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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Odd clutch issue

Folks,

Any idea on the issue I have, or even if it is an issue?

I took my car out in July for a long run, everything wroked perfectly, no strange unusual noises, clutch worked great.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, I wasn't able to take it out again till the middle of September. The car started perfectly, but on pushing the clutch in half-way, there was an odd scraping/rushing/hissing noise, as if the clutch was only partially disengaged. There is/was no noise when the car was in neutral with clutch in or out.

After a few minutes it went away, and all was normal again, and a 100 mile run was completed easily.

I then didn't take the car out for 4 weeks. On starting up, same issue, although for not as long.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what this might be, or is it simply lack of use that causes it??

Any help gratefully received!

James
James30

James. It could be a partially stuck clutch plate through lack of use which is releasing itself after a few minutes. Moral, drive it more! you know you want to.

Bernie.
b higginson

I'm glad someone beat me to the "drive it more" :)

A 100 mile run is good but leaving it 4 weeks and/or just starting it up does you and the car no real favours

Driving the car at least 30 miles every two weeks or so would be better

Driving the car more regularly will, with full and proper servicing and maintenance, make the car more reliable and better to drive and own plus you will learn more about the car, the feel, what noises and guage readings are usual for your car, and you will learn how to drive the car, allow for breaking, where to overtake, enjoy the B roads, ect.

There are many good driving (and hood down) days during the autumn, winter and spring times
Nigel Atkins

Thanks for the info Bernie and Nigel!

Some of the non-use this summer was unavoidable, but never-the-less, I really need to get off my backside and drive more.

Let's hope we get a decent autumn... :)
James30

Could it be rust build up on the sliding surfaces?
That could explain the noise at partial pedal.
Sandy
SANDY SANDERS

Have an update on this...

... I managed to at least start the car this week, after 3 weeks of non-use (which was itself just a start).

Same issue - in fact, noise for a minute or two at full pedal, then silence. No problem engaging clutch or gears.

Really hope this is not a release bearing issue... as well as driving it more(!) would rebleeding the clutch be worth while?

J
James30

it couldn't hurt.

any car that sits for long periods will become prey to all sorts of maladies related to moisture and corrosion. Flushing the coolant, brakes and clutch, changing the diff, trans and engine oil, these things will all help. But the corrosion on the metal surfaces will only be prevented by storing it in a conditioned space (indoors, de-humidified), or driving it more often!

Norm

Norm Kerr

This is more of an "aside" than a recommendation.

Last year, after driving through a series of floods on the way back from Yorkshire, my clutch started making a horrible scraping sort of noise that only went away when the pedal was fully depressed. I didn't fancy removing the engine and gearbox to investigate so I sprayed WD40 directly onto the release bearing via one of the lever holes.

Spraying WD40 onto your clutch wouldn't be a normal recommendation, but there was nothing to loose by the attempt and it cured it! And it didn't make it slip although it did smell rather sweet for a while
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

bleeding clutch also leads on to how old is the fluid, when was it last changed - the fluid may having nothing to do with your present problem but it should be changed as part of routine servicing anyway

I'm not a fan of just starting a car up, sure it circulates the oil and coolant and gets the engines internals moving but unless you leave it running a very long time, feed the choke back when appropriate and vary the revs a bit then it just drains the battery and wears the engine and chokes your plugs

Sure you can be engaging and disengaging the clutch and gears but it's not under load and the rest of the car's not getting a workout, brakes, tyres, suspension ect.

Driving it regularly may not cure your problem, it could even make it worse but it will help the car generally (and you to identify usual and unusual noises on your car)
Nigel Atkins

Bleeding the clutch "it couldn't hurt" - Oh yes it could. (pantomime voice)

If you try and bleed it and get it wrong you could introduce more air into the system or even just disturb seals, making it worse than when you started. At the moment, it doesn't sound like disengagement of the clutch is any sort of problem so why risk trying to "fix something that isn't broke". I would leave well alone.

