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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - my midget clutch

Hi, just an update and mega thanks to those who begged, helped, persuade and pushed me to Spriget 50. I set off from Colerne in Wiltshire, met fellow sprigeteers Colin and Andy in Box, and set off up to Gaydon. The first hill on the Bath bypass and the Black Pearl started to struggle like mad to get to the top.. The clutch started to slip, Andy and Colin just a blur in the distance, my heart sank!! I was nearly blubbing like a baby!! Feathering the throttle and plodding along at about 5mph I eventually made it to the top. Andy and Colin had pulled in “what’s the problem mate” uuumm clutch, slipping like a tXXt I said!! Not a happy bunny, go home and get another car and maybe get there for the afternoon?? Not cool!! Colin and Andy “we will get you there whatever, even if we have to tow you all the way!!” Ahh the great Spridget spirit…. Well to cut along story short I finally made it there, and believe it or not made it back home.. Eventually!!!! Just in the process of changing the clutch, thought id post a photo of the offending item.. wow wow we waaahhh!!!! Never seen wear that bad before!!!

Cheers guys for giving me the kick up the ar*e I needed to get there…


Ps Dave Price, told you id make it, hope you get Blackie sorted.

Snowy



sm white

Snowy

you call THAT a knackered clutch?


Why, back when I were a lad we'd get.....



oops sorry

well worn enough to justify a new one I reckon

I'm glad you did make it though

People like yourself making it even with problems showed that it was worth doing it

thanks
Bill

OMG!!! HOW????

Appearantly you must be good friends with Jesus, good news is you dont ever have to play lotto agian cause you used up every bit of good luck your ever going to have. getting home on that clutch.

prop
Prop

Yep, that clutch was deader than a dead parrot...

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Snowy - you call that wear????????

Blackie is awaiting his MOT but as I am busy with trips etc it wont be until August when he takes to the roads of Exmoor in his new coat!
Dave
Dave Price

Was the flywheel OK?
Jeremy Cogman

OK This is really embarassing. Can someone explain what I am looking at? And, why it is worn and where. I've never seen one.
Lynda Milne

Linda,
Rejoice in the fact that you cannot feel his pain ;-)

The picture shows the parts from a new "clutch kit" at the top; pressure plate, clutch disk, and release.
It then shows the old set across the bottom. The shiny band in the lower pressure plate is wear. The matching band slightly proud in the clutch disk has lovely shiny circles in it where the rivets attaching the friction lining to the core are now even with the friction material. This is your typical worn out clutch (that had to be driven a significant distance after it started to slip. The friction material gradually wears down in normal usage, eventually wearing down even with the rivets and once the rivets contact the pressure plate, there is minimal friction. You will usually notice this as an occasional slip in high gear where the rpm are rising without the appropriate rise in speed. When possible, one then takes the car off the road as soon as possible, pulls the engine and replaces these three parts (plus the spigot bush if it appears worn.
david "BTDTGTTSWIO" Lieb
David Lieb

Oops, sorry, Lynda... didn't intend to mangle your name.
Daffyd "" Leib
David Lieb

David,

Thanks. So, when I depress the clutch pedal, the fluid forces the rod and fork? ...

Look, I can change a valve cover gasket (on a chevy), change my oil, etc., but I am better at diagnostics. I know when my car is running even slightly off and can usually tell you why, and the mechanic lets me hold the wrench once in a while. I hope I NEVER have to see my clutch bare like that. That would mean the engine is not where it should be! The second set of new leaf springs are going in this weekend. I have the king pins but we can't find the tool we need to install them. Next are the shocks, which I am convinced are bad-this is an ongoing conversation with my mechanic. I still get 43 miles per gallon and everyone is REALLY jealous. not so much in the winter though.

what kind of spark plugs do you use?
Lynda Milne

AND, after re-reading your commentary and looking at the picture, it's much like worn brakes, right?
Lynda Milne

Lynda,
My sparkplugs don't count cuz I have the aluminium head on my car. If you are running an A-Series engine, the usual recommendation is NGK BP6ES.

For shocks, check out Peter Caldwell in Madison, Wisconsin, http://www.nosimport.com/ , for rebuilt Armstrong lever shocks that are better than new.

Yes, clutch linings are much the same material as brake shoes and subject to the same wear factors. Fortunately, brake shoes are seldom held on with rivets anymore (Yes, I can remember helping my father rivet new linings onto the shoes years ago).

If you kept your original springs, you can take them to a spring shop (think trucks) and have them re-arched and re-tempered.

David "what year is your Spridget?" Lieb
David Lieb

lynda,

One thing you can do to save part of the clutch is at stop light put the car in nuetral instead of holding down the clutch pedal with your foot.

prop
Prop

I always shift to neutral at lights. When I read the manual and realized the engine had to come out to replace the clutch, I was horrified. The spring shop is a great idea, I will put the new ones on and get the old ones re-arched and re-tempered, for the next time I fly over the railroad tracks :(. My car is a 1500, 1979 midget. Would the NGK BP6ES plugs still apply?
Lynda Milne

No, Lynda, the 1500 is a different engine entirely. I wouls suggest starting a new thread to ask which plugs you should use in your car. Mention the year and what carb(s) you have on it.

With the 1500, it is also strongly recommended to put the car into neutral and keep your foot off the clutch when starting the engine as well. It reduces wear on the thrust washers in the engine and you do NOT want to know what happens when those wear too much!
David "wandering off on a tangent" Lieb
David Lieb

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2008 and 27/07/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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