[Spridgets] Need help with my 67 Sprite clutch - final update

Sun Jul 18 21:06:37 MDT 2021

First, I would like the thank the group for all of the input, questions, suggestions and advice.  it really helped me stay focused and active

in summary

  1.  the movement on the clutch was sufficient to work properly
  2.  the system was bled every why I knew how (at the time at least)
  3.  it still did not shift even close to properly

at the time I pulled the engine, my leading theory was that the driven plate was backwards, to know, i had to pull the engine, so out it came.  Sadly, it was in correctly so I started to look at the clutch fork and then noted that the TO bearing was in the process of disintegrating.  I am not one to ride the clutch so I don’t think it was heat.  I only replaced the TO bearing because the existing one seemed about 1/2 way worn down but was otherwise good, the car was shifting well but seemed like the thing to do as it was apart and only $20 or so for the part.  the driven plate had more than 50% life left, as best as I could judge and I really don’t know what to look at on the pressure plate but it did not show any discoloration from heat or slip so I used it again.  It did have some play in the surface that the TO bearing rides against but did not cause me any concern.

since it was all apart (again!) I replaced all the wear parts, the TO the driven plate and the pressure plate.  took me 2 nights to get it back in and it shifted but still was not exactly what I wanted.  A colleague that owns a Lotus that is apparently also impossible to bleed told me he had used a new approach someone hard shared on you tube where they used a long tube from the bleeder valve all the way back to the master cylinder reservoir and cracked the bleeder and slowly, using only 1/2 pumps, pushed fluid all the way back (with lots of stops to add fluid to the tiny reservoir on my clutch) and while I saw exactly 0 bubbles,

Thanks, Phil

Post Script:  I was able to attend the Austin Healey Club of oregon event and have put over 250 miles on it without any issues.

On Jul 11, 2021, at 5:48 PM, Phil Sarikas <psarikas at msn.com> wrote:

As fas as the clutch, I press it as little as possible. I am to lazy to leave my foot on it at a red light and I am off of it as quickly as I can be. I was warned to not rest my hand on the shift lever as well so have never picked up that habit.

Thanks, Phil

On Jul 11, 2021, at 5:45 PM, Phil Sarikas <psarikas at msn.com> wrote:

Thanks. I must not have put the paper clip on correctly. This time should work![cid:9B1B96E1-0F23-4595-8637-F657543E560B-L0-001][cid:6D71CD1B-A4C6-490A-9F37-327AE89F9AE6-L0-001][cid:50146577-C036-4D7E-8D20-30305E841A5A-L0-001]

Thanks, Phil

On Jul 11, 2021, at 3:19 PM, Rick Fisk <refisk at chartermi.net> wrote:

Forgot the pictures Phil.  :-)

Do you keep your foot on the clutch at red lights?  I don't know your driving technique, but riding the clutch can cause premature bearing failure.  The only time I push the clutch pedal down is to shift gears.  If the pressure plate is bad it can cause failure.  we need to see the pictures.

Rick

On Jul 11, 2021, at 6:09 PM, Phil Sarikas <psarikas at msn.com> wrote:

 So, the engine is out and …. The clutch plate was in correctly. Purely by luck but sometime that is ok.   The question Rick asked is still open. I can say that it is the same as the TO I replaced but will visit British Auto Works tomorrow and confirm that I have the right one.  I have attached a few pictures, the first is a side view of a very trashed TO bearing and the one I pulled. Same profile. Next is a few of the TO that was in there and it is clearly failing.   Why? Last is a picture of the back of the pressure plate where the TO connects. It feels smooth but as I no longer trust it, it will be replaced and a new TO placed back in. Any thoughts on what would make a new TO die in less than 100 miles of driving?

Thanks again for all the help, questions and advice!

On t maJul 5, 2021, at 12:35 PM, Rick Fisk <refisk at chartermi.net> wrote:

Hi Phil,

Are you sure you replaced the throwout bearing with the correct unit?  There are three different throwout bearings available for the A-series engine.  Photo below from Gerard's Garage website shows the difference.

Rick

<image0.jpeg>

On Jul 5, 2021, at 3:19 PM, Phil Sarikas via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:

I need the help of this group to get my clutch working as well as can be.  The car is any early 67 sprite with a 1275 and the standard ribcage transmission.  At this point, everything in the hydraulic system has been replaced over the 20 years I have owned the car.

Over the winter/spring, I had the engine out and did some work to reduce the overall oil leaks and did replace the needle bearings in the transmission, and a new throwout bearing but nothing that opened up the clutch hydraulic system.

Put it all back together and went for a drive and the clutch was clearly not working correctly, I could get it to shift but it often required me to pump the clutch several times to get it to shift correctly and could only get it into reverse if I went to the path of turning off the motor and restarting it in reverse.  Not a place I can stay.  I bled it as completely as I could with my EZ-Bleed and tried it again.  I wish I could say it was better, but no real change.

I have pulled the slave cylinder, no signs of leaks, and no real signs of pitting in the cylinder, and I was going to rebuild it as well as the master but turns that my box of parts has 2 seal kits for the master cylinder, and none for the slave cylinder.  As I wait for the local shop to open on Tuesday, I looked around on this site and others, and it seems that some have successfully applied the smaller cylinder from a 1098 on the 1275, same transmission, bolts up but needs a shorter pin, but how does the hydraulic part work?  There is no equivalent rubber pipe on the earlier cars?  I like the rubber connection so I would need some work of an adapter to cover from what appears to be a 7/16 fine thread (20?) on the pipe (adaptor would need to be female) To a 3/8 fine (24?) On the 1098 slave cylinder (adaptor would need to be male).  Is there such an adapter off the shelf?

Is there a downside to the smaller diameter slave cylinder other than perhaps a bit more force to move the pedal?  I did check with a camera, I am getting movement as soon as the clutch pedal is depressed, just not enough movement to fully disengage the engine from the transmission.

Open to any and all input!

Thanks, Phil

Thanks, Phil
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