MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - clutch replacement

Hi Chaps, the clutch in my MGA 1600 1960 started to slip today, I have just checked with the workshop manual and I find to my horror the engine and gearbox is to be removed to replace the clutch! I had hoped it would be a drop the gearbox job..... Can anyone advise me of the simple quick change method??

I should be so lucky of Maidstone Kent.
C Cheetham

Hi. You can just pull the engine and leave the transmission in place, however reinstalling the engine can be difficult regarding tranny/engine alignment. Removal of the engine and transmission as a unit is actually pretty easy. after driveshaft removal, there is one transmission mount bolt, speedo cable disconnect, several motor mount bolts, tach cable disconnect, exhaust pipe disconnect, rad and heater hose disconnect, Rad removal, choke and throttle cable disconnect, and a few wires and cables to disconnect. Generally, I can remove and replace the engine and tranny, and do a clutch change in about 4 hours. Apparently it IS possible to remove the transmission from inside the car, but this involves removing the floorboards, toeboards, and transmission tunnel, and disconnecting the emergency brake cable. It is actually less work to remove the engine and transmission! Hope this helps. Glenn
Glenn

You can just pull the engine and leave the gearbox in place. I remove the topmost engine to gearbox bolts then lift the engine until the gearbox hits the bottom of the firewall, then put blocks or a stand under the front of the gearbox. Then I remove the other engine to gearbox bolts and carefully pull the engine forward to clear the gearbox input shaft. When replacing the clutch, you will need either the cheap plastic alignment tool, or else a spare input shaft to make sure the clutch is perfectly centered. Before reinstalling the engine, rotate the gearbox input shaft so it looks like the splines will align with those on the clutch disk. Make sure the gearbox is in neutral. Lift the engine, and try to get it hanging about the same angle as the gearbox. You may need to carefully pull on the top and push on the bottom of the engine to rotate it just a little to get the splines to align, but over the years, I have pulled MGA engines alone many times, and never had a problem getting them back in.

Jeff Schultz

Betore going down the route that Glenn and Jeff have told you about, it may just be worth checking why the clutch is slipping. It just could be that you don't have the 0.8mm clearance (freedom of movement) between the pushrod and piston in the master cylinder. It is easy enough to give the pushrod a wiggle to see if there is any movement.

Your query just got me to go and check mine. No slack, so I am about to go and slacken off the lock nut and rotate the push rod a turn or two. 5 minute job.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Thanks Guys, I did check the pushrod Steve and I have the required clearance. It looks like I have a time of 4 hours to beat Glenn of Canada.
My Thanks also to Jeff of USA.
I will keep you all informed of my progress, hope to do the job next weekend.
Kind regards Colin.
Colin Cheetham

Colin,
In the 'B' if you jack up the rear as far as you can get it, the engine transmission unit comes out at a better angle. I think it would be the same in the 'A'. Though I built a Twin Cam it was ground up and I didn't have the problem you will have with a complete car.
Barry
Baz

I just did the MGB clutch conversion and I decided to pull the two out as a unit. It was a bear. Details here:

http://mgablog.com/archives/engine_pulling/index.html

I have the engine in, but I'm having a lot of trouble getting the clutch and engine realigned. Going to check the archives, then post about this separately if necessary.

-Rich
Rich

I've tried both ways - re uniting the engine with the gearbox in place is a pain.

I'll always do both together from now on.

A couple of 'helpers'
Getting out-
Once you have removed all the obvious stuff, remove the crankshaft pulley and the timing cover.

Remove the grearbox dipstick.

Getting back in-
Loop a rope the tailshaft of the gearbox and thread through the gear lever hole so you can lift the tailshaft over the cross member.


Assemble the crankshaft pulley to the timinc cover first, then replace as a unit.

Ian F
Ian Fraser

C, The gearbox cannot be lowered or moved rearward with the engine in place, so the engine is going to be moved any way you look at it. I pulled and replaced the engine and gearbox on my MGA as a single unit a couple of times as a 17 year old in 1970. Based on those experiences I'd do it the same way today, as removing the two together didn't seem all that difficult, but realigning the engine and gearbox within the car would seem to be a headache. If the engine is coming out to get at the clutch, there's not much saved by leaving the gearbox behind anyway. In fact, given the engine will be out it's a very good time to service any chipped gears or worn synchros in the gearbox. Also, doesn't the factory service manual call for the engine and gearbox to be removed as a single unit? In the case of the MGB, according to the shop manual, the redesigned clutch is easily damaged if the two are not carefully aligned as they are brought together. It's difficult enough doing that outside the car let alone in confined quarters.

