What's wrong with the clutch?

Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 11:16:20 -0000
From: Scott A. Beavis
To: mini-list@autox.team.net
Subject: Clutch Problems
A quick question on my friends behalf. He has just had the clutch adjusted on his mini and now it has problems getting into gear, he says at times it's like driving without a clutch at all. Sounds to me that the clutch hasn't been adjusted properly, what do you reckon?

Well, the purpose of the clutch levers etc is to move and disengage the clutch from it's 'normally-engaged' state...therefore...

A 'good' clutch will release near the top of the pedal travel (ie: only push down a little).

A poor clutch will need lots of travel to disengage. This can be caused by a few things, here are some of the favourates:

  • Throw-out stop too close to housing. As the release bearing moves in, the throwout stop limits it's travel before the plates have disengaged.
  • Worn clutch arm (either worn pivot ball, or worn pivot pin) This will need more pedal travel to disengage.
  • Weak diagragm centre spring fingers (Verto clutch) (needs more travel to pull pressure plate off friction plate)
  • Slave push rod worn or too short.
You can also have a 'poor' clutch that bites TOO high causing slipage. This is caused by:
  • Worn friction/pressure plate.
  • Weak diaphragm outer (main) spring.

Scott

Stolen from the Mini list, date