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MG MGA - Clutch Slave Cylinder

Hi All
Just repaired a leaking master cylinder on the clutch side, fluid coming out the front. Took the car for a run this morning and got back noticed fluid dropping onto the drive.Pouring out the slave cylinder. I have stripped the replacement cylinder, which was new during rebuild and noticed that the bore and piston is scored, the piston is aluminium, but the original Lockheed had a steel piston. I have also noticed that the return spring is shorter and different design to the lokheed. Has anyone experienced leaking problems with what appears to be an 'aftermarket' cylinder. I guess it is best to replace with a new cylinder. Can anyone advise on the take up on the clutch peddle. i.e. should it be as the brakes.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have attached photos of cylinder.
Thanks Brian


Brian Paddon

Only 1 photo attached.


Brian Paddon

Another Sorry chaps I tried uploading 3 photos at once!!!


Brian Paddon

Yup, spot on. The clutch slave cylinders with aluminum piston are absolute garbage.
See here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/faulty/ft032.htm

Where did you get the slave cylinder?
barneymg

The clutch slave on my car has an aluminium piston and has done about 16,000 miles, so this post has got me thinking about getting one with a steel piston before I have a failure. Does anyone know who supplies the steel pistoned variety? I do remember being sceptical about the aluminium piston when I fitted the slave; I think I had read Barney's information on the subject. On the strength of what I had read, I liberally coated the piston with silicon grease, hoping that would make it last a few months until I could get hold of a 'proper' one. About eight years later I had forgotten all about it... until I read this post!
Lindsay Sampford

I've just received a mailshot from Moss.

Amongst other things, clutch slave cylinder (aftermarket) reduced from £15 to £11.26

One can only wonder about the quality of that one!
Dave O'Neill 2

Hi Brian,

I too have the master cylinder leaking. I cannot tell exactly if it's the brake side or the clutch, or possibly both. How did you go about fixing this problem? Did you replace the internal parts in situ? Did you have to bleed the brakes and the clutch in the end?

I will appreciate some info on the method you used to replace the parts. I am waiting for the parts to arrive from Moss UK, they should be here next week.

Many thanks

Frank
F. Camilleri

Hi Frank
I have read the comment/replies in your thread regarding the leaking m/c. I noticed fluid inside the clutch boot around the pushrod. I followed Steve's advise and sucked out 200ml of fluid and removed the holding bolts to lift the front of the m/c. I removed the lower screw to the front plate and rotated the plate to allow the clutch piston to spring out, whilst holding the brake piston in the bore.I removed the piston, washer and cup seal and lubricated the new (I bought a NOS Lockheed kit off ebay to ensure I had the OE parts - see my problem with the repro Slave cylinder)I inserted the new parts in order. All was straight forward but I decided to replace the front paper gasket - Mistake!! I then removed the other screw and both pistons tried to escape. It was then quite difficult to line new gasket and screws whilst holding the pistons in bores. Eventually. all complete and I managrd to bleed the nearest brake to cylinder.
Unfortunatly after my test run I then had the slave cylinder burst its seal with fluid over the drive. Waiting for a replacement OE cylinder to fit in place of the Repro which had an aluminium piston!! The UK MGA Register produced a Technical Manual which has extracts of Lockheed brake/clutch information. If you are interested I maybe able to copy and email to you. Please send address if interested.
Regards Brian
Brian Paddon

Hi Barney
Thanks for your comments.
I contacted the UK supplier (B and G) today who advised that they had sold plenty of the repro units. I purchased mine in 2015 but only just fitted late 2016 with rebuild, but in good customer response they are posting a replacement OE unit today, with a steel piston. Hopefully I can install and re-bleed the system, weather permitting.
Regards Brian
Brian Paddon

Hi
I have just installed a new OE slave cylinder, bled with silicone fluid. All seemed fine after a few presses on the clutch pedal out poured the fluid from the slave cylinder. I have removed the unit and all looks ok internally and then tried to move the clutch lever arm. This seems imposible. I realise that the plate springs have to be strong, but I am wondering if there is some resistance which is causing the fluid to escape the easiest route. Should I be able to move the lever arm manually? Can anyone give me any advise or ideas I could follow.
Thanks Brian
Brian Paddon

"All seemed fine after a few presses on the clutch pedal" Does this mean that you had a few strokes where the clutch disengaged?
And prior to all this, was the clutch disengaging?
Yes it takes a lot of force!
Art Pearse

Hi Art
The clutch seemed fine. Changing gear was ok. I have driven 60 miles. Getting into 1st gear has been problematic but maybe I am not use to the Ford 5 speed gate yet. I have removed the new slave and checked ok. Probably fit again tomorrow and with assistance check the travel of the clutch rod as Barney's site.
Thanks Brian
Brian Paddon

Brian
You don't happen to have an MGB clutch set up installed do you?

I ask because you will have needed a different clutch operating lever bracket in the bell housing with the 5 speed if it came with a bracket to suit an MGA clutch.

The 5 speed gate is subtly different especially as it has an offset pivot compared to the BMC box.

Regards
Colin
Colin Manley

Hi Brian Paddon,

Yes I am interested to have a copy of the mentioned Technical Manual. My email address is shown on the top of this post. Thanks.

I have one question if I may Brian. I cannot distinguish between the primary cup and the secondary cup. Looking at the diagrams I found it difficult to say which is which. Naturally, I want to be absolutely correct on the sequence that the rubbers are fitted inside the bore. Can you help me on this please?

Frank
F. Camilleri

Obviously continue, as I will, to offer your own advise to people and help in their solutions, but can we please recognise that various material people offer to copy and send to others is actually someone else's intellectual property that has probably had some investment of time , money and effort to produce.

The Technical Manual was originally put together by the MGA Register members years ago after a lot of time, effort and some cost. It was then further developed into softcopy form with a further input of time, effort and cost, so it is not unreasonable to expect people to buy such material at a very reasonable cost. I know the internet has altered people's expectations, but if material is passed around, funds will not be generated and further material will not be able to be put together. We will all lose.

The link below takes you to a document on the MGA Register site which shows you how to purchase merchandise, one of which is the Technical Manual on a memory stick for a very reasonable £8.

http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mga-register/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/12/MGA-Register-Merchandise-Catalogue-December.pdf


This is not a plug, but the MGA Register of the MG Car Club is just a bunch of self-helping people, no-one is paid, nobody earns anything else in any form connected with the Register, so the more members, the better the benefit to the MGA fraternity.

http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mga-register/

regards
Colin


Colin Manley

Spot on Colin. Freebie copying of very reasonably-priced MGA Car Club material is not a very good idea, for everyone, not just members. Eventually members efforts will dry up.
Bruce.
B Mayo

Thank you Colin and Bruce for your replies. I have been a member of the MGCC and A Register for over 40+ years. I was not aware that these were available and was aware of copyright issues but thought 8 pages of the book would not be unaceptible to send a member of the forum to help him solve his problem. Before the publication of the 2 Register books I also received the typed papers known as MG Activities, which I have kept and often refer to during my rebuild. Maybe Frank will see your replies and order copies direct.
Brian
Brian Paddon

Brian, Frank,
Follow the link in my post to take you to the merchandise section. The Technical Manual is a great buy for £8 and takes up no space!

Regards
Colin
Colin Manley

This thread was discussed between 17/03/2017 and 23/03/2017

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