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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 5 speed cable clutch

Has anyone got a type 9 fitted with a cable clutch conversion? If so any hints on how you set it up and which parts used.
My hydraulic concentric clutch is losing all its fluid so it's an engine out job just to assess, it's not something I wish to do twice so I was thinking of ditching it for a simpler solution.
Thanks
Paul (MkI

Paul, if im correct you have a Tony Bolton(MoorLane Garage) K midget?
Please do not throw the conc.kit away!
When removing it can you make pictures of it for us.
I understand its based on Ford parts and ive even heard the name Ford Focus.

The leaking cause could just be the rubber O-ring of the concentric clutch which is only € 0,50.
I agree its a lot of work as ive pulled out my engine 2 years already because of cable breaking.
Thats why i want to go concentric and understand you for going cable. ;-)

The easy-nes of going cable for depends on your bellhousing.
Very easy when you have a Caterham or Frontline bellhousing.
Release arm and bearing are Ford Granada, cable ford transit.
Arie de Best

Paul,
If you are using the Ford type concentric slave, the back of the unit is only held in by being sandwiched against the spacer, mounting or whatever you have it bolted up to. When I trial fitted mine I found that it leaked profusely at the back. I needed to turn the face of the mounting block so that the centre had a raised section of about 0.5mm to provide some pre-load when it was bolted up. Hasn't leaked since.

I think Arie uses a cable operated clutch with a type 9. I seem to remember him muttering about broken cables!

Guy
Guy Weller

muttering about broken cables

frequently...

Repairing the concentric should really be easy, Guy tells you how and I agree with him preload the fitment so it stays back in the CSC.

Arie what CSC did you use, Ford???
Bill

Cable clutch with my T9. Very reliable, and easy to install. The key to reliability is to ensure a straight 'pull' in the cable as the pedal goes down.

Have pics.

With reference to Arie - cable installation much easier on LHD cars...

A
Anthony Cutler

Ahhh, some of these comments might explain my problem, I had the clutch pedal set up so that it didn't retract fully- that is I'd just reversed the spring on the pedal. The intention was to leave the slave preloaded and the roller release running lightly on the clutch. This was fine for many years.
A couple of months ago I had some problems which I thought were master cylinder related (probably weren't in retrospect) so I changed it, then it was fine but gradually lost pedal travel unless I hooked the pedal fully up with my foot occasionally, so I reversed the spring so the pedal fully retracted. Since then it's been ok but on two occasions while sitting overnight has just dumped all the clutch fluid in the bellhousing, then it'll be ok for a week or two with no fluid loss.
I'm wondering if the clutch wear over the years has changed the preload, or whether I should just reverse the pedal spring again. Still sounds like an engine pull job.
It's a Tony Bolton conversion Type 9 on a 1275, which I fitted, if and when it comes out I'll take some photos for the record.

Thanks for the advice and opinions.
Paul (MkI

Paul,
I was assuming that you were using a concentric slave similar to mine (see photo) in which case the light pre-load is provided at the slave itself by a thin wire spring inside the green bellows. Shouldn't be necessary to reverse the spring on the pedal itself.

I also misunderstood that this was a newly installed system that you were setting up. If it has been working then my comment about the mounting probably isn't helpful. But it could be that the "O" ring that Arie mentions has worn and is occasionally getting nipped when the clutch is release.

Guy


Guy Weller

Guy, it's definitely not like that one, but the principal of pre load or a worn "O" ring sound relevant to the problem, it dumps the fluid at rest not in use. Is that a Ford cylinder?
I'm off out to the workshop to investigate now, it's a lousy day for cycling but I'm still not in the right frame of mood to extract the engine, then again I never will be. Already done one engine out/engine in job this month.
The other comments are persuading me to remain hydraulic, Anthony has a K engine and I don't recall my bellhousing having any provision for mounting a clutch fork either.
Paul (MkI

BTW - I used the standard hydraulics on my FL Aseries T9 conversion, with no problems, ie.

- drive up to my mates in Castleton one afternoon
- remove the engine and box
- next day: fit T9 box to bellhousing thence to engine
- refit engine/box assy
- bolt old slave cyl onto bellhousing as the box is going in
- drive home later that day astonished by the additional smoothness, and the easy cruise at 4,500 in 5th

It really was that simple.

A
Anthony Cutler

Problem identified, concentric slave shot, seals worn, full of so much muck and debris it's hard to imagine how it got there, somewhat pitted, so I'm not risking putting it back in. I haven't got a good original slave cylinder or the fittings for the fork to bell-housing so it looks like another concentric is needed, which did you use Guy? It looks like the one Burton Power sell.
I've no idea what mine is, no ID on it I'll try and upload a photo.
Paul (MkI

Photo:


Paul (MkI

Paul,
Mine is a Ford Fiesta / Puma (possibly the same as the Mondeo)
Yours looks like the SAAB one that Bill uses. He will be along to confirm in a minute!
Guy Weller

Thanks that's useful, there was a murmer about it being Saab as I vaguely recall. I would imagine the Ford item is substantially cheaper than the Burton Power offering - or probably the Saab cylinder.
Paul (MkI

Thats a bloody long minute... Bill, get of the toilet! LOL

Paul, as others have mentioned the cable system is very reliable its just that i had so much bad luck with it i kinda had it with cables.
Had to replace the last broken one on the side of the road at 23.00 pm in the dark at -6c and took me well over two hours to get it done...
Believe me that with that cold your fingers dont realy do what they get orderd to do, it was Hell!

Which also is an advantage of the cable that if it breakes it can be, althought no fun, fixed on the spot as the concentic clutch has to be towed home and most probably engine-out job.

Problems on mine isnt actualy the cable but the inside bits(release arm, ford gearbox nose and plastic pivit/pin which holds the release arm in position)
Big chance when i replace the plastic pivit/pin by an unbreakable screw-in metall pin(as mentioned by Dave- Bath and others) the problem is solved?!

But i set my mind to concentric so concentric it will be. :-)
Arie de Best

paper...

No I was down the pub having a pint and my dinner in Norfolk, back now after our track day

Looks to have offset holes like my SAAB one

about £36

http://www.partsforsaabs.com/product_info.php?cPath=86_89&products_id=1723

+£3.50 ish postage

this ia a pattern part the SAAB one is more money
Bill

by the way

I didnt need a "outer seal kit"so maybe it should be a different on off that site, plenty of choice. just buy one at a price that suits you.

Maybe the one you have was a "rescued" one from a scrapped SAAB and has its own baggage from many years in servce
Bill

Thanks Bill, have ordered another Saab one can't think how mine can have got so worn in so little time, must have been "preowned", the vendor was alleged to be a bit of a scallywag, unless the bad stories about silicon fluid are true (used it in the clutch hydraulics but not the brakes and not using it again).

A delay in its arrival will allow me to weld up some of the mayhem in the chassis rail department while the engine's out.
PaulMkIMkIV

This thread was discussed between 09/10/2008 and 13/10/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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