Hey the mechanic has just come and had a look at my clutch and adjusted it, the clutch has gone rock hard, he reckons the clutch is siezed up!

so my options are to either

a) Send it to a mechanic for fixing,
b) Replace with donor clutch, with the help of my brother,
c) remove clutch and fix it & replace with brothers help

Apparently it is a pain to remve and fix clutches (according to mechanic) if you are not sure of what to do, something about timing etc....

what is an good price to have a clutch fixed...

_________________
Even god told Noah to Ark it up!!
-----------------------------------------------
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
2005 VZ SV6 Commodore

Sounds like he's trying to jack the price up saying they're difficult to do , not sure of the time it takes as it's a while since I've done one but you do it without removing the motor . It's a matter of taking off the cover (jack that side of motor up when you unbolt the engine mount) , undo the three bolts holding the pressure plate , undo the big nut and remove flywheel then the clutch plate is looking at you . The flywheel can only go back on in one position because of the lock washers . It's definitely in the realms of semi amateur mechanic though , just look at a manual to be on the safe side though .
Not sure about the clutch being seized though , was it working before albeit without adjustment ? By rock hard do you mean the pedal has gone rock hard and won't push down ?

_________________

yeah i have read the manual and it doesnt seem that easy too me... lol

when i push the pedal down it does go down but near the end it wont go any further!!

what prices would i be looking at to get it fixed? any clues?

_________________
Even god told Noah to Ark it up!!
-----------------------------------------------
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
2005 VZ SV6 Commodore

Is the clutch fully dissengaged when you push the pedal as far as it wiil go ? Also , without pushing the clutch can you pull the clutch arm a mm or so off the little stop or is there pressure on it ?

_________________

Your mechanic should have already checked this ...... but, check to see if there is enough inwards movement on the thust bearing shaft. The big nut and it's locknut in the centre of the clutch housing may be wound in too far and not allowing full movement of the shaft. Just loosen them off a bit and see if that makes a difference.

_________________
Curly
'64 Cooper 'S' (Group Nb spec)
'67 Mini Marcos GT www.mm7056.wordpress.com

I agree with sports 850, the mechanic may not know mini clutch setups and is not sure.
It sounds like your slave cylinder has run out of travel.
easy to check, just take the dust boot off and look to see if the piston
is near the end of its travel. then get someone to put their foot on the clutch and see if it hits the circlip holding it in. if it does there's your problem. It is also very likely that the ball on the end of the clutch arm is bent (straight). Once again easy to check. just remove the pin for the slave cyl rod and the pivot pin (check for wear also) then remove. It should have a fair bend in it toward the engine. if not then its time for a newie, you can get them from many many palces.
BTW changing a clutch in the car is easy.

Let us know how you get on

_________________

the mechanic has adjusted the clutch properly... i just went to try and start it and it wont start again... lol damn thing... ill get back to ya when i can start it and see if it will go in yet...

but he reckons the clutch is siezed!! wat does this mean?

_________________
Even god told Noah to Ark it up!!
-----------------------------------------------
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
2005 VZ SV6 Commodore

I'm afraid it could mean several things , some of them being the mech's not interested in doing any more to it and wants you to take it elsewhere . Or it could be as Nav said the slave cylinder may be at the end of it's travel or something (extremely unlikely) could have got inside the housing and jammed between the pressure plate and flywheel , although this can happen you'd probably have a better chance of winning lotto than it happening , unless you've got a big hole in the clutch housing of course . All the bit's I've known to seize in the mini clutch system are either the master cylinder (you almost certainly won't be able to push the pedal) or the slave cylinder (still almost certainly won't be able to push the pedal) , if the pedals moving a fair way before stopping then something has run out of travel and not seized . Is anyone closer to Cootamundra or know's of someone good with mini's out there to have a look . It could well be a nice simple adjustment but could be pricey if the mech doesn't know mini's . Just don't rush off with an open wallet yet .

