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My Bruver's Spitfire


dougbgt6

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Went round to my Bruver's today to help him disassemble his clutch. We were expecting the clutch to be locked on/rusted to the flywheel but no, it wasn't. He's already replaced master and slave rubbers so why is the clutch not working? The levering mechanism seems quite stiff, how loose should it be?

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Its normally a rattling good fit , theres only the pivot pin , bush and the swivel locations , so not much to go stiff

Does the withdawl slide easy on the gearbox front sleeve  .!???

 

Did you have a good pedal pressure but it wont clear the disc. You can get drag if the diaphragmand its fulcrum

Ring get dislodged , often by being dropped 

Is the disc flat , not distorted ?

Pete

 

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Hello Doug.

Is the slave cylinder feed pipe and bleed nipple round the correct way after reassembly and of course the obvious Q is are the seals spot-on or could it be that one or some are not seating properly ??

Basic I know, but always a good start point.

Regards.

Richard.

 

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Update on brother's clutch.

We went to Moss with the old clutch and they told us it wasn't worn and virtually new! Also Haynes says there is a wrong and a right way to bolt this clutch housing back on the flywheel, the wrong way and the clutch won't work. So, we think the PO changed the clutch, found it didn't work, lost heart, left the car for 7 years and then sold it to a mug punter. (My brother)

We re-installed the clutch and bell housing relatively easily, only to discover the clutch slave cylinder operating rod was trapped in the bell housing and couldn't be wiggled into the slave cylinder hole. This was not my fault! :wub: It doesn't work like this on the GT6! We gave up and will return tomorrow to undo the bell housing and try again.

The question is how far will we have to pull the bell housing back to wiggle the slave cylinder rod out? We thought maybe two long studs through the bell housing and everything will stay in position? Anybody else got this T shirt?

 

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Well, we got it sorted. Had to pull it back about two inches so splines disconnected but managed to wiggle the rod out. Then a nightmare trying to get the splines back on. The first time it just slid straight on, this time an hour wiggling, flexing, left, right, up and down. Then, suddenly, without doing anything different, success. Next, onto the poor compression!

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Further update: Brother found he was having to pump the clutch pedal to get the required movement out of the slave cylinder, so new rubbers haven't fixed the hydraulics. He's bought and fitted a new master cylinder and he can feel/see/hear movement from the clutch.

The low compression turned out to be a dodgy 40 year old compression tester. Compression now between 140/150. Good enough for the time being.

Next problem: Without the engine running he can easily select gears,  1, 2, 3, 4.  With the engine running the gear lever is locked solid, won't budge. 

Any ideas?  I think I'm gonna have to go over there again.  :(

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 Doug.  when bleeding the slave push the piston down into the slave, to get rid of any trapped air. ( might need slave out to do this.)

the problem you have is def  the disc is not clearing ,, so when engine runs the synchro baulks any engagement,

make sure no carpet is blocking pedal stroke.

make sure pedal is fully returning and there is some free play between  mcyl push rod and its piston

hope that works 

 

Pete

  

 

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Thanks Pete, I just spoke to "Dejected of Uxbridge" He did the thing with the slave already and the carpet's out. However, he did mention the hole in the top of the pedal was worn elliptical, so there is mechanical play in the system. We could stick a tie wrap in it to take up the slack, it won't last long but it'll tell us if this is the fault. If that doesn't work a new slave I guess.

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You cant bolt the cover on incorrectly but the disc can fit both ways round, get it wrong and the disc centre hub can foul on the flywheel bolts

The hub stand off (thick side) must be cover side.  Some are marked flywheel side to help

Can cause serious drag or a lot of clattering .and thats box off to check ...  do the simples first

Upto eyes with some gearbox repairs but would you like a vist sometime soon to wave some magic fingers at it ???

Pete

 

Pete 

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Yes, simples first. Fired him up over the phone this morning and he's going to try and temporarily take the slack out the pedal. If that works or not, I think he's going to order a new slave cylinder anyway, but that's not going to arrive till next week.

Thanks for the offer! Will update later on.

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OK wedging a tie wrap in the elongated hole improves the travel, but not enough. Appears to be no end float, which is a relief. He's disconnected the prop and started in several gears, gearbox works! Also a relief.Asked him which way round the clutch disk was, he's certain thick side to the back of the car. Slight seepage from slave bleed nipple, new slave on order but won't be here till next week. 

More next week.

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Update: My brother got his slave cylinder this morning and put it on. He's got some weird gizmo for hydraulics bleeding, it applies 20lbs pressure to the master cylinder fluid and recycles fluid from the bleed nipple back to the master cylinder, as he explained it to me. It didn't work. He says the peddle goes 3/4 of the way down before he can feel pressure from the clutch.

I told him to scrap the gizmo and use my frantic pumping method, works for me every time. He's now spilt the remainder of his dot 4 on the car floor and retired indoors to kick the cat. More dot 4 tomorrow and new starter solenoid. Then re-bleed. If that doesn't work I'll go over again on Saturday. And if that doesn't work we may have to take Mr Lewis for a curry.

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If the push rod in the slave is firm when you push it(with slave off)  then  the mechanical side is about right and the lack of pressure is still down to a hydraulic malfunction   ie if you peddle it does the slave piston apply the load or is it all spongy 

Not easy to simulate on car , but you some how need to eliminate the mechanicals from the hydraulics

If the reservoir recuperation seal, is not working you loose travel, and as the master has not refilled youre stuck with a low pedal

Pete Mmmmm    curry 

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Update:

Brother not able to start the engine to diagnose clutch. One step forward, two steps back. He replaced starter solenoid. Nope, not the solenoid. Starter motor seems.....intermittent.

Off to Spitfire grave yard in Wokingham tomorrow to claim £15 starter motor and other essential parts. Then retire to the Hawelli curry shop in Twyford  to discuss options. One of which is a visitation from Uncle Pete, lured by........curry.  Beginning to suspect this is all driven by my brother's lust for curry.

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Earths were the first thing I said, but no, starter motor on the bench, jump leads to modern's battery and,  it's an ex-starter motor. So off to Spit Bitz  aka Spitfire grave yard, if we can see our way through the fog.   That's three days in a row, thick fog, it's like that film, what was it called? The Fog!  I begin to suspect there are undead MG drivers lurching through the mist. 

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