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[Spits] clutch hydraulics query

To: Triumphs@autox.team.net, Spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: [Spits] clutch hydraulics query
From: <jimmuller@rcn.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:15:22 -0400 (EDT)
I drove my GT6 in to work this morning.  I'm happy to report that the gearbox 
worked just fine.

I must report unhappily that the clutch is more needy, which is to say less 
clutchy.  It's a problem I've wrestled with before.

As I'm driving it seems to build pressure in the hydraulics so that eventually 
the clutch slips.  The quick fix is to crack open the nut where the line goes 
into the master cylinder, allowing a teaspoon or so of clutch fluif, which is 
to say brake fluif to escape.

It did this a few days ago on a brief drive.  It did it again this morning 
while I was tooling down the highway.  A common condition for most occasions 
that I recall is that it was cold when I started out.  And I suspect that if I 
mash the pedal down too hard it can bring on this condition.  Or least not 
mashing it hard seemed to have avoided it for a long time.

I'd suspect a sticky slave cylinder except that this morning it seemed to have 
come on when I wasn't using the clutch at all.  At least not that I recall.  
Okay, maybe once.  An alternate stickiness factor could be the clutch arm 
scraping against the tunnel cover.  I can check it but it's one of those 
space-age plastic covers with no dangling insulation underneath, so I doubt 
this possibility.  It really seems to correlate to heat.

So the question:  Is there evidence to suggest that brake fluif expands 
noticeably with moderate heat?  (It isn't getting especially hot.)  Perhaps 
older fluif that might have absorbed water sitting even in an opened once but 
tightly sealed container?

Of course, the obvious fix is just to purchase new cylinders, clear out the 
line, then use DOT5.  Spitbits lists the SC at about $50, the MC OEM for about 
$150 and MC repro for about $65, IIRC.

tanks,
Jim Muller
'70 GT6+
'80 Spitfire
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