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Good Morning List. My clutch hydraulics on the current project (69 midget) need to be rebuilt after sitting for 23 years. I would like to see if I can disengage the clutch manually. Any suggestions / tricks to do this with the clutch still in the car? Don "Don May" 17684... MORE
You are really an old fart when you were there and can't remember them. Why don't we add Radio programs... The Green Hornet, Saturday morning Let's Pretend, Sky King . . . and on and on. Making a radio out of a safety pin and a Gillette razor blade... When my family finally did get a TV we had to have a 40 foot antenna to get one station. Never had to fight over what channel to watch. When school was out for the summer you took off your shoes and rarely put them back on until school started... MORE
I have previously mentioned that I was given a 69 MK-III. The previous owner had to have it removed from the family back yard where it sat since 1980. If I had it towed away it was mine. The intention was that it would become a parts car, and if good I would transfer the 1275 and rib case trans from it into my 63 MK-I. However, the 69 is a fairly solid car with no sign of being wrecked, or seriously dented, only one small, but not serious, area of rust in the normal lower post area between... MORE
G'day Guy The 1275cc style of plessure plate (6 1/2") is sensitive to the amount of travel, and if it gets too much the diaphram can go over-centre and the fingers distort. As you say, using a 7/8" slave cylinder can cause this to happen. But you usually pick this up immediately, as the car will show all the symptoms of the clutch not disengaging, ie: it crunches when you try to select gears. This is easily diagnosed, as you find the gear selection is fine with your foot half-way to the floor, but gets worse as you push... MORE
Bill, the crossflow radiator came in shortly after the start of 1275 production, I think in early '68, so there are both styles of radiator fitted but the crossflow is by far the more common. The differences (as far as your top hose are concerned) is that the top connection is on the left hand side of the crossflow rad, and the right hand side of the downflow rad. The thermostat housing on the top of the cylinder head should point left for the crossflow and right for downflow (that's a point that's just occured to me - does... MORE
so what are the net gains from fitting the smaller bore slave cylinder, again? Sounds like a lot of trouble to go to, for more effort at the pedal! "David Jacobs" 17537... MORE
G'day Brad etc What size slave cylinder do you have? The 948cc and 1098cc cars used a 7/8" bore cylinder, with a 3/8" UNF hole for both the (solid) clutch pipe, and the bleed nipple. I have these for $### USD plus $5 shipping. The 1275cc cars used a 1" bore cylinder, with 7/16" hole for the flexible clutch hose. These ones are about $&&& USD, same $5 shipping. But I use the smaller slave cylinders on all cars. You get a slightly harder pedal, but longer travel at the business end. You just need to make up an... MORE
Colin, When I first rebuilt my Sprite I used a 7/8" diameter clutch slave for exactly the reasons you said - it gives a firmer pedal and longer travel. Within 3000 miles the clutch gave out. On close examination it had been "overthrowing", resulting in bent and distorted clutch cover plate fingers. I concluded that this was down to the use of the wrong slave cylinder so rebuilt it with the correct 1" bore size and have had no further problems. It may have been a one-off, but I for one would be wary of using the longer travel... MORE
I don't know what the US accordion types are like but at least some in the UK are abysmal. After two that failed after less than 10k miles I gave up and now use straight pipe and have never had to replace one due to failure though I do it routinely when the head is off. I now have a Metro head and no bypass hose, hurrah! jeremy.cogman@... 17492... MORE
Understand, Bill... That little hose is the water bypass which insures some water circuation in the event of a malfunctioning thermostadt that jams closed and/or insures some circulation as the engine warms up before a correctly functioning "stadt" opens. I have had no problems whatsoever with leaks from this area with either the original "straight" hose or the more modern "accordian" type. Of course, in the event of leaks you can "half-open" any cap you use and run un-pressurized until you can attend to the leak. All you lose is the higher boiling point of the unpressurized system. Cap'n.... MORE
Maybe your fluid contains moisture? Or perhaps it needs re-bleeding. In my experience it can take a few operations to settle down. I Always used to have real fun (not) until I spent a couple of bob on one of those pressure bleeding kits. Gunsons do one here in the U.K. You probably have similar Stateside "Roger Stinson" 17429... MORE
Hi Olgierd I once had a problem a bit like this, in my case the car pulled one way on acceleration and the other on braking It puzzled me for a while but when I stripped it down I found a brake wheel cylinder partially seized. When I accelerated the drag from the partially on brake pulled me one way and when I braked the more efficient free brake pulled me the other way. You say you have just replaced the rear brake pads so it could just be one side incorrectly adjusted or something not gone back together... MORE
I have rebuilt the tandem master for the 65 Sprite, as well as the clutch slave. I placed the car on ramps to bleed the clutch. But now I get a variation when I depress the pedal. Sometimes it shifts perfectly, other times, I need to pump the pedal to build pressure to get it to shift. It is the solid line (no rubber hose) all the way to the slave. If it was air, wouldn't it need to be pumped all the time? So, list wisdom, please offer suggestions. Ed, I have a friggin book!!! Brad Fornal 17416... MORE
