1978 MGB noisy clutch release bearing

1978 MGB noisy clutch release bearing

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ATE399J

Original Poster:

729 posts

236 months

Monday 10th November 2014
quotequote all
All,

About 6 months ago the clutch died and l had it replaced, the garage that did the work said that although the clutch was warn the release bearing was in a terrible state which was why it had been making so much noise ( to be honest l hadn't noticed paperbag ).

Now, six months down the line and l can definitely hear the bearing ( noise in neutral, clutch down and noise stops). So, my question is:- is there some sort of adjustment that would solve this problem? Has the car got something wrong in the actuation mechanism (wrong slave push rod or something)? The garage didn't say they found anything wrong - but they probably weren't looking.

Ideas?

P.

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Monday 10th November 2014
quotequote all
ATE399J said:
All,

About 6 months ago the clutch died and l had it replaced, the garage that did the work said that although the clutch was warn the release bearing was in a terrible state which was why it had been making so much noise ( to be honest l hadn't noticed paperbag ).

Now, six months down the line and l can definitely hear the bearing ( noise in neutral, clutch down and noise stops). So, my question is:- is there some sort of adjustment that would solve this problem? Has the car got something wrong in the actuation mechanism (wrong slave push rod or something)? The garage didn't say they found anything wrong - but they probably weren't looking.

Ideas?

P.
Did they offer to replace it whilst it was all apart?

If not, it is my opinion that they should have. (It is easy for me to say that on the interweb wink )

If you said you'd wait until it broke it is going to be an expensive repair to a few quid's worth of bearing

frown

If it is the carbon type the noise you are suffering now is likely to be the cast iron carrier rubbing against the clutch after all the carbon has wafted away with the usual clutch dust


ATE399J

Original Poster:

729 posts

236 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
perdu said:
ATE399J said:
All,

About 6 months ago the clutch died and l had it replaced, the garage that did the work said that although the clutch was warn the release bearing was in a terrible state which was why it had been making so much noise ( to be honest l hadn't noticed paperbag ).

Now, six months down the line and l can definitely hear the bearing ( noise in neutral, clutch down and noise stops). So, my question is:- is there some sort of adjustment that would solve this problem? Has the car got something wrong in the actuation mechanism (wrong slave push rod or something)? The garage didn't say they found anything wrong - but they probably weren't looking.

Ideas?

P.
Did they offer to replace it whilst it was all apart?

If not, it is my opinion that they should have. (It is easy for me to say that on the interweb wink )

If you said you'd wait until it broke it is going to be an expensive repair to a few quid's worth of bearing

frown

If it is the carbon type the noise you are suffering now is likely to be the cast iron carrier rubbing against the clutch after all the carbon has wafted away with the usual clutch dust
It was replaced when they did the clutch so it's done less than 5000 miles.

NBTBRV8

2,061 posts

207 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
ATE399J said:
All,

About 6 months ago the clutch died and l had it replaced, the garage that did the work said that although the clutch was warn the release bearing was in a terrible state which was why it had been making so much noise ( to be honest l hadn't noticed paperbag ).

Now, six months down the line and l can definitely hear the bearing ( noise in neutral, clutch down and noise stops). So, my question is:- is there some sort of adjustment that would solve this problem? Has the car got something wrong in the actuation mechanism (wrong slave push rod or something)? The garage didn't say they found anything wrong - but they probably weren't looking.

Ideas?

P.
What you are hearing is the front bearing in the gearbox, not the throw out bearing. If they used an original style throw out bearing it is actually a carbon slip pad, not a bearing. Overtime the carbon slip pad wears (like a brake pad) and eventually wears metal-metal on the pressure plate.

The only way to fix it is to remove the motor and gearbox again and pull the gearbox down. It will go on for ages yet before it fully fails.

kev b

2,708 posts

165 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
I wonder if they let the gearbox hang on the input shaft when the box was being refitted?

nta16

7,898 posts

233 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
I could well be wrong but the first thing that comes to my mind is piss poor quality of new parts perhaps combined with poor or not best practice by the driver of operating the clutch

have a look at this for more detail - How to Not Destroy Your Clutch the Easy Way - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d173K60GSU8&li...

also you do not dip the clutch or lift off the accelerator pedal when engaging or disengaging the overdrive, it needs load to operate properly

ATE399J

Original Poster:

729 posts

236 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
nta16 said:
I could well be wrong but the first thing that comes to my mind is piss poor quality of new parts perhaps combined with poor or not best practice by the driver of operating the clutch

have a look at this for more detail - How to Not Destroy Your Clutch the Easy Way - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d173K60GSU8&li...

also you do not dip the clutch or lift off the accelerator pedal when engaging or disengaging the overdrive, it needs load to operate properly
I have been driving since 1978 and this is only the second time that l've had a clutch wear out. I am used to overdrives - don't dip the clutch, just flick the switch.

I would certainly hope the garage that did the work didn't leave the engine "hanging" on the input shaft and they charged me for a new bearing (l did know that it's a carbon slip ring sort of set up rather than a classic bearing and have heard that fitting one of these as an "up grade" isn't necessarily a good plan) so l guess they fitted one.

I'll just see how it goes for the next couple of months, if it gets louder l suppose l can always turn the radio up.

nta16

7,898 posts

233 months

Wednesday 12th November 2014
quotequote all
sorry the comments were made as general, I wasn't trying to besmirch your manhood wink

it's still worth looking at that video for background info

ATE399J

Original Poster:

729 posts

236 months

Wednesday 12th November 2014
quotequote all
nta16 said:
sorry the comments were made as general, I wasn't trying to besmirch your manhood wink

it's still worth looking at that video for background info
I keep my "manhood" in check at all times!!
I just have some suspicions about the way it was assembled before l got it. Wrong length clutch actuation rods etc. wrong gearbox even, l have even heard of engines being rebuilt with the wrong crankshaft!!
I will look at the video smile

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Saturday 15th November 2014
quotequote all
Sorry to add possibly unnecessary bad news to your grief but several times lately I've heard of replacement carbon thrusts simply wearing down to the iron carrier body in less miles than your has done. Many folks on the MGE Midget and Sprite boards have been advising using old and even reusing older carbons instead of low grade modern replacements.

Ask around on http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk Midget and Sprite general

I hope that link works, I'm not very good at the technical computer stuff but I'm a bit better with cars


Expatloon

215 posts

156 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2014
quotequote all
NBTBRV8 said:
What you are hearing is the front bearing in the gearbox, not the throw out bearing..................The only way to fix it is to remove the motor and gearbox again and pull the gearbox down. It will go on for ages yet before it fully fails.
100% on the money, it's nothing whatsoever to do with the clutch.

Clutch up gearbox input shaft is rotating = noise,clutch down it isn't = no noise.

Usually it gets a bit louder as the gearbox warms up and the oil thins.

Drive it and forget about it, it will go on for years and if it does get worse nothing dramatic will happen it will just get a bit louder.

The bearing is only about £15 but it's a complete gearbox strip to fit it and if you can't do it yourself you'll need a recon box then anyway.

MoggieMinor

457 posts

144 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
quotequote all
Yes that will be the front bearing in the gearbox making the noise. It will go on for years like that. The B gearbox is a tough old thing. Just keep an eye on the oil level.

ATE399J

Original Poster:

729 posts

236 months

Monday 5th January 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice guys, l'll assume it's the input bearing and turn the radio up!!