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Re: yet another clutch problem

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: yet another clutch problem
From: David Gates <dgates@lava.net>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 18:03:14 -1000
Thanks greg,

I did notice that the clutch was oriented correctly when I removed it, but
I just looked at it again and noticed that it has a slight rattle sound
when I shake it like something is a little loose inside.  Is this normal?
It did not seem to be comming from the springs, they were all tight.

I did not think of the thrust washer drop out thing.  I just checked it and
found that there is a little movement, but not much at all.  How do you
measure it and how much is too much?  I could not find a convienent place
to put a gap guage.  At this point the tranny and clutch are removed, so I
have good access to the flywheel.

The clutch and tranny splines are in great condition.  No damage at all there.

David Gates

At 09:44 PM 3/30/99 EST, you wrote:
>
>Some random thoughts:
>
>Any movement on the crank, e.g. the dreaded thrust washer drop-out?
>Any chance the clutch disc was installed backwards by PO?
>Are there any burrs or rust on the clutch disc splines or trans input shaft
>that would
>  cause it to hang up from disengaging?
>
>FYI, I replaced the hinge pin with a bolt about 25,000 miles and it has given
>me no trouble.  Good luck, I would be interested to hear how it works out for
>you.
>
>-Greg
>
>78 and 72 Spits 
>
>
>In a message dated 3/28/99 7:57:13 PM EST, dgates@lava.net writes:
>
> 
>>  
>>  Hi all,
>>  
>>  My moderately grinding gears have finally gotten bad enough that I quit
>>  driving the car.  I have pretty much replaced all the hydrolics.  Replaced
>>  the master (new) and the slave (rebuilt), even used a different fluid
pipe.
>>   Hydrolics seem to be in pretty good condition, symptoms improved slightly
>>  but not fixed.  After seeing some recent advise on the list about loose
>>  spings and sheared pivot pins, I decided to remove the single rail tranny
>>  to check it out.  What could it hurt, I cant drive it anyway.  Here is
what
>>  I found.
>>  
>>  (Figure numbers below are from Haynes pg 134 fig 5.1.  This is actually
the
>>  wrong clutch but the lever mechanisms are all the same)
>>  
>>  The release bearing seems to be in good condition.  The hub (15) that the
>>  release bearing (14) is pressed onto however was rubbing on the operating
>>  lever (22).  This tells me that indeed the hydrolics are working fine
if it
>>  can move it that far.  I compared this to my spare 3 rail tranny on the
>>  bench and it would not even move far enough to rub on the operating lever.
>>  Should it even be ABLE to move that far?  I noticed that the retaining
>>  plugs (16) pivot as the operating lever is moved back and forth.  My 3
rail
>>  does not do that, the plugs remain stationary.  Then, I decided to remove
>>  the whole operating lever assembly and found that the hinge pin (17) was
>>  not pressed in, it is actually a bolt rather than a pressed in pin, it
does
>>  however fit nice and snug.  And lastly, the push rod (25) appears to have
>>  been modified.  The end that contacts the slave cylinder has been threaded
>>  and an extention was screwed onto it to make its length adjustable, this
>>  extra length may account for the rubbing.
>>  
>>  I could not find any obvious damage other than the stated modifications
and
>>  mild rubbing.  Nothing that would seem to cause the problems I have had.
>>  At least now I know where the rubbing sound is comming from when I push
the
>>  clutch pedal all the way down.
>>  
>>  So having said all that, here is my plan.  Order a new 3 piece clutch kit,
>>  it is in fair condition but since I have it out I might as well renew it.
>>  Replace the modified push rod with a standard one.  Get a real hinge
pin to
>>  replace the bolt.  Replace the retaining plugs and the pin that hold it
in.
>>   I realize that this is sort of a shotgun approach to this, but I really
>>  dont want to have to remove the tranny again if I can help it.  Can anyone
>>  offer anything else to look for while I have it all apart?  I would REALLY
>>  hate to replace all this stuff and find that I still have a problem.
>>  
>>  The car is a '73 Spitfire 1500, but the engine and tranny are out of a
'78.
>>   Sorry for being so long winded.
>>  
>>  David Gates
>>  With a herd of Spitfires and all of them stuck in the barn.
>>  
>
>

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