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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Tinkly clutch

I have a tinkly noise from my 1275 midget, just audible over the engine, between 2000 and 3000rpm. I hear it easily but my passengers always say "what noise?".

Anyway, it seems to be clutch related, as it goes away when I touch the pedal (don't actually need to declutch).

I wondered if it was to do with the clevis pin at the end of the pushrod. That area seems a little loose. I ordered new pin and pushrod but the supplied pushrod was wrong so I have yet to replace it. During that exercise, though, I listened more carefully, poked about underneath and concluded I didn't think the noise came from the clevis pin.

The clutch arm boot is split. I plan to replace that and the pushrods shortly. The clutch itself, and bearing, are 5000 miles and 2 years old, fitted by Brown & Gammons at an engine swap. The noise appeared last year and is maybe a little louder now.

However, the clutch works fine.

Is this a common thing? Is it likely to fail? Is there any fix that's not engine-out?
Pete AC

A possibility is the securing ring pulling away from inside the pressure pad on the pressure cover. Hit & miss as sometimes it does not interfere with clutch operation but if the pressure pad dislodges gear selection becomes a problem. An engine out job to fix either by a new pressure plate or refixing the ring to the pressure pad with a few tack welds. Original attachment is by several swages about its circumference.
Alan
Alan Anstead

I think Alan has hit the nail on the head. I have seen an example with just that problem, the pad had become loose on the fingers and it rattled a little, stopping when you depress the clutch pedal just a little bit.
It could last for years like that, but who knows?

Rob

Rob aka MG Moneypit

Well, I bit the bullet and got a new clutch fitted. Declined to attempt this DIY in my tiny borrowed half-garage so quite a big bill.

Nothing wrong with the "old" clutch or release bearing - in fact, they look nearly as good as when they went in 2 years ago. So say the people at B&G, and I can see no sign of the detachment that you mention. So the old parts go on my shelf as spares, in case of emergency.

B&G say that the gearbox mount was wrongly fitted and not bolted in properly. They fixed that and theorise that this may have been the source of the noise.

Whatever, I do at least have no tinkling noise and I can now drive around felling reasonably confident that the clutch isn't about to stop working.
Pete AC

Yeah this has gotten bad, lawerance has figured away to install a roller bearing instead of the old friction bearing they just come out of there housings with little or no effort

P
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

" I ordered new pin and pushrod but the supplied pushrod was wrong..."


Really?


"Is this a common thing?"


Yes.
Dave O'Neill 2

Changed this recently. Owner tells me it had only done 2000 mile.
Alan


Alan Anstead

My 1275 had a clutch release bearing become "disbonded" from its housing after 500 miles and fitted a Peter May roller bearing. Now I have a vague tinkling noise from the clutch area. Presume that it is the roller bearing not totally disengaging from the clutch splines. Should probably have fiited a new release arm at the same time.
J Cowley

Mine doesn't tinkle. I don't think Alan's roller conversion will either. I may well put the new standard carbon back in my rwa Midget for when I sell it.

If I do, I might sell my tried and tested roller conversion; -- If that would interest anyone that is.
Lawrence Slater

Pete says he has the replaced parts and they look OK so probably not the release bearing.

Another reason for having a tinkle is if the washer is missing from the clutch fork pivot, or the bolt there isn't tightened correctly. This then allows the arm to "nod" and can result in a light rattle. Maybe this was the cause in this iinstance as there would be no evidence, but correctly tightened the noise would disappear.
Guy W

Picture of the removed, 5000-mile, release bearing attached. That's OK, isn't it?

I had a NOS MOWOG clutch fork on the shelf, so that was fitted in the recent trip to B&G, just in case there was anything up with the old one. Presumably, it's been fitted with the right washer at the right torque.


Pete AC

Looks fine, but doesn't look OEM, but maybe it is. Is that by any chance one supplied by Sussex or moss?

Out of interest, could you take a profile pic of it, and supply some measurements, as in these pictures?

PS. just looked at your profile pic. Sits very high at the rear then. Still like that?




Lawrence Slater

The car has significantly larger than stock diameter tyres. 165/80, IIRC. This is accommodated by the suspension, front and back, being higher - not sure what the mods were to achieve that (1500 parts???). It's also got telescopic shocks of unknown provenance. I'm insufficiently expert to know if anything else is different, as the mods were done before my ownership.

What I can say is that the overall combination seems to deliver a nice drive. A bit of extra ride height helps with Cambridge's speed bumps and the larger tyre diameter is almost exactly equivalent to swapping the 3.9 diff for a 3.7, making motorways nicer. I'm in no hurry to return it to stock.
Pete AC

It's not your tyres. I was noting specifically the rear arch height, relative to the wheel. If it still sits like that, then maybe it does have 1500 springs, or maybe it's been raised some other way at the rear.

Along with a profile picture of your old carbon release, could you perhaps get under and take a shot of the springs, showing the number of leaves and the length of the bottom onee too?
Lawrence Slater

Pete, replacing the clutch fork with your NOS Mowog one could also have been the cure, if the original pivot was worn oval, as is often the case.

I agree, the ride height does look a little high - especially compared to most "saggy suspension" ones. But I don't think it is anything to worry about, especially if you are happy with the handling as it is.
Guy W

I agree, nothing to worry about, I'm just interested how that height at the rear has been acheived.

If it is with 1500 springs, and it still feels good to drive, then I'm tempted to try that myself.
Lawrence Slater

I attach a profile picture of the removed release bearing, as requested. Note that both the removed bearing and the one that's been fitted come from Borg & Beck 3-part clutch kits.

To avoid this thread going way off topic, I'll start a new thread on the requested pictures of the rear suspension, soon.


Pete AC

Thanks Pete. That looks like a 1098 carbon carrier to me.

If you look at the picture I posted below, you can see the offset on the 1275 carrier. The carbons being sold these days for 1275's aren't quite right. I'm surprised that QH were also selling the same incorrect spec.

Not likely to be the cause of your tinking though, unless the carbon is loose in the carrier.

I wouldn't worry about a bit of thread drift. Happens all the time. It's almost compulsory. ;).
Lawrence Slater

This thread was discussed between 13/06/2015 and 27/07/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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