Recent AP clutch issue?
Discussion
Not sure if cross posting to FB is allowed, so, in summary, three TVR owners so far have reported an issue with AP clutch changes in the last few weeks. The new clutch bites initially after a couple of centimetres when releasing the pedal, enough to get the car moving in 1st or reverse on level ground, but not enough to move on any sort of hill or in a higher gear. Full bite is towards the top of the travel, as normal. On the move you don't notice anything unusual. So the 'fault' is the early engagement from stationery in my case. We have all now done several hundred miles with the new clutchs and the problem is still there. Two Tuscans and one Cerb so far.
So if you have very recently had your clutch changed, please let us know your experiences, positive and negative, to help establish how widespread the problem is.
From a previous change,I know this wasn't a problem a couple of years ago.
So if you have very recently had your clutch changed, please let us know your experiences, positive and negative, to help establish how widespread the problem is.
From a previous change,I know this wasn't a problem a couple of years ago.
As i recall from a conversation with helix at goodwood revival last september,the issue with the sp6 clutch has been resolved.Apparently it was down to a batch with slightly thicker plates? I don't know if this is a similar case with ap but its worth investigating.Sounds like a clutch removal is on the cards!
Alan_D350 said:
You've just described the operation of our AP clutch, but it's ~5 years old (I'd need to check)...
I have to say even driving it for a short time in traffic it is driving me nuts... very difficult to control with an initial set off and then a secondary engagement, how have you coped for 5 years?!env said:
Alan_D350 said:
You've just described the operation of our AP clutch, but it's ~5 years old (I'd need to check)...
I have to say even driving it for a short time in traffic it is driving me nuts... very difficult to control with an initial set off and then a secondary engagement, how have you coped for 5 years?!I always assumed it felt like that because it was worn, but it's not changed in the 6k miles we've done and it's certainly interesting to hear someone else describe this behaviour on a brand new one and consider it to be faulty - what are they normally like??
andypg said:
As i recall from a conversation with helix at goodwood revival last september,the issue with the sp6 clutch has been resolved.Apparently it was down to a batch with slightly thicker plates? I don't know if this is a similar case with ap but its worth investigating.Sounds like a clutch removal is on the cards!
Mine was bought and fitted around the time of the thicker plates issues, causing troubles with the clutch not disengaging. I brought this up with my indy as he was having issues fitting mine (it went in and out about 5 times), but whilst apart the plate thickness was checked and was the same as an AP and only slightly thicker than the 50K miles one that cames out.My slave went, as it was a 50K car I took the opportunity to replace all and went helix. Fingers had a badly worn groove around them so it was only a matter of time.
My issues were down to a strange clutch arrangement, not seen in other cars of that era. Obviously my early bellhousing had to be modified, that was known about, but there was other issues with clearance. It was easier to machine the parts a little at a time and check, rather than replace everything.
Driving it I have to say it's very good. I had my knee rebuilt and the old clutch always let me know I'd been driving the next day. This clutch is significantly lighter and causes me no issues, even after driving all day, or days on foreign trips.
andypg said:
As i recall from a conversation with helix at goodwood revival last september,the issue with the sp6 clutch has been resolved.Apparently it was down to a batch with slightly thicker plates? I don't know if this is a similar case with ap but its worth investigating.Sounds like a clutch removal is on the cards!
Had the Helix issue when I changed the clutch on a friends Tuscan, turned a straight forward job into a complete bar steward and drove me nuts. TVR parts most definitely did not cover themselves in glory with that particular charade - there are some pretty damning previous threads on it....Alan_D350 said:
there's that initial very minor engagement, almost at the bottom of the pedal (just enough to move the car on flat ground as someone said), then nothing, nothing, nothing... and a fairly on/off engagement nearer the top
This is a good description which I've tried to explain to others before and I get the impression they think I'm mental.I also get quite a lot of noise from mine when it's engaging (i.e. lifting the pedal), sort of "non-smooth" clonks which I can feel through the pedal as well.
Funnily enough mine just started working as I'd expect with the initial drag gone yesterday, but its taken 500 miles to 'bed in'.
I wasn't going to say anything for a few weeks in case it comes back, but my advice now would be to give it 500 miles to sort itself out before asking for the clutch to be changed again.
I wasn't going to say anything for a few weeks in case it comes back, but my advice now would be to give it 500 miles to sort itself out before asking for the clutch to be changed again.
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