (horrible place to drive round / into). Prior to that it was quiet, and quite liveable. All seemed well on planet Herald, until...................... Getting fed up with dismantling it. Plus the Morris is in my garage now and a replacement gearbox should be ready for it next week sometime (also to collect from Nottingham 😒), so the Herald will have to grin and bear it for a while, as I need a working car. I will have to limit it's journeys I guess. I have a spare prop now, so I will send that off to Dave Mac in Coventry and get a sliding one made up, may as well do that at the same time. Best wishes, Mike.

Touching on clutch release bearings again for a moment: Is it a sign of a worn one when you depress the clutch and you get a grating / grinding sound (which is only present whilst the clutch pedal is pressed) but the gears still engage smoothly? Best wishes, Mike.

That really is a pile of parts you have there Colin. 😃 The seat base appears to have only come apart at the seams but is otherwise all there, if that's the case then yes it will do the job, as I just need it as a pattern. Shame there's no back but c'est la vie............ Are you okay to just send me the cover (will save on postage costs -- and packaging)? Let me know how much you want plus the cost of postage. Now I must hunt down a back..... Best wishes, Mike.

Thanks Colin.

I forgot about the 13/60 saloon, which of course will be the same shape / size. The Vittesse saloons must be the same also, as the only real difference was bonnet design (and the engine size, I know.....😉) Thanks for considering me Colin. In the meantime I will broaden my title for this, to see if there are any others out there that might be available. Best wishes, Mike.

I hope not, it's the second new one I've bought and fitted recently. I'm not ignoring you Dan, just hoping it doesn't come to opening up the bottom of the engine to replace thrust washers. I need the car on the road at present. I'm hoping so Pete, I've ordered a spare cap for the master, which I can adapt to use with the easy bleed kit. If the problem doesn't go away during use I will give it another bleed through using this, as the first option....... Best wishes, Mike.