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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - !965 sprite clutch problem

The clutch slave cylinder stays extended after the clutch is released and slowly bleeds down after about half a minute. The old slave cylinder was replaced with a new cylinder because it leaked, along with a new master cylinder. The clutch worked fine before the cylinder leak.
Al
Al Alberti

Do you still have the dual master cilinder? If so check if the tiny release bores are open. When looing into the master (you have to remove the alu lid) you see 2 holes per bore. One is big and the other one is big too but narows down to a very tiny hole. That one is ment to release the master piston. It gets blocked very easily.

Is so small at the end you have to pierce it with a singe twine of a bicyle brake cable.

Bas
Bas Timmermans

Thank you for your response. I have the single master cylinder with brake and clutch in one unit. The master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder are new, not rebuilt. I checked the small bleed holes with a small wire as suggested and fund them ok. The problem still exists.
Al
Al

Al, you do know you have to set the clutch and brake pedal to have a little free play where the pedals are resting before taking up the operation dont you?

Set the pedal push rod to have a few thou of rest, upto a 1/32" inch would be OK ish I think

The figure is in the Haynes manual (In the clutch section for some reason ISTR)

Clutch section 5 Master cylinder - removal and reassembly, in the italic lettering notes at the end...

If there is no free play cylinder pressure can't be released
Bill

We've encountered similar symptoms when the hose had collapsed internally, with a collapsing fragment waffling around inside acting as a valve.
Paul Walbran

Once again thanks for your help. I did set the free play in both the brake and clutch pedals before I installed the pedals- master cylinder package back into the car. I set the free play to 5/32in per the Haynes manul. I have seen a bad brake hose keep a rear brake from releasing once, just as you mentioned. My Sprite has a continous steel line from the master cylinder to the clutch slave cylinder. No hoses are used in the connection. I removed the dust boot from the clutch slave cylinder and observed upon clutch extention that the cylinder piston extends full travel stopping when it contacts the circlip at the outer end of the cylinder. The clutch pedal stops before it contacts the cockpit floor. This may be normal. The fully mechanical clutch (not hydralic) went all the way to the floor board in my old chevy truck. At this point I am thinking about rebuilding the old removed parts just to see if they will work.

Al
Al Alberti

This thread was discussed between 16/08/2008 and 19/08/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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