well....

drove to work last night... stopped at a set of traffic lights facing up a hill..... when i went to take off the engine started to sorta stall...with a metal dringing feeling on the clutch pedal and the same sound from the engine bay....... ..but then took off and seemed ok except when i changed gears where i could feel the same grinding feeling.....

i came up to a roundabout doing bout 50 in 4th..... so nocked it back to third to find the engine dying and then would take off.....

long story short....


now whenever i put my foot on the clutch (in gear or not) when just idleing... it sounds like grinding metal...and the engine will stall....

i called the NRMA and i showed him and straight away he said it was fu..... and that we gotta get a flatbed.... but instead he said..." its already stuffed....so do u know anyone close by that i could follow you too insted of waiting the 2 hours for the flatbed"

so after revving the crap out of it to quickly get it driving ( as once its in gear driving its ok, just getting it into gear ...or changing gears is a no goer) he followed me back to my gfs house where my car now sits waiting for me to figure things out....


the metal grinding sound comes pretty much from the clutch housing.....and from what the nrma guy said is that the engines gotta come out......




so ... sorry for the long story but for all the mechanical minded people out there....
any guesses what it could be.....im having a mechanic look at it in the next few days...


thanks for the time to read the long bloody post.....

cheers

Tait

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CLutch throwout bearing knackered , simple job to replace , it's on the inside of the clutch housing cover so when you take the cover off after undoing the engine mount and 8 or so bolts it's there . Have you got a manual ?

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got a manual......so i am guessing engine out job? ? ?

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No , disconnect the spring from the clutch slave cylinder so the rod can come out , undo the clutch side engine mount , jack the clutch side of the engine up slightly , undo the bolts around the front of the clutch cover including the $@$# one at the back that's hard to reach and lift the cover off . Undo the nuts on the end of the clutch throwout stop and pull the pin out of the clutch arm and remove the arm . The bearing and it's shaft will now slide out of the cover , take it to someone who has a press and fit a new bearing , then replace it the reverse of what I said above . It's fiddly but easy , just take your time with it .

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Careful how far you jack the motor up, even though more is better it seems, you can ruin the engine mount on the other side of the engine.

Once the $@$# bolt has been removed, throw the $@$# bolt over the fence onto neighbours roof. You can do without this one.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I was going to say that but thought I'd leave it for someone else , we've all been there ...

By the way Tait , next time it goes , don't bother trying to use the clutch to change the gears , you can change without too much trouble just by getting the revs right , let them drop a little on the up shifts and give the accelerator a blip on the downshift and it'll go in fairly easy , just go gently and feel it with the gear lever. Might make a few horrid noises the first few times but you'll get the hang of it soon enough . If it's completely seized you can start the mini in 1st gear and go from there , wouldn't reccomend doing it for long but it'll get you home . When I bought the sports850 it's clutch bearing seized at the first set of lights , 4:30 pm Friday afternoon in Baulkham hills and I had to get it to Goulburn , few crunches at first but was great at it by Liverpool

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so just get the revs right? ? will give it a go wen i go and get it......



well i gotta get taken to work now so i will be back on later tonight.....


thanks for all the suggestions... will try and get it home tonight......so i can try and get it all sorted out.....

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MY matic sounds having the same problem. When I try to accelerate beginning at the 35-40 miles mark, sounds some metal plates are grinding. Everytime accelerates above that mark, it starts to the sound of grind.

It also rocks when I am in D gear when stopped at traffic lights.

By the way, would it be easy to take the engine and gearbox out by myself if I follow a manual. I am a software engineer but not really a mechanical. But learnt more than ever now than I would have thought after I got this car.

Mechanics told me it would be about 1500-2000 dollars just to take them out and put it back.

Are there any good books to recommend?

cheers
Ben A.

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1964 Morris Mini 850 - G13b gti powered - classic yet practical
1968 Morris Minimatic - 1100cc - classic & breakable
Sun Certified Java Programmer v5 310-055

I had this problem after a rebuild by a mechanic I will not name for reasons about to be explained. I'd just got my 1275 back from a rebuild after someone who obviously thought I was a bit of a ning nong (understandable) poured sand down the oil filler cap (not so understandable).

I got the engine home and put it in my car, all ready to go. Primed it, got it running, gave it a quick "by feel" tune and all seemed well. Took off down the street and noticed it started being a bit funny on gear shifts. Then it stalled when I put my foot on the clutch.

Called the old man who was grascious enough to tow me home and pulled the clutch housing off, all seemed to be ok. After a bit of poking around I found that the Thrust Washer (?? The brass "C" washer that holds the primary gear in??) was missing. Presuming that the clutch had been set up wrong and it had fallen into the gearbox I started pulling the engine out.

Took it back to said mechaninc and started pulling it apart only to find no thrust washer in the sump or gearbox, or even an metal filings. Mr Mechanic had not put it in to begin with, and everytime I was putting my foot on the clutch it was pressing the crank about 5mm towards #1 piston.

This, of course, stuffed everything. Crank, bores rings, pistons, all sorts of crap. He rebuilt it and sourced fresh parts for no cost which was nice, but damn, if he had of just put in that bloody washer....

</rant>

So anyway, I hope it's just a bearing as I've gone through my fair share of those and it's no biggy. If it's not, my thoughts are with you and your Mini

Peace.

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

You're matic can't have the same problem, it doesn't have a throwout bearing!

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

I have a feeling it might be the thrust bearing and if it is just get a new clutch kit installed.

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DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT

When jacking the clutch housing up, watch the radiator doesn't hit the shroud on the body, particularly on a roundnose. Safest to remove the top rad bracket first.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

It's a clubby. The engine was running prior to going into Harvey69's car. This is the engine Mike_Byron donated and he, Doogie and Aaron installed onto Tait's gearbox from memory (or was it engine and gearbox?). Anyhow, that part of it one can assume was done right. The c washer etc will be there. It sounds like either the clutch bearing or clutch has failed subsequently - which happens.

I would discuss with Mike the history of the clutch if known, and consider if, by the time you go to all the trouble to change the bearing, should the clutch be changed or at least checked as well.
KB

from memory the clutch came from my other engine when we did the engine change (thanks boys !!!!)

so will have a go at replacing the clutch bearing and do the clutch while i am there anyway......

i have a mechanic coming over some time this week when i get the car home to investigate...

have been looking at a few clutch kits with minisport......
now i have a 998 and am nt sure what "pre Verto" means... ??


thanks for all the replies....

tait

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if i remember correctly, the clutch was tait's, it may well have been a new clutch plate, but i can't be 100% on that, it was a while ago. The throwout bearing wasn't replaced, so yes that is mre than likley it. You can attempt to fix this yourself Tait. Just have to keep your mind on the job. Get ur mum to help Throw out bearing will need to be pressed off and on, but u could use a puller. and getly tap it back on. You will soon know if it a lager issue as soon as you get the clutch cover off you will see if the throw out bearing is screwed. if not remove the diaphram and flywheel assembly and see if the idler has seized. (remember we did have issues finding a washer and c clip that had he correct cleareance) we did sort it in the end, so i very much doubt that to be the issue.

Cheers
Aaron

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