Hello all listers, And let me be the last to wish all of you a mechanically sound year (that goes for the spridget too). Does anyone have a clue as to why the midget (mk3) pulls to the left on acceleration and veer to the right on deceleration? I've recently replaced the brake pads on the rear wheels, but I can't see this influencing the drive characteristics. In the summer I rebuilt the engine, and now that it's run in I give it more welly, but I can't imagine the engine producing so much power that it torques the... MORE
G'day Martyn I had the same problem trying to find a pivot pin for the pedals, so had a local machinist make one up. Well actually, I got him to make 40 of them! Almost every Sprite that comes into the shop to get the brakes fixed, has major slop in the pedals, pushrod forks, clevis pins etc etc. But I only have the pins for the earlier combined clutch/brake master cylinder. Will cost you $11 plus $4 shipping. I can get the other ones for the seperate master cylinders, but not sure how much - supplier is shut... MORE
Does anyone know where I can obtain a pivot bolt for the clutch and brake pedals. Mine is badly worn, a friend rebushed the pedals for me and tried to clean up the bolt first (turning it on a lathe- no luck the diameter was getting too small). I've tried Mo$$ etc with no luck. Thanks. Martyn "Martyn" 17383... MORE
Bob, and all Have the nylon washer out now and have removed the pistons. The rear piston was not attached to the front by anything. The manuals I have do not show the wire, or what ever, that wraps around the pins at the end of the front piston to the front of the rear piston. There is what looks to be a cotter pin attached around the rear piston pin but loose. I have no idea how long it is suppose to be, the distance between the front and rear piston, or how compressed the spring is supposed... MORE
Hi all I have one Innocenti Spider 950 Year 1961 with the engine Nr. 9D-U-H- 91758 I have no idee what kind off engin Nr is it for Sprite AN5, or Sprite Mark II, or MG Midget - you start with 9C-U-H.. or 9C-G... ! What is 9D-U-H...? Can you help me about the Numbers - Code Indentifcations for the (my) engine MBC Thanks for help. What is the right Nr for the Gearbox? Is this one Smoot Gearbox Case 948cc? or Ribbed Gearbox Case 1098cc? The Disk for Clutch DIM 6 1/4 is correct? Disk Nr Borg &... MORE
Here's how I removed the innards from my second master cylinder re- build: stopped up all the holes but one and applied air pressure to the cylinder. All the innards popped right out. Be sure to use low pressure 10-25 pounds and don't point the the toward yourself or anyone else. Oh yes, I removed the innards from my first master cylinder by drilling holes in the nylon sleeve until it fell apart. By that time I had marked up everything else in the cylinder with the drill bit. No useable parts left! John "mg_john2 " 17345... MORE
I am overhauling the dual cylinder master cylinder from the 69 midget. Having a problem here. I have removed the spriolox retaining ring and the outer spring then with some effort removed the circlip which should release the Nylon guide bearing and seal and allow me to remove the rest of the internal parts . . . can't get the nylon guide to come out Ahhhhhhh! cleaned around it, pushed in and quickly released the plunger so it would act as sort of a hammering effect on the rear of the nylon seal. Still cannot get it to come... MORE
Either way, Don... The '67's had the 1275 with the downflow while later models used the xflow which was a "closed" system with it's own overflow tank, through which the system is filled. I've had an alum. downflow for the past two years and my PO'd '67 Sprite had the stock downflow so I'm a little rusty in the xflow dept. I seem to recall the xflow's steering rack incorporating a crossflow tube whereas the downflow cars didn't. However, this facet of the installation can be easily attended to by other means I'm sure. There are those who feel... MORE
Our list friend and guru, Frank Clarici, is out of pocket for a few days. Prior to his leaving, I had offered to make some CDs to use in his new player. He sent me his request (thought I couldn't do it, didn't you Frank!) and I have a disc ready to burn. I would like to send it out Monday morning, but I don't have and addy. I am hoping that the list can help, off list of course. It is my hope that by the time Frank reads this, it will be in the mail and almost... MORE
Sorry chaps in view of the recent correspondance re Brakes, I will add my tuppenyworth to the list now as it appears appropriate. ...................................... Ref. The brake shoe springs are supposed to pull the shoes back from the drum and their close relationship is governed by the proper adjustment of the brakes, via the adjuster. ......................................................................................... If each wheel cylinder has two rubber seals, why don't they auto retract and bring the brake shoes off the drum, LIKE THE FRONT CALIPER SEALS ARE ALLEGED TO DO ? Unless things have changed since I worked for Lockheed Brake Co. and... MORE
Ed in SD writes: "With or without a working clutch....." Well......assuming "neutral".... normally the drag of transmission oil wouldn't be a factor, but since you are trying to turn it over by hand, and have no idea the viscosity of the oil in the gearbox or the shape it is in (jelled?), you might just find it a better idea to raise the rear wheels off the ground (less drag?) which might make the job go a little easier!! With the handbrake off! And, before you try, make sure the rear wheels will easily turn by hand! In other... MORE
May your SU's stay tuned and Lucas connectors tight. May your water temperature stay under 190 and your oil pressure stay above 20. May you encounter no speed bumps over 2 and one half nor bounding deer, nor SUV's who can't see you in their rear. May you only see the bright road ahead through windshield, never under your feet between clutch and brake. May you always remember those annoying oil leaks are but a blessing for they are markers along the road without which some of us would never find our way home. And when that durn Spriget... MORE
