New Clutch fitted with slight problems -quick help needed

[MackemPete]

My mechanic friend has just fitted the new AP clutch and slave to the cerb however he's having a few problems. Everything is fitted and bled, clutch pedal feels good however when you put your foot on the clutch it doesn't clear enough to engage the gears. You can select a gear with the engine off then start the car and lift up the clutch and drive off but with the car running you cant depress the clutch and select a gear.

Does anyone have any ideas? If my mate can get this sorted this afternoon I can get my car back for tonight

[ridds]

Still air in the system? Not allowing the clutch to disengage due to the compressibilty of the air?

Wrong Clutch? Did he check they were the same when changing? Release fingers the same height?

Maybe one of the plates is stuck to the clutch?

Crude but put it in gear with your foot on teh clutch and try to start. Make sure it's well clear of anything though. If it is a sticky plate that will free it. Pretty unlikely problem though.

[MackemPete]

ridds said:

Still air in the system? Not allowing the clutch to disengage due to the compressibilty of the air?

Wrong Clutch? Did he check they were the same when changing? Release fingers the same height?

Maybe one of the plates is stuck to the clutch?

Crude but put it in gear with your foot on teh clutch and try to start. Make sure it's well clear of anything though. If it is a sticky plate that will free it. Pretty unlikely problem though.

I thought all the clutches were the same? I bought it from TVR power and they only asked for the year and model when they supplied it.

I'll give him a ring with your other suggestions though. Cheers for the quick answers mate.

[Steve_T]

Is the slave lined up the right way? - holes vertical iirc

[MackemPete]

Steve_T said:

Is the slave lined up the right way? - holes vertical iirc

He's gonna have a look now. I gave him madmarks guide which i'm pretty sure shows which way to line up the slave cylinder.

[Mad Mark]

I'm not sure it does say the correct way up for the slave or not.
But as has been said above the holes should be one up one down, to allow the air to bleed up and out of the system.

Most other things have been suggested above. Also worth checking the little plastic 'cup' the gear selector locates to. (see the guide for a better explanation)
If this has dropped out of position then it may cause problems selection gears.

[ridds]

Has he changed the slave? Surely that would still be in teh same place unless you asked him to change the seals etc?

[MackemPete]

ridds said:

Has he changed the slave? Surely that would still be in teh same place unless you asked him to change the seals etc?

Yeah new slave and seals fitted.

[MackemPete]

Mad Mark said:

I'm not sure it does say the correct way up for the slave or not.
But as has been said above the holes should be one up one down, to allow the air to bleed up and out of the system.

Most other things have been suggested above. Also worth checking the little plastic 'cup' the gear selector locates to. (see the guide for a better explanation)
If this has dropped out of position then it may cause problems selection gears.

Would this be all the time? As he can get gears with the engine off its only when the engines running?

[sonnylad]

Possibly a silly one but did the car originally have an old style clutch fitted prior to the new one supplied by Power.

Russ

[kojak]

sonnylad said:

Possibly a silly one but did the car originally have an old style clutch fitted prior to the new one supplied by Power.

Russ

Flywheel and bellhousing modification. Is this what you are referring to?

[SI-PEN]

MackemPete said:

I thought all the clutches were the same? I bought it from TVR power and they only asked for the year and model when they supplied it.

Take it from me, all the clutches are NOT the same.

I've just completed a clutch and slave cylinder replacement and the new standard 4.5 would not work in my car. I have one of a very rare few that has different thinkness of plate. Thank god I got a Raceproved clutch pack from TCS, otherwise I'd still be stuck with a car in bits!

[SI-PEN]

I've just looked at your profile and see your car is a 1998 4.5, just like mine! Oops...you might like to email me, if I can help then I'll try.

[edhorne]

There are differences between the bellhousings, clutch assemblies and slave cylinders. One of the cylinders is longer than the other. Also the sleeves in the bellhousings are different lengths.

See here for pictures.

Hope that helps.

Ed

[kojak]

edhorne said:

There are differences between the bellhousings, clutch assemblies and slave cylinders. One of the cylinders is longer than the other. Also the sleeves in the bellhousings are different lengths.

See here for pictures.

Hope that helps.

Ed

As I said on the thread at the time....very good post Ed.

[Cyclone1]

Wasn't it just the early 4.2's that had the older type clutch? When these needed replacing they had to have the bellhousing at the same time (4.5 style).

The car in question here is a 1998 4.5 so the bellhousing shouldn't be an issue.

[southendpier]

MackemPete said:

My mechanic friend has just fitted the new AP clutch and slave to the cerb however he's having a few problems. Everything is fitted and bled, clutch pedal feels good however when you put your foot on the clutch it doesn't clear enough to engage the gears. You can select a gear with the engine off then start the car and lift up the clutch and drive off but with the car running you cant depress the clutch and select a gear.

Does anyone have any ideas? If my mate can get this sorted this afternoon I can get my car back for tonight

mine did the when the friction material sheared off one of the plates of a fairly new clutch, was fine to move about with engine off - engine running was a nono.

[MackemPete]

edhorne said:

There are differences between the bellhousings, clutch assemblies and slave cylinders. One of the cylinders is longer than the other. Also the sleeves in the bellhousings are different lengths.

See here for pictures.

Hope that helps.

Ed

They've compared the new clutch with the old and they are identical. I dont know if they have compared the slave cylinders. If its a shorter newer cylinder will this prevent it from clearing the gears?

[QuiteQuietCerb]

I have had exactly the same problem with the difference that it occured in Greece, ordered a new clutch from TVR power but when fitted i got exactly the same symptoms as you, according to TVR power i have a later bellhousing with an old style clutch even though my cerb is a 98 model. My mechanic in Greece managed to recondition my old clutch, so i will be contacting tvr power to see whether they will take their clutch back, please keep me posted if you find out what the problem is. TVR power told me that they need to modify the flywhell in order for the new clutch to fit.

[MackemPete]

QuiteQuietCerb said:

I have had exactly the same problem with the difference that it occured in Greece, ordered a new clutch from TVR power but when fitted i got exactly the same symptoms as you, according to TVR power i have a later bellhousing with an old style clutch even though my cerb is a 98 model. My mechanic in Greece managed to recondition my old clutch, so i will be contacting tvr power to see whether they will take their clutch back, please keep me posted if you find out what the problem is. TVR power told me that they need to modify the flywhell in order for the new clutch to fit.

I've just spoke to TVR power they say that if the clutches are the same then its because the new slave cylinder is 5mm longer than the old and I need to take it to a machine shop to get 5 mm taken off. I'll keep you posted on the outcome.