Hollys clutch still a problem

[hollydurham]

Hi.
I`m typing this as Holly and Tom have gone off camping for the weekend (in Toms Suburu) and they asked me to post it for them as they need to get Herb sorted asap.

The story so far.
Herbs clutch was acting up...when Holly pressed the pedal it was jerky/sticking on it`s travel and tended to get stuck altogether when it was pressed right down.
We sprayed some wd40 on all the linkages...this did not seem to help much. Tom then changed the slave cylinder hose which helped.
It now does not seem jerky on it`s travel but it still tends to get stuck when it`s pressed right to the floor and in Hollys words `pings` back up.
Whats causing this (I live in Lincolnshire so cant just go out and look at the car but I have sat in it when the pedal has been sticking/jerky.
These are my thoughts as to what may be wrong but please tell me if it`s unlikely.

1. Tom has put new metal pedal covers on in place of the rubber ones this may be jamming down on the carpet.

2. The master cylinder push rod could be sticking in the cylinder.

3.The connection from the pedal itself to the master cylinder could be sticking. I`m unsure how this works, does it work on some kind of cam that is connected to the clutch pedal via a rod (I`m looking on a diagram online) if so is it poss that the `cam` is going over center when the clutch is pressed down stopping it returning and if so can you alter it.

4. The slave cylinder is sticking.(This was my first thought but I`m not so sure now.

5. What makes the clutch pedal return into its `up` position, I cant see any spring etc on the diagram.

The clutch itself seems fine..no slip/judder or anything.

Holly does tend to be a bit errrrrrrr `brutal`when she drives, it`s not all smooth lol, she once pulled the gearstick knob off one of my cars when she was driving and believe me it was stuck on hard, but she still managed to pull it off when she changed gear.I`m wondering if she has pressed the clutch down really hard at some point and I duno altered the linkage somehow. Is that poss.
Can anyone help with some ideas etc as she need the car for work.
Cheers Paul (Hollys dad)

[hollydurham]

Any info/pics would be brill. I dont think it happens all the time. I know it got stuck down the other day when she was stopped in traffic. I asked her what she did to free it, ie putting her foor under the pedal but she said it just `pinged` back up.

[dai9fxey]

Hmmm. How much "pedal" is used before the clutch engages / disengages.??
I'm also thinking along the lines that the push rod , probably in the slave cylinder is not sitting square in the plunger which may be causing a side loading and thus jamming it in the bore.
On saying that though the pushrod should self centralise.

[hollydurham]

Not sure how much `pedal` is used before it engages, will have to ask Tom to do that on Monday. I`ve watched the pushrod as it moves in the slave cylinder and it seemed to me to be going in at a slight angle, this is why my first reaction was that the pushrod was, like you say `jamming in the bore`. The car has not done that many miles even though its a G reg, think it`s only done about 20,000 miles from new.
What makes the clutch pedal return to its `up` position, or am I missing something simple here as there are no return springs !!!!

[dai9fxey]

All my Minis are using the old pre verto system which have a return spring.
I'll have to check to see if the verto systems have a return spring.

[hollydurham]

If you could check please that would be great. I`m trying to eliminate as many things as poss as I was always taught to look for the obv before taking things apart, thats why i`ve tried to describe exactly what is happening and what we have done.
cheers for any help you can give us anyway

[taffy1967]

Is there plenty of clutch fluid in the fluid reservoir?

[dai9fxey]

As far as i can see there is no clutch arm return spring connected to the slave cylinder.
The diaphragm on the flywheel and the spring on the clutch pedal are he means by which the pedal returns to the up position..
There is no "Cam" action as regards the pushrod into the master cylinder. It's just a straight up and down movement.
I'll keep on searching for some more info.

[pauld]

Hi.
Deff enough fluid in the master cylinder as Tom has bled the system a few times over the last few weeks as he played about with the clutch problem. Wish I had the car here then I could see whats going on. As there is no `cam` thingy then that more or less rules that out.It has to be either the pushrod in the slave cylinder or the pushrod in the master cylinder that is sticking....or could it be something else lol.It cant be in the clutch itself can it. God I`m arguing with myself here...think logic..the clutch works ok...it has to be a prob somewhere in the fluid system.....I think !!!!!!!

[dai9fxey]

That seems to be the case.
I've just thought of something else which is probably unlikely, but worth a look at and that's the Plunger.
Thats the part that sits in the end of the flywheel housing which the short clutch arm sits in.
It may possibly be sticky whereas it should be free moving in the housing.

[pauld]

No probs Phil at least Tom has something to go on now.
Thanks for the help and if you think of anything else just post it up please

[taffy1967]

The most common problem with verto clutches is for the slave cylinder seals to go. But you soon know as all the clutch fluid leaks out.

The other problem is when the Mini hasn't been used for a period of time (which can vary from a few days to several weeks or months), the clutch pedal then refuses to depress (after it's depressed initially) and the problem is with the clutch arm itself: -



You then have to tap that arm with a hammer and lubricate it.

What I read on another Mini forum: -

Trouble is the arm pivot and the shaft that slides in and out of the bell housing never get lubricated. WD40 is okay for freeing it off but it evaporates fast. So drip a little bit of engine oil onto the pivot and shaft then work the clutch a few times and do it again. Put a couple of drops on there once a year. and you'll find the clutch as smooth as anything

Don't know if this is part of the problem with your Mini though?

[pauld]

Thanks for that I`ll tell Tom and he can have a look...cheers for the help..Paul

[dohboy78]

Had a look last night... the pedal seems to move freely enough. The return spring is on the pedal arm, this looks fine. The motion from the slave cylinder seems fine... I am stumped!
I think I may have to admit defeat. If I had more time I could strip the whole system down and check all the parts over.

But I think I will have to just take it to a garage and say "fix"!

On another note... the hazards and fog light haven't worked since Mr D fried the switches. But I got a switch and tried it yesterday. Now I can hear the relay under the bonnet ticking and the side flashers flash very slightly... but the main flashers front and rear do not flash?? any ideas?? The indicators work ok.

[pauld]

Oh blame me why dont you......I did not `fry` the switches..ok they may have made the odd spark at one point !!!!!!

[taffy1967]

Try replacing the hazard warning flasher unit.

[hollydurham]

Bit of a delayed response here dad but I'd hardly call my driving "brutal"!!!

[pauld]

Ok maybe a bit over the top but I could not think of a word to describe your driving !!!!

[dohboy78]

Had a chat with a local mini garage... they suggested putting some 3 in 1 oil on the linkages. So did that re-bled the system. Got a text off Hol this morning and its still playing up. I sat in Herbert last night and the pedal felt like it did before all the faffing about... kind of jerky as you depress... it actually feels smoother with the engine running at slightly higher revs... what the hell is going on??

[ljonez]

is the throw out set correctly?
as it is posible that the leafs in the presure plate are getting pushed to far and then sticking