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G'day guys All this discussion on crunching clutches just woke up my tired brain to something I had forgotten. The diaphram clutch as fitted to 1275cc and 1500cc cars is very sensitive to the amount of travel. They actually need LESS travel to release than the earlier spring clutch. That's one of the reasons the slave cylinder is 1" and not 7/8". Larger bore = less travel. If you have TOO MUCH travel at the clutch end, the diaphram plate will go over-centre, and crush the driven plate back onto the flywheel. I have seen this happen a few... MORE
Hmmmmm... Let's see. Did you assemble this thing yourself? Was the clutch disc new? The release bearing? Did you inspect the condition of the pressure plate and flywheel? Might be some sort of clue there. Even if there were a hydraulic fault which is causing incomplete release, there shouldn't be a horrible grinding sound. A partially released clutch shouldn't make any noise. I'm still betting on the foreign object. Could be a piece of clutch lining, a lining rivet, a loose bolt, almost anything. You could jack the car up, remove the rubber plug and see whether you can... MORE
Surely sounds like something is causing incomplete clutch release. Since it sounds like everything hydraulic is okay, and you're actually pushing the release bearing far enough, them some possibilities could be: a broken or damaged release brg. These usually last well, but it is possible to break the carbon piece. Possibly the pressure plate has some broken or bent fingers, or is not bolted up straight or tight. The pilot bush could be binding or damaged, the trans input shaft could be bent or burred up. The flywheel could be warped. There could also be a foreign object, say... MORE
the clue was in a previous post, it's all soldered together empty *then* filled with the magic fluid; so the tube will be fed through the housing, then the bulb soldered on. You just need to find a source of the right size tube, a scrap bulb and head and solder it all together. (don't forget to put the protection 'spring' over the tube before you do the soldering - just imagine how you'd feel if you had to re-do it all!) David 28639... MORE
Good thoughts. Clutch fork is stock, unmodified. Pushrod is new. I think I am getting maximum clutch travel. When the clutch is not depressed, there is NO PLAY at the fork. As soon as pressure is applied to the pedal, the fork begins to move. That is why I think it is set up right. It is not a matter of it taking a stiff "pop" to get it into first. It grinds, and badly. Same for reverse, but less so. Also, WAY too much force is needed to drop it into second. Sure does act like SOMETHING is... MORE
Thanks for the kind reply. Been messing with these cars for 30+ years. Am more than willing to admit most on this list have forgotten more than I'll ever know..... Some years ago I raced an old Lola in the SCCA. Did a lot of messing with brakes. Quickly learned effect of different bores, etc on pedal pressure, movement, etc. It has been ten years since I've driven a Midget, but I can tell you for certain the problem is too serious to go away with "break-in". If this is the way the cars were when new, none would... MORE
Hi Trevor- Yes, alignment tool was used. Have played A LOT with bleeding, including pressure bleeding. Absolutely no air. Pushrod moves almost one-half inch. I'm told this is all it should move. I've owned four of these cars. I can tell you for sure something is wrong. While I am sure some driving will help, I fear the tranny will be junk inside of a week. Doing some reading and had a thought. Early slave cylinders were 7/8 bore. Late slave was one inch. What if I switch to an early slave? Will it not give me greater pushrod... MORE
Paul, Yes it will crunch going into 1st and reverse Yes it will be harder getting into gears when stationary The "bite point" on the clutch should be further from the floor so it may still need adjustment, But.... nothing beats driving it for a few hundred miles. It will shake any remaining air bubbles out of the hydraulic fluid. It will bed down any contact surfaces, synchro hubs, clutch and release bearing and it will ease the meshing of gears Drive it! Gets some miles under those tyres!! OK, wait till the snow has gone and then drive... MORE
Got everything hooked up, but since it is below zero ouside with 8" of snow, I decided to give the car a bit of a test inside the shop. Am able to shift into each gear, but considerable force is needed. There is a very distinct "crunch" shifting into first and reverse, less so in reverse. The take-off in each gear is smooth, but when the car is in gear with the clutch depressed, there is a substantial amount of noise coming from the tranny area. The clutch begins to engage right as the pedal is being released. The... MORE
Agreed...I was just about to say, Guy W. Assuming correct length rods and correct parts... Spridget clutch systems are notorious for this initial behaviour after initial (and more than just initial!) bleeding. I once left the slave cylinder very slightly open overnight and while there was still more than sufficient fluid in the MC in the AM, it still needed bleeding and we still got air out of it. Real PITA! Used it for a week during which time the level in the MC required slight filling periodically and the pedal moved up off the floor and all was... MORE
"....smell is the sense that is the strongest in evoking memories" Must be. As a kid I used to ride my bike down to the local seaplane base after school. We lived inland about 5 miles. The smell of salt water never fails to evoke fond memories of "the guys" and bright yellow Piper Cubs and J-3's on floats, sparkling in the sunshine. God, I loved that place. All gone now... supplanted by condos and office buildings, as is the Starlite Drive-In which used to be across the road from the seaplane base, wherein I spent many a romantic... MORE
