clutch judder

[sulzerman]

Spitfire MK1V

My Spit has developed quite a bad clutch judder. It has done about 2500 miles is a nos Borg and beck clutch, flywheel has been skimmed flat. The judder got worst after the car was parked facing down on a severe hill. I think some oil leaked out of he gearbox. Is it possible for oil to contaminate the clutch in this way??? 

 

thank you 

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

many gearboxes have a scroll seal  and not  a lip seal ,  this onlt works when parts rotate,

there is a risk if the box is  over full that parking down hill can allow 

the oil to migrate down the input shaft and then spin off onto the linings .

 

not easy to do any cleaning as there it little access to squirt brake cleaner inside,  ,   you may improve things by doing some power slips at 25/30 mph 

and allow slip and apply full power  dont over cook it or disaster prevails,,  2 to 3 heated slips can actually work  up an improvement 

 

ie make it smell a bit not burst into smoke ...sort of gentle abuse 

Pete

[Unkel Kunkel]

Also worth having  a look at  the engine mountings and the gearbox rear mounts -

if these have deteriorated/broken/come loose can cause quite dramatic juddering esp moving off up an incline or reversing up an inclin

 

Andrew

[GrahamB]

I jacked the rear of my Spitfire 1500 up as high as I could to do some work underneath and then went in for lunch.  I returned to a small pool of oil under the flywheel.  After this I had clutch judder.  I replaced engine mounts etc and tried abusing the clutch to burn the oil off but with little sucess.  It was only cured by replacing the clutch.  Fortunately, I had bought a complete kit from Canley's 6 months earlier when they were on offer.  I have had no more problems since and now never jack the car up to an excessive angle.

 

Sorry, but replacing at least the clutch plate may be the only permanent cure.

 

Graham