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We're not sick of hearing your troubles, Simon. We all learn from
others' problems and solutions. Please keep us informed.<br>
<br>
As for clutch longevity, there are several significant variables:
(your) location, type of driving, driving style, etc. For example,
if you DD your car in San Francisco, I wouldn't expect a clutch to
last 50K miles, if that long. If you mostly drive highway miles, I
think 100K is easily doable; I traded my '08 Mustang in at 124K
miles with original clutch <i>and</i> brakes. Although I've been
driving manual cars for over 50 years, I still don't feel I've
'mastered' them (like landings in an aircraft). Dump the clutch too
quickly and you'll increase longevity--if you don't break
anything--at the expense of smoothness, be very delicate and slip it
too much and you won't get 'normal' longevity. Actually, IMO Healeys
are relatively easier to drive well, a properly set-up clutch with a
Healey's torque makes smooth starts easier; my '19 Mustang is
high-strung by comparison and I still manage to stall it
occasionally.<br>
<br>
The release bearing can be problematic as, unlike a true bearing
it's a known wear item. I heard a while back there were some low
quality parts going around that failed within a few thousand miles.
I'd say if it's more than one-third worn--anyone know the original
thickness of the graphite?--I'd replace it (again, depending on
driving circumstances). Last time I had my BJ8's gearbox out I
didn't replace it, as the bearing appeared to be holding up and I
mostly drive highway miles in it. As for the disk and cover plate,
unless they're almost new that's an automatic replace, along with
the spigot/pilot bush. If fairly new, I believe the cover can be
turned--like brake rotors--but I'd probably install a new disk
regardless. With Healeys, with no rear main seal oil on the disk
will cause nasty judder, so any oil or burn spots is automatic
reject. If the cover plate disk has any bluish burn spots I'd likely
chuck it. <br>
<br>
Alignment tools are handy, but if you're mating the engine and
gearbox on the bench you can use the first motion shaft.<br>
<br>
Bob<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/1/2021 7:46 AM, Simon Lachlan via
Healeys wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
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<p class="MsoNormal">You will all be as sick of hearing about my
OD as I am of lying underneath it. I’ve decided to kick the
whole thing into touch. I’ll whip out the gearbox (hah!) and
drive it complete up to OD Spares who will sort it out while I
wait. Even if I have to wait all day. Beats making the round
trip twice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Which leads me on to thinking about “what
else to do when I’m in there”…….<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The clutch is the obvious candidate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" type="1" start="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"> I don’t
know how long is a piece of string, but is there a mean
average duration for a clutch in terms of miles? Not driven
hard, just driven.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">I see that
people quite often sell the clutch as a kit consisting in:
the plate assembly, the cover and the release bearing. I
thought that one replaced the latter <b>every time</b> one
got near it and that one replaced the plate <b>as and if
needed</b>. But – I thought – the cover is just a hunk of
iron and <b>didn’t ever need replacing</b>. Am I right in <b>any</b>
of that??<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">Tools….I see
a great variety. In shape, design and in cost. Broadly
speaking there are variations on A or B. The former seems
elaborate and not suited to someone who hopes to only ever
change one clutch in his life. But B is so very different
from A that one wonders if it can do the same job……<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoListParagraph">Any thoughts on all or parts of the
above would be very much
appreciated.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now to battle with the gearbox. Oh joy……..<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Simon<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<br>
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