G'day Alan Thanks for the dinner invitation. Here's a genuine Oz recipe for you. avagoodday Colin ROAST PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA PARCELS 500gms PUMPKIN DICED INTO ABOUT 1/2 CM CUBES 150gms FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE 35GMS TOASTED PINE NUTS 1 ONION FINELY DICED 1T CRUSED GARLIC 3 SPRIGS OF THYME (STRIP THE LEAVES AWAY AND DISCARD THE STALK) 1 SPRIG OF ROSEMARY (STRIPPED AND FINELY CHOPPED) 2 SHEETS OF BUTTER PUFF PASTRY SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE 1 EGG WHISKED ( TO BRUSH OVER FINISHED PARCELS ) SAUTE ONIONS, GARLIC AND YOUR HERBS IN A SMALL FRYPAN THEN ADD IN THE... MORE
Terrors aren't they? I silver soldered some repairs on my radiator about 28 years ago and it is still OK. No one is prepared to take the chance. How much are you having to pay for the new one Jim? Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the... MORE
Some days it's a second brain rather than an extra hand you need. I've had trouble tuning the 73. I adjusted the timing over and over, tweaked the carbs too many times to count, would get it to idle smooth while sitting and run ok at higher revs but the moment I took it out on the street under load any attempt to accelerate past a fast idle it would hesitate, pop and so on and I would limp home at about fast idle rpm. I disconnected the vacuum advance hose, plugged it up, then took it out and... MORE
Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the joint as well. Solder on its own will have a hard job holding it, because the split is quite wide. There are number of ways of doing this but there is no point in going into great detail if you... MORE
Better late than never. I just opened my Charcoal canister and have been able to get to the charcoal. After you screw off the bottom look around the threaded edge on the canister body, at fist it just looks like a threaded edge but on close inspection you will see about four slits located around the edge about 1/16" high by about a 3/8" wide. The edge of the round plastic retaining plate, the one with the three plastic bars has protrusions around its edge that snap into these slits. Use a screwdriver blade to push them in working... MORE
I have been out at the flea market, and found a U.K. camp stove. It has the words "ORIGINEEL HALLER" on it. They are flanking a 2" sight glass in the bowl that goes around the flame. I tried a web search on these words, but the sites that came up are either German or Dutch, I can't tell. That is why I am asking the Slobberbone list as well. This is a neat looking piece. The main colour is red, with a white wick holder. The wick is 2 3/4" wide. The 3 legged base is the fuel... MORE
Bill Just fit new rear wheel cylinders they only cost about 10 UK pounds or less each and can be fitted in an hour or so and will work fine for years. Back in May I blew a wheel cylinder out on my way down from Scotland to Cumbria while leading a classic car run. Replaced mine at the roadside then spent the next couple of days driving up and down mountains before driving the 400 miles home. Pulled both rear cylinders off the following weekend checked them out and refitted them in the workshop just to make sure.... MORE
Steve Woohoo! Many congrats. I don't think I am ahead of you Steve, I'm just finishing off the final primer coats on the passenger side wing ready for colour - that will be the last 'bit' on the car that needs to be colour coated. I still have both doors, bootlid and bonnet to colour coat as well. I don't know if you have this book or not - 'Restoring Sprites and Midgets - an Enthusiasts Guide' by Grahame Bristow (Brooklands Books) but it really is a very useful book in terms of reassembly. It's been written with the... MORE
Chris wrote, "...version in pink tubs, appears to be the same. In supermarkets round by the washing...." Now how, as a man, am I supposed to know that ? LOL Alan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -... MORE
One over looked form of shipping which is quick and perhaps less expensive is Greyhound Bus. They will take large objects (even a bugeye bonnet.) No s pecial packing is required other that to pad sharp corners. I shipped a rol l bar using them. You must take it to the Bus station counter and it must b e picked up at the closest station at it's destination. Fast, as it is put on the next scheduled passenger Bus to whatever location you are sending it . Don "Don May" 28269... MORE
Bill FYI, I just check bleeder size for my 76, both rears are 1/4 inch. Steve Quandt "Steve Quandt" 28253... MORE
but I don't think it really matters except on the soldered ends where it would prevent proper fusing of the solder to the wire. Further than you think. If you try and cut back to bright copper you get to the other end of the wire. It's also a problem in my radio controlled aeroplane wiring. Make sure you neutralize or throughly wash off any fluid or strong fluxes used to clean the wire or it will corrode through in no time. Terry "terry.isherwood" 28242... MORE
Alan I remember that Bakers Soldering Fluid - wonderful stuff, it was kinda hard to get the solder to stick unless you used that Bakers stuff. I haven't seen it around for ages either sadly. N "amukdigiphoto" 28236... MORE
Thanks for the replies guys, Oxiclean it is then , what would it be called in the UK ?, not Oxiclean I b et. Or now that I've finished remodelling the bathroom plumbers flux. And BTW ,it pays to read all the posts, I found a good answer under another sub ject heading Auto Electrical , Thanks Don, a useful site. Alan Just remembered what my dad used , 'Bakers Soldering Fluid' very caustic or acidic and made steel go rusty in a thrice. It had to be washed off thorou ghly. Came in a cream and red tin,... MORE
