Just wondering if anyone can help

My clutch works fine driving for about 100 metres and then it starts dragging and i cant change gear without grinding. I have bled the system but that didnt seen to help. Am guessing its a slave or master cylinder problem but dont understand why it works fine for a while, stops working, and then starts working properly again?

You might need to clarify this somewhat, do you mean you press the pedal down and it slowly engages itself, or do you mean it makes noise and stalls the engine, or does it simply slip?

Give us a description and we can probably help a bit more accurately.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Hi thanks for the reply

Kinda hard to explain. I can pump the pedal about ten times and it feels fine and there is good pressure and then pump again on the clutch and it goes straight to the floor with not much effort and the slave cylinder rod does not move at all.

Does this make more sense?

you've hit the nail on the head.... master cylinder or slave cylinder seals are stuffed... put your hand up under the dash above the clutch pedal and see if you find some fluid

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Ive looked under the dash and there doesnt seem to be any leakage.

If it is the slave cylinder do I need to buy a whole new cylinder or can I overhaul the old one?

For the $50 odd it'll cost you, you may aswell fit a new one

Clutch MC seal kit is around $10, not $50. Worth kitting one unless it's an old MC that has stood for years.

A NEW MC will cost you $110+.

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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.

Cheers

Thanks for all the advice.

Still having problems with clutch hydraulics.

I took off the slave cylinder and it was full of gunk. I cleaned it out and replaced the dust boot and cup (cup was avery firm fit). I replaced the hose and checked the master cylinder which seems to have good pressure and there is no leakage. I then bled the system using a one man brake bleed kit and pumped the pedal until there were no more bubbles coming through and making sure the master cylider was topped up.

The clutch feels slightly better but after say about ten pumps the clutch feels good but then all of a sudden will go to the floor with little effort and require a few pumps to get it working properly again. Also if i depress the clutch vary slowly the clutch slave rod does not move at all.

not sure what to do know. Am I not bleeding it poperly? Is there air in the system? Do i need to overhaul the MC aswell?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

You haven't rebuilt the master cylinder yet have you?

The problem still remains with the master cylinder then.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

It sounds like the master cylinder.
If you have gotten a heap of gunk out of the slave then the master will also be full of gunk.

I have taken apart the MC and cleaned out the gunk but I didnt renew any of the rubber parts. It seemed to work fine when i tested it

It'll do that, but you're not playing about with a small amount of hydraulic pressure here. There is a lot of work being performed by those crappy little seals.

At the cost of a seal kit(10 to 15 dollars), it might have paid off to throw one in simply because you allready have it open regardless of what you may think the condition is. If there is any7 major scoring of the cylinder while you are there then look at getting it reco'd. It's a real shame you had it open allready...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Cheers for all the help

I think i will replace the MC rubber seals then and see how that goes.
Would the fact that when i push the clutch in slowly it doesnt work mean that the MC seals arent working properly?

Are there any good online shops that sell seal kits?

It's leaking back past the top seal in the M/C. The direction the seal is facing is important. Make sure you get this right.

You can ring any of the mini spares companies accross Oz, you probably wouldn't get the parts by the weekend though. You had best just call the brake joints around WA, or the mini specialists local to Perth. They will ask you first what diameter the bore in the mastercylinder. You must measure this or bring it in for them to do so. It will be either 0.70 inch or 0.75 inch. Very important point to do before you can get the kit.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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