Dan,
I am trying to diagnose my own clutch problems, but here is what I would try.
1) Make sure that the system is properly bled.
2) If it is I would suspect the throwout bearing and/or pressure plate due to
the noise you were hearing.
The cable was added on later Spitfires as a safety measure to keep the engine in
the car in an accident. It is called an engine restraint cable. If you have
the Bently manual it is shown on page 157 or page 26 of the TRF catalog.
Roger Elliott
80 Spitfire
Dan Crone wrote:
> 1975 Spitfire 1500.
> With the engine off, I can easily row through the gears.
> With the engine running, clutch depressed, I can't put the car into any
> gear.
> With the engine off, I put the car in 1st gear, and start the car. I can
> tell the clutch is not fully disengaged as blipping the throttle will result
> in very slight forward motion.
> I can double-clutch and "get on down the road". If I were better at
> double-clutching, I might drive it like this the whole season.
> Depressing the clutch seems to help get into neutral, but doesn't help
> shifting into gears.
>
> History: Some noise last year when the clutch pedal was fully depressed,
> which would disappear if I'd let the clutch pedal up about 1/2 inch off the
> floor. Clutch hydraulic system died in November, and car was garaged until
> summer. Clutch master and slave cylinders replaced last month. Everything
> was fine for about 30 days and now this problem developed over a 2 day
> period. It hasn't healed itself yet. Clutch;pressure plates;throwout
> bearing was replaced 3 years ago.
>
> P.S. When I'm underneath the car I have a large steel cable 1/2" in
> diameter with an adjustment in the middle that seems to have something to do
> with the transmission/engine alignment. What is this thing? I can't find it
> in my shop manual.
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