IIa Clutch Problems

[Doug C]

I have a '66 iia 109" and I am having a bit a problem with the clutch. Every time I try to put the car in gear, all I get is a spinning and grinding noice... so it obviously will not engage. So, I started to bleed the clutch lines thinking that there might be air in the lines when I noticed brake fuild leaking down the clutch pedal. I fixed that by putting in a new master cyclinder, and I thought that might have been my problem the whole time, but it wasn't. So I just finished installing the new master cylinder and bled the lines and what not and I seem to be getting good stroke on the slave cylinder, but it still just spins and grinds when I try to engage any gear. Any ideas of what to do next? Any ideas of what might be the problem? Thanks in advance.

[friar mike]

Hi Doug
check this thread out we have talked about this just a week or so ago. It mite help you get started on fixing your problem.

http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2768

[Doug C]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

[Tim Smith]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

If the clutch is in fact stuck, you might want to try starting it in gear with the clutch depressed. It's not fool proof but some times you get lucky and it will pop loose. Worked for me on a Rover 3500 but I had to try a number of times before it came loose.

However, before doing that, inspect and make sure the arm is actually moving on the slave end.

[Doug C]

I've done that a few times today... bumping the starter while in 2nd or 3rd hoping that would jar something loose, no luck so far. But, does anyone know how much stroke I should be seeing on the slave cylinder arm? I measured the stroke today, and I'm only getting 3/4 inch up and down on the end of the arm. That doesn't seem like enough, but then again, I have no idea.

[scott]

I've done that a few times today... bumping the starter while in 2nd or 3rd hoping that would jar something loose, no luck so far. But, does anyone know how much stroke I should be seeing on the slave cylinder arm? I measured the stroke today, and I'm only getting 3/4 inch up and down on the end of the arm. That doesn't seem like enough, but then again, I have no idea.

3/4" is good. but if the one or both of the pins that with connecting tube link the operating lever to the throw out fork, your clutch ain't going to go. disconnect the linkage just below the slave cylinder. if you can move the operating lever with you fingers while laying on your back drinking a beer then it's the pins. it takes a lot to push in a pressure plate. had mine laying in the drive, step on it and had to give a slight hop with my 190 lbs to get it to give.

[Doug C]

I had my brother sit in the cab and depress the clutch pedal while I peeked through the cover of the bell housing and when he depressed the pedal I saw something move back and forth from the flywheel. So, if I can see this movement is it possible that maybe the pressure plate and the clutch plate are stuck together, or is that ridiculous? Would this tell me anything just because I can see something move in there when the clutch pedal is depressed? Bottom line... I really don't want to have to take the bell housing off to expose the clutch... its looking like I'm going to have to though. Any thoughts?

[friar mike]

I had my brother sit in the cab and depress the clutch pedal while I peeked through the cover of the bell housing and when he depressed the pedal I saw something move back and forth from the flywheel. So, if I can see this movement is it possible that maybe the pressure plate and the clutch plate are stuck together, or is that ridiculous? Would this tell me anything just because I can see something move in there when the clutch pedal is depressed? Bottom line... I really don't want to have to take the bell housing off to expose the clutch... its looking like I'm going to have to though. Any thoughts?

That would be the pressure plate moving and it should if I understand what you are seeing move. if it is a stuck disk then you should be able to brake it free. I guess it would be nice to know has it sat for some time from the last time it worked right or did this happen all of the sudden?

[scott]

I had my brother sit in the cab and depress the clutch pedal while I peeked through the cover of the bell housing and when he depressed the pedal I saw something move back and forth from the flywheel. So, if I can see this movement is it possible that maybe the pressure plate and the clutch plate are stuck together, or is that ridiculous? Would this tell me anything just because I can see something move in there when the clutch pedal is depressed? Bottom line... I really don't want to have to take the bell housing off to expose the clutch... its looking like I'm going to have to though. Any thoughts?

sounds like your hydraulics and linkage are working. has it been parked a while? the friction plate could be stuck to the flywheel. you could try spraying in some wd40 through the timing mark port and or the view port by the shifter, then put it in 1st, point your rover towards open road and start it. you might want to try this a cuple of times.