It's been a long time and I don't remember exactly how I proceeded with the removal, but as I recall, I first drove the car up on some ramps and maybe put one or two 2 x 8's under the rear wheels to increase the ground clearance so that the tail end of the gearbox has some room to allow the combined unit to rotate up from horizontal. Of course, support the frame on the chance a tire should go flat or a suspension piece should let go. Remember, it may only be 1.6L, but it's heavy enough to hurt you, so follow precautions.(Did you ever see a worn king pin slip out of a trunnion or a coil spring or leaf spring snap? It can happen sitting still and on separate occasions all happened to my MGA before the car was 10 years old.) Now most everyone also recommends an attachment (forget what it's called- see Moss) for the hoist that facilitates a controlled rotation. Of course, having another pair of hands around to push and pull makes things go much easier, and is good safety practice.
Steve K

I agree with Jeff,I've done it both ways on my A and I prefer to seperate them, alot easier to control. Car can sit level, motor stays relatively level and it's out.I think less of a chance of paint & body mishaps. I also changed a clutch in my 79 B the same way and pulled the motor just enough to remove the cover and change the disc.As long as you use an alignment tool it goes together fine,and once it's in far enough you can reinstall the front pully on your A so you can "wiggle" the crank to help it line up. Was also able to do it alone.You have enough work to do with out having to disconnect drive shafts, slave cylinders,floor boards, emergency brakes,etc. Just my 2 cents- Gary
gary starr

I have removed my engine twice and gearbox once. Both times we did it seperatly. There were challanges linning things up but it worked. I would like to try it the other way just to compare the difference.
Kris
Kris Sorensen

I have had my engine out for reasons various about 10 times over the last 8 years. However, I don't think I could match Glen for his 4 hours turn round, nor would I want to. I normally take the opportunity to carry out an indepth inspection of all the ancillaries within the cavernous emptiness, including a top up of the steering box etc.

A couple of items not already mentioned. The book says to remove the bonnet (hood) as one of the first actions. I normally put a rope round it, pull it up to the almost vertical and secure the rope to the luggage rack. The area where I have caused damage while manouvring the engine on its hoist is the lip of the front shroud immediately infont of the bonnet. Definitely worth having the extra pair of hands just to guide and hold the engine steady.

FWIW I always split the engine and gearbox. Never had any problems mating 1500 to 1500 gearbox, nor 1800 to 5-speed box.

Steve
Steve Gyles

We Brits are very used to taking engines out and in on their own. We would generally be very reluctant to take the complete engine/transmission out as a single unit unless absolutely necessary. There is in any case absolutely nothing to be lost in taking the engine out on its own bearing in mind that if you ultimately cannot get it aligned with the gearbox you can still remove the gearbox and align them both on the floor.
Iain MacKintosh

I did a clutch last week, took 4.5 hours from start to finish (Slowed down a bit by cutting my hand removing the rear oil hose, so this week's health tip is to remove the spark plugs to save two stitches....).

Engine out on its own is the way to go. The trick to the easy putting back in is to have a jack under the gearbox to raise it up at the front so that the bellhousing edge is parallel to the rear engine plate. Then use a big spanner on the front crank nut to turn the engine so that the splines line up, and it will slide together as if on rails. A crowbar against the steering rack mount helps the backward slide. I do this without a leveller, which would make life even easier I think.

Taking the rad out as first step gives better access to almost everything. A 1/4" drive socket and a stubby 1/2" 7/16" and 9/16" spanner are tools that make the whole job much easier. I remove the bonnet, using a thick blanket to protect the rear edge, and with the front catch wired to the beam on the roof to support it. This is to save the head from constant bangs on the catch (two health tips in one posting!).

Taking the gearbox out requires removal of the shift assembly, plus the mount bolt, and depending on the propshaft, bolts to the propshaft. It takes much longer to do this than the starter motor bolts and 5 or 6 half inch bolts. It's much heavier to lift, harder to get out of the bonnet (needs a big angle and therefore much more height than I have in my garage) and it's a two man job to get it back in. Realy NOT worth the trouble.
dominic clancy

Dominic's right--It IS easier to pull just the engine. Anyone who says re-aligning the engine to the gear box, with the gearbox full held in place, instead of trying to join two --free to move-- units is kidding themselves. There's less dissassembly and, while the engine to trans bolts aren't the most accessible things--I've dealt with much more difficult items. I like to use a pnuematic 3/8 dr. ratchet, myself. Once the bolt is broken free--the ratchet drives the bolt or nut off with a push of the lever.---Runs them on right well, too. Just start them by hand first--if they're cross threaded--the tool won't care--it'll still try to tighten it down. Carefull when installing bolts into cast aluminum...could strip the threads.
R. L Carleen

Spot on with Dominic. Precisely how I do it except for the bonnet removal.

Steve
Steve Gyles

That's it Dominic only difference was that I used a garden spade instead of a crowbar !! However, the nose of the gearbox first motion shaft has a very blunt end so if you take an angle grinder and put about a 1/16" at 45 degrees chamfer on it then that will greatly ease its lead in to the pilot bush.
Iain MacKintosh

This thread was discussed between 14/08/2005 and 17/08/2005

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.