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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - My clutch went TINKLE, BANG, CLUNK, SCRAPE, CRUNCH

I have a nicely sorted 1500 midget...

But, over the last few hundred miles I've noticed a TINKLING coming from underneath the car. Then, after a spirited 150 mile drive, there was a loud BANG followed by more tinkling.

On starting this morning, as I put it under load, there was a CLUNK followed by an intermittent SCRAPING sound, which vanished after the first few minutes. So I pressed on...

Later, having been stuck in traffic for a while, I couldn't get the car into gear. Any gear. Until - with an almighty shove and a sickening CRUNCH - it went in. I turned round and headed for home.

Dear Doctor, what's wrong?
readlist

Sounds broken! better find an engine crane.

sorry, I don't have anything more useful to add right now. I am tired and sat in Crewe station waiting for the sleeper train to Bonnie Scotland.

I will follow this with interest though (and maybe have some intelligent input some other time).

who are you really Mr. readlist?

cheers,
Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

Sounds like the sequel to my clutch clunk crunch thread :)
As you can see it was broken levers on the clutch cover assembly, I'm guessing that your clutch was not working at all and you were having to crash gear changes?
Andy Potter

Hi Andy. I read your post with interest, especially the diagnosis of the 'tinkling' sound.

(Sequels are rarely better, The Godfather - Part Two being a notable exception)

The clutch is working intermittently, although there seems to be slightly more travel in the clutch peddle, and far more snicking of the gears than I would like, although sometimes this goes away, lulling me into a false sense of 'It's nothing really is it?'.

I don't know if the 1500 clutch is different?
readlist

It could be that the pivot pin has dropped out of the clutch lever arm. When this happens the lever arm still works, sort of, but floats around where it should be attached (tinkling noise perhaps? ).
With the pin missing the lever pivots on the edge of the bell housing, losing part of its travel so although the clutch still works it feels rough and doesn't fully disengage and gears are hard to select.

The proper fix is to remove engine and gearbox to fit a new pin. But the good news is that a suitably sized bolt with a large head, like a carriage bolt, works very well. And with some grovelling under the car and a bit of dexterity it can be inserted down from the top and located through the lever arm pivot without dismantling anything.

You can check if this diagnosis is correct just by feeling to see if the pivot pin is still there. Maybe poke a screwdriver up the hole where it should be to check.
GuyW

I got a handy tool off Amazon, it's a small endoscope camera 8 mm in diameter that connects to your phone or tablet. It has leds on the end to use in dark places. You can record video or take photos. Cost about £15. I have an atmospheric video inside my bell housing!
Andy Potter

Btw my tinkling was this.


Andy Potter

Thank you, Malcolm, Andy and Guy for your ideas. I will investigate accordingly.

The endoscopic camera is a fine idea (if it's not the pin...)

Michael,
Bristol
readlist

<<It has leds on the end to use in dark places>>

So you can film where the sun doesn't shine ?!


Actually Michael, the loud bang and subsequent tinkling suggests its not just the pin, but wouldn't you have been annoyed if you went to all the trouble of removing the engine only to find it could have been fixed that easily!
GuyW

I've just had a look and the pin is still there.

If I poke it with a screw driver there is some up and down movement. Is there supposed to be?

Maybe it's time for a bit of endoscopy...
readlist

Yes, there probably should be some vertical movement. When the pin does drop out - and its not an uncommon problem - then you can poke a screwdriver up through the hole a wiggle it about.

Endoscope to confirm, but it sounds like and engine out job. Assuming you have use of a crane or a hoist, and working alone it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours, tops, to remove the engine and gearbox together. Its not the big deal that people imagine!
GuyW

Thanks Guy. I've had the engine out before, and it's putting it back, tightening, refilling, checking etc. - and getting the bonnet to fit perfectly again - that's the real chore. But it looks like I'm going to have to grin and bear it!
readlist

This thread was discussed between 16/09/2016 and 17/09/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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