[Mg-t] clutch fixed

[Douglas Ormrod]

Just  following up on my clutch problems which followed on from the bottom
clutch rod breakage, and the fact that the clutch would not disengage with the
new bottom rod fitted.

 I was contemplating pulling the gearbox thinking the release bearing was
worn, but as wiser men pointed out lengthening the top rod would likely fix
the problem - and it did. For $25 my local engineer made it adjustable. As
also suggested I put in the missing clutch stop in the pedal box. A surplus
1/4" drive socket drilled out to take a 1/4 bolt did the job nicely. So just
in time for summer. Of course I still have the problem of sometimes jumping
out of third gear - a job for next winter. But the difference in gear changing
is amazing - not sure how I managed for the last 5 years - never having owned
a TD before I thought they were all a challenge in the clutch department!

And of course we now all know that there a LHD and RHD top clutch rods!

Thanks as always for your help.

Best wishes

Douglas
-----Original Message-----
From: John Seim [mailto:kingseim at earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, 16 October 2011 6:37 p.m.
To: Douglas Ormrod
Cc: MG-T list
Subject: Re: [Mg-t] more clutch woes

Mike O'Connor at O'Connor Classic Automobiles started lengthening the clutch
link rod some years ago. He also drilled another hole in the clutch lever,
that hangs from the engine.
I did some investigating, and this is what I found.
The original clutch rods are threaded down the rod 1/4" more, than the
replacement rods are.
The new clutch link rods are shorter by 1/8", than original. 12 7/8"
vs. 13".
Flywheel surfacing, clutch pressure plate resurfacing, can also remove some
thickness from the equation, just not as much as the other items.
So, with new parts installed, you are at least 3/16" shorter in adjustment
lengths, than with OEM parts. Add wear in lever holes, and other wear, and you
can be left with a car that you cannot fully disengage the clutch, although
you have installed new parts.
Moss Motors now sells an adjustable length clutch link rod. 190-422.
I set them
to 13 1/2" center to center of the clevis pin holes.

John Seim
Irvine, CA

On Oct 15, 2011, at 6:25 PM, Douglas Ormrod wrote:

> OK, I heated and reshaped my LHD clutch rod and it worked out fine
> and fitted
> nicely. However, even with it fully wound up to the max adjustment
> the clutch
> does not disengage properly. I can just get it into gear but it
> creeps. My old
> rod was pretty well fully adjusted to the max before it broke.
>
> I did make a new hole on the pivot, but using that hole it would
> not even get
> close to disengaging.
>
> My peal box had a hole for the clutch stop but none was fitted. So
> from what
> Dave said it could be that I had excessive clutch travel which has
> worn out my
> clutch release bearing. Is that the most likely scenario? The
> clutch was a
> reconditioned unit 7500 miles ago and the release bearing was new.
> Am I just
> looking at replacing the  release bearing or is there likely to be
> other
> damage?
>
> At least I will now have the incentive to fix my gearbox which has
> been
> sometimes  jumping out of third on overun for the last 5 years -
> been putting
> it off!
>
> Cheers
>
> Douglas
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