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MG MGB Technical - More Clutch Problems

When releasing the clutch on my 65-B, something is sticking and suddenly releases the clutch during takeoff and usually on a hill and it only happens in 1st gear. This does not happen every time and I would have swarn it was the clutch slave and replaced it tonight and it did not help the problem. Other suspect, rear engine seal leaking or trans seal leaking onto clutch and pressure plate. Would this cause this to happen? No obvious things like carpet in the way or warn parts with the peddles. Any one had similer problems? System is not old enough to have warn out clutch or pressure plate.
Thanks
Steve C.
Steve C.

Oil on your clutch plate will make it slip rather than grab.

Did you replace the rubber hose on the slave cylinder? Folklore says the rubber can deteriorate on the inside, and a flap of it may block the fluid going either direction.

I've seen some amazing wear on the clevis pin and clutch pedal in my car, as well as the clevis pin down at the slave cylinder. It amazed me that it didn't bind up. Any chance of that on yours?

When I had my clutch pedal welded up and redrilled, I got the hole too high the first time and the push rod on the clutch cylinder was at an angle, such that it rubbed on the housing. I suppose if I had forced the issue, I could have bent the push rod and gotten some strange results, like binding on the housing.

Barring any of those, I'd wonder about the pivot on your clutch lever inside the bell housing. There are those who say you can pull the rubber boot aside and see the pivot. I've never had to try.

Matt Kulka

You hint that this is intermittent and only happens in first gear and when car is on a hill. Far more torque is transmitted to the road wheels in first gear and this tends to exagerate any clutch or other fault. I suspect that your clutch is slightly fierce by comparison to the normal very smooth MGB clutch and would suggest that oil on the facings is a good possibility. A small amount of oil will be absorbed into the facings and make them sticky and so making it more difficult to move off in first gear. It will only slip if the facings are already well worn and almost flooded in oil.

Also worth looking at are the engine mountings. By any chance has the left mount given way in which case the engine will lift as the clutch is released.
Iain MacKintosh

Could also be a sticking piston in the master cylinder.
Chris at Octarine Services

This thread was discussed on 01/07/2004

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