dodgy clutch need help :S
Turbo Mini Forums

hey all, dunno if anyone can shed any light on my problem but i thought id ask before i pull the clutch apart again. my problem is when i press the clutch pedal it causes the engine to stop dead?! it just started doing it tonight as i pulled into my village and i just about managed to get home with it, it wont select gears cleanly either. i noticed a slight vibration through the clutch pedal tonght too? im guess one of the bolts holding the spring plate on has come loose but if anyone else knows different id like to know! i changed the clutch on saturday, fitted a new release bearing, new plunger etc and fitted a grey spring. (pre verto) and its ran lovely till tonight i had a quick look wheni got home but i couldnt see anything broken externaly, or anyhting out of the ordinary...
cheers
steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!

Sounds to me like the new grey plate has caused the old thrust washers to finally give up the ghost!
So when you push the clutch the crank moves and locks up.
Have someone push the clutch while you watch to see if the crank pulley at the other end moves in and out...........good luck

Got to agree with Tom on that one.

Classic symptoms

Wil

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

ah yeah that would make sence, will go check it out.

god im not having any luck lately, i decided not to turbo it just yet as i need it on the road a bit longer and so far since that decision ive had to replace the gearbox, so i put a s/c one in, try and get a sheared engine stready bolt out, (my own fault for being too lazy to fit the ultimate steady), then it ran for about Ooo 30 miles and the clutch just destroyed itself!? i never did find why it did that, it tore the keyway off the spring plate? anyway fixed that and now this has happened about another 20 miles later! god minis are fustrating sometimes
steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!

bollocks! yeah your both right

ah well back to the drawing board i'll take my time and turbo it this time
steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!

Oh.. Is that silly Norwegian going to dig out his thurst pictures again??? Was that your first thought Dave??

Ok.. You're correct:


As youæve probably gathered, I had the exact thisng happen to be. Now, don't just change the thrusts, have the clutch set up properly.

http://new.minimania.com/nmm/Clutch_FAQ__non_Verto_.htm

lol i'll post a pic of mine up when i get it stripped down, intresting reading that ^ i had trouble with the pedal being on the floor. no matter what i did i couldnt get it right, if i adjusted the stop on the bell housing it would make the clutch slip, in the end i welded a bit more onto the slave cylinder pin. it worked till the clutch died altogeather. i replaced the whole lot then, spring plate, release bearing, plunger arm, put a normal pin back in and checked everything and it seemed to be going fine will set it up as per his sugestions this time round
steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!

i feckin hope mine isnt the same then. i couldnt get any pedal after the last rebuild so i welded an extra piece on to the slave cyl con rod aswell. seems to be working fine though.

http://www.manchesterminis.co.uk/technical...bleshooter1.htm

Another Good Link.

my clutch has exactly the same symptoms-started being hard to change gear yesterday and today the engine dies when the clutch is in?

My clutch release bearing has been making a noise for a couple of weeks and it just stopped the other day. could it be a case of the CR bearing locking up and causing the engine to stall?

or not.........!!!?????

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Possibly.....change the release bearing as a starting point and then see how you get on.........

just thought id update you all a little, you were right about the thrust washers, they were a little worse for wear! looked very much like the ones in the pic up top

but i found some more problems too (as you do) my mains bearings are shot, and the center one has actualy spun itself on the crank!? which cant be good! but looks like the tail on my cranks shagged anyway where the top drop gear sits, its made itself a lovely little groove. i'll try and get some pics up tomorrow if i can, but its looks like the bin for that crank to me :(

on the plus side i got my turbo box in! and the old 1275 engine is still kicking about so im gonna drop that in and run it on std boost while i get this 1380 sorted properly.
cheers
steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!

steve you need to check your centre bearing HOUSING in the block VERY carefully, if the bearing has spun the chances are the bearing housing in the block is u/s..........this is £££ to put right.....sorry mate probably not what you wanted to hear......

Yes.. Spun center main bearing means a line bore. or at least a line-hone. Expensive, but the only way do to it. I also do this on all performance engines I build.

Get yourself one of these as well:
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=34332

Looks like that fitted..........

Edited by Tom Fenton on 3rd Jun, 2005.

Ah right i'll check that, i didnt think it would be good news lol, i was planning on a center strap anyway so its not too much of a problem even if it is nackered. I checked the crank on my way home again and the mains need a grind as well as bearings so i think i might as well buy a new one and get it made to a better spec.

The only thing thats bothering me about doing all this is what i can expect in the end of the day, i mean im not after the magic 200bhp figures, but when will the bore size start to restrict me power wise? would i be better selling the 1380 on in bits and maybe buying some good pistons and a new crank for my 1275? and doing the above work to that?
what i mean is would that make a more reliable engine at higher boost levels? its not an everyday car so i want to squeeze as much out of it as i can, or atleast enough to have some fun in
cheers steve.

doh! why did i start messing with it!