Similarly, whilst Nigel is right in theory about old fluid, this is a far less critical issue than for the brakes. Apart from wanting maximum brake efficiency the problem with water in brake fluid id that it is liable to turn to steam if the brakes get hot, exacerbating the problem of brake fade when they are used heavily or repeatedly. I wouldn't be rushing in to change clutch fluid just on a whim unless it is either visibly very dirty or you are having disengagement problems in which case it isn't just the fluid that needs changing!

Your scraping noise does sound like a faulty/ worn or rusted release bearing. If the latter the WD40 suggestion might just work, but if not then either put up with it or bite the bullet and accept that you will need to remove the engine for a proper inspection.
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

Guy you make a good point about potential problems of bleeding the fluid but there are plenty of threads on the subject on here to advise how to do it properly or get someone else who does plus it's a lot less hassle than removing the engine

Bleeding the clutch or replacing the fluid could also lead on to replacing the slave and master cylinders and/or other stuff - but who knows

As you say you could start by looking at the condition of the fluid and its level in the reservoir, if it needs topping up more than once you might need to look for leaks whether or not it’s the cause of the original problem – your not looking for problems just found them

I did say >>bleeding clutch also leads on to<< and >>the fluid may having nothing to do with your present problem but it should be changed as part of routine servicing anyway<< that's not the same as changing it just on a whim

I know some love to tinker with their cars but I prefer preventative servicing and maintenance (if only for the fact that my mechanical skills are very low) and yes I personally prefer to change things before they start going wrong but I can put up with minor faults (it a British classic so it's very likely)

Unless I'm wrong (and it needs to be pointed out if I am) if it's a release they can run faulty for quite a while so you can run the car with it to see IF it is that and before it gets too bad arrange to get it sorted

I would try driving regularly to see if it gets better or worse before either fluid or WD40 - use it as a daily for a week or take it out every night for a 50-60 mile run when the roads are quiet
Nigel Atkins

sorry I missed the words 'bearing issue' out in the sentence

- Unless I'm wrong (and it needs to be pointed out if I am) if it's a release bearing issue they can run faulty for quite a while so you can run the car with it to see IF it is that and before it gets too bad arrange to get it sorted

I'm hopeless at reading especially on a computer monitor
Nigel Atkins

Thanks for the input folks. I am totally puzzled - as I mention in my first email, there is absolutely no problem in operation of the clutch or gears, no strange noises other than noted, nada!

I will try and take the car for a drive this weekend to see what happens....

J
James30

If the car runs ok at the weekend, with or without the noise, then swap cars and use the Spridget for the next week

It wont suddenly disintegrate just because it's raining and if your heater is working properly you'll probably be too warm rather than too cold, if the heater's not working well you'll still survive

Have a windscreen scrapper/rubber and chamois and wind a window down to act as air-con to clear the windscreen quicker

You'll soon get use to how to dress and might even enjoy not being in a stuffy, sleep inducing modern car, if only for a week

Once you've used the car for a week you'll understand why I've suggested it, you might not want to use it frequently but you will understand the benefit of regularly driving it, say once a fortnight for 30 miles or so

It will be even clearer if you have to leave the car unmoved for several months and then take it out
Nigel Atkins

Well, I have another update on this thread.

Unfortunately, I live in the middle of London so driving to work is not an option. I have managed to take the car out for a 5 mile run, and have run the car up to temperature a few times, while driving it a few yeards to at least give the clutch/engine/transmission etc a bit of load.

Last weekend I did the same. I had noticed previously that pumping the clutch a few times before starting seemed to make a differece to the length of time the odd noise appeared for.

I decided to look at the fluid level in the clutch master.... it was fairly empty, fluid only just covering the bottom! So I refilled to the recommended level - much better, and no noise. Clutch pedal feels better too.

Still not managed to take it out for a drive unfortunately, but that's the next "challenge". Need to check also if there is a leak somewhere.

Not quite sure how the low level could have caused the temporary issue, but with any luck fixing the leak, if there is one, will be the end of it...

J.
James30

This thread was discussed between 23/10/2010 and 18/01/2011

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