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MG MGB Technical - Clutch Problems

The clutch won't disengage properly. Sometimes i can JUST get it into gear when pumping it a couple of times, but its not really suitable for road use.

Its a US import, and i only got it on the road a week or so ago. It was ok to begin with, but now the clutch is completley gone.

I checked the fluid level and it appeared rather low, so i topped it up. But this has only helped the propblem a tiny bit.

I've checked the master cylinder, and the start of the clutch line and there appears to be no leaks. The lid for the clutch fluid is a little damaged and i don't think seals 100% but is that a real problem?

Where do i look next?

Cheers!
A Byrne

You need to bleed the clutch hydraulics - there's a lot in the archives about how. It's not hard - just a little time consuming. There may be something else wrong, but bleeding is the place to start.

John
John English

Damn - i had a feeling someone was going to say that! Time is not what i have a lot of in the middle of uni exam study week!

Looks like she might be staying in the garage a little longer...

Any recomendtions on what to or what not to use as clutch fluid? I've curretly got some cheap Dot5 brake fluid i'm using.
A Byrne

I use what I use in my brakes - Castrol LMA. Lots in the archives on that, too. I don't think you're suppose to mix DOT 5 with the LMA, though. Lot's in the archives again. You may want to flush your clutch system with one or the other, since you've probably already mixed the two (assuming the previous owner used LMA), and then stick with one or the other.

John

John English

A. As John observes, if you are loosing brake fluid and had to top up the master cylinder, you need to rebuild your brakes. You also need to determine where the original fluid went. It is hard to see when it leaks from the MC through the seal and runs down the clutch pedal.

As to fluids, most of us use Castrol LMA. Your DOT 5 fluid would be silicone brake fluid. Have no experience with this myself because it was not approved for racing use last time I checked. Hence, the use of the LMA. There are some issues with using DOT 5 fluid when the system was originally used with DOT 3/4 fluids. Requires a through cleaning and rebuild of the master cylinder and slave cylinder(s), as well as a through system flush, when making such a change. At least this is what the people who have made the change report.

Les
Les Bengtson

This thread was discussed on 14/06/2006

MG MGB Technical index

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