_________________

Dave....this mechanic isn't filling me with confidence based on what you have told us.

Stop and have a think....can Andy get Tim or someone up from Wagga

Can you talk to or go into Young and talk to Brian in the mower place who did his apprenticeship in the BMC dealer....he may just offer to have a look for you....can you trailer the car in to make it easy for him

There is a little engineering place just back from the mower place on the other side of the road....he has Minis but I don't know how much he knows!!

Get some more information out of your mech if possible....why does he think the clutch is jammed....throw-out bearing

If he dosen't know Minis it could cost you a bunch and it still won't be right.

edit: if Andy is confident, then have a go at pulling the clutch apart in the car....his call I suppose..

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

they dont just sieze. its an adjustment that someone has done wrong.
1st release the 2 big nuts right off, 2nd turn the adjusting 7/16th bolt in a long way (half way up the arm) now see if you get any movement on the arm when you push the peddle down.
If you dont then i would say either the pipe has collapsed and is acting like a valve and needs replacing from the master to slave (rubber pipe) or the slave has jammed on the end stop. or the pin underneath has jammed the master cylinder. I personally would check these before going gungho into a shop with a loaded wallet.
If you get movement then i would look at adjusting the clutch its really quite simple really its only 1 bolt and its in or out dont worry aboutht eh toer 2 big nuts till its all set up.

I have one question for you, have you put a new clutch on or why was you adjusting it in the first place?

_________________
www.minicranks.com add me to your watch list and come back again soon, under construction.

If you've ever lived in a hot and wet climate like far up NT way you will know that clutches do seize from time to time in only a few days of non-use.

I know thast it probably isn't the case here, the mechanic sounds a little off, but it does happen.
In which case you simply push the clutch in, put it in 4th and have a couple of mates rock the car back and forth till it lets go.

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

came from johannesburg south africa so yes have lived in a hot and wet climate.incase you were wondering.still have never seen it or heard of it not in a few days maybe a few months or even years the friction surface seperates and disentergrates but not in a few days.
I would say something is not set right if it was working before or the primary gear has siezed, and unless it was making noises before or has been changed i dont think that would happen either.

_________________
www.minicranks.com add me to your watch list and come back again soon, under construction.

Fellas....this car was paddock bashed for who knows how long by some young-uns....

the amount of dirt/pebbles/water marks/rust etc under the bonnet could mean that they drove it through a lot of mud and water as well.

Lots and lots of dents underneath.

Andy is fairly new to Minis so we may be giving him too much information. Because I put Andy onto the free car I have also sent some emails/PMs on the subject.

I think the best thing for Andy to do in this particular case (as I said above) is to bring in his brother (Bromley) and/or some of the Wagga Mini CC people to put him straight and get him over this little hump.....that way he will learn heaps and his wallet may be treated a bit kinder.

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

off that subject for a second... i have cleaned it all up, the interior, the engine bay and watever else i could do and it turns out the shell isnt really too bad, there is some rust that me and a mae are able to fix and i have all the electrics working properly (apart from the heater)...

this clutch problem isnt a really big thing, i honestly never thought i would get it going!

heres what solution i have come up with for the clutch
1) have a chat to the mechanic in town and see what his opinion is on why the clutch is siezed
2) maybe get in contact with brian to ask his opinion
3) give my brother a call "bromley" and get him to do some ringing around through his contacts (mini cc people)

i go back to work on the 30th in albury, so i won't be able to work on it there, but my plan is hopefully to get it moving by then, lol.... that way i can atleast work on getting the rust and shell fixed up!

Thanks for all your help guys, i really appreciate it, i have come so far from when i walked into the garage and seen it when i first got home!

cheers, mccabe998

p.s not to mention the knowledge you have all passed onto me already, i seem to be "talking mini" as my mates put it already lol...

_________________
Even god told Noah to Ark it up!!
-----------------------------------------------
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
1972 Mini Clubman 1100 cc
2005 VZ SV6 Commodore