Clutch problem?
Clutch problem?
Author
Discussion

simman

Original Poster:

11 posts

304 months

Sunday 18th January 2004
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Got into the car after having left it parked for an hour and had trouble get into gear. The clutch pedal seemed to stay stuck to the floor. But after a moment eventually I got pressure back in the pedal and the clutch was okay on the way home.

I'm now VERY nervous about going anywhere. Does anyone have any ideas? Is the clutch likely to be on the way out or could it have just got 'stuck' temporarily?

trooper1212

9,457 posts

274 months

Sunday 18th January 2004
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Your clutch cylinder seals are on the way out. Mine finally gave up the ghost on Friday after a month of weird occurances like yours.

I made the decision to wait until it finally went before I fixed it, you might want to get it looked at sooner if you are worried about getting stranded anywhere.

kojak69

4,547 posts

275 months

Monday 19th January 2004
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If they are the seals in the master cylinder, then its not an expensive job.If its the slave, then its a lot more costly.

simman

Original Poster:

11 posts

304 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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Thanks for your replies.

Ok. If the fluid level for the clutch is good (and the correct colour!) could it be that something just 'became stuck' and is unlikely to occur again? Or is this VERY wishful thinking!! I really want to use the car this w/e!


...methinks if it is the clutch then this one thing too many in the last month that has gone wrong. It could be the end of 7 years of TVR ownership for me. So if anyone is in the market for a well looked after (with new clutch maybe!) W reg, 4.5 LW, silver cerbie, low mileage and awesome stereo/amp, then let me know!

satman

2,455 posts

268 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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It is possible that the fingers that operate on the pressure plate somehow became 'locked' in? My understanding is that the trust bearing is pushed/pulled onto these fingers within the centre of the pressure plate, thus releasing pressure to the clutch plate and allowing dis-engagement of the gearbox drive. Just a thought......

trooper1212

9,457 posts

274 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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I've just been in touch with Topcats who are sorting my clutch problem at the moment and it looks like my master cylinder itself is the problem. Like you, I still have fluid in the cylinder.
So it may not be the seals after all?

joospeed

4,473 posts

300 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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you sure it didn't just get fast under the carpet .. you've no idea how many clutch faults are down to this!!

andy4200

5,103 posts

295 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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Too true

I had my slave cylinder fail and fixed but it always felt a bit funny with a tight spot about half way thru the pedal travel. I was always worried that it was going to go again.
When I was down at Joospeed getting a couple of things done Jools pulled out the floormat and problem was solved. The pedal was catching on the carpet.
I guess it shows that, apart from how little my car gets cleaned, that not everything is as bad as it seems. Try the easy stuff first.

Andy

gbbird

5,193 posts

266 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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Trooper1212

i think i saw your Cerb at Topcats today, with work in progress. Mine is in for a service and general health check. Please say hello to my yellow beast when you are there

GCerbera

5,161 posts

273 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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simman said:
So if anyone is in the market for a well looked after (with new clutch maybe!) W reg, 4.5 LW, silver cerbie, low mileage and awesome stereo/amp, then let me know!
Is that your car in the ads already? No hanging about there then!

Can you tell me more about your Stereo / possible Sat Nav?


I also notice Buster's old 4.5 is already being sold by the new owner?

simman

Original Poster:

11 posts

304 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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Not mine afraid! Don't get me wrong - I really don't want to sell - luv the car to bits, but just can't stand having to get the train when it breaks down!

Joospeed: I'm sure that when the clutch was initially down to the floor it wouldn't go into gear. When I eventually got pressure back all was ok. Any ideas?

JMH99

169 posts

268 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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Although not in my Cerb, I had the same thing in my wifes car last summer. Arrived at a junction, clutch pedal to the floor to change gear and it stayed there. After some scratching of the head managed to start the car on the ignition with second gear engaged. Then by pumping the pedal managed to get back some pressure to change gear and drive the 150 miles home. The garage change both slave and master cylinders, I was surprised that both needed replacing but as the car was still under warranty, I didn't complain. It is possible for seals to go, whereby you loose hydraulic pressure on the pedal but with no visible leaks, so the fluid level can still look OK.

Tatlow

187 posts

268 months

Tuesday 20th January 2004
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gbbird said:
Trooper1212

i think i saw your Cerb at Topcats today, with work in progress. Mine is in for a service and general health check. Please say hello to my yellow beast when you are there


Gbbird & Trooper 1212,

I was at Topcats today admiring your Cerbs - a particularly fetching red 4.2 with a marvellous paint job and a stunning yellow 4.5 that was looking very fine indeed. Looks like I'm in good company there!

Jes.

GCerbera

5,161 posts

273 months

Wednesday 21st January 2004
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Tatlow said:
Gbbird & Trooper 1212,

I was at Topcats today admiring your Cerbs - a particularly fetching red 4.2 with a marvellous paint job and a stunning yellow 4.5 that was looking very fine indeed. Looks like I'm in good company there!

Jes.

TopCats did excellent work on my car to bring it back to peak performance.


Top people too.

gbbird

5,193 posts

266 months

Wednesday 21st January 2004
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Tatlow said:

gbbird said:
Trooper1212

i think i saw your Cerb at Topcats today, with work in progress. Mine is in for a service and general health check. Please say hello to my yellow beast when you are there



Gbbird & Trooper 1212,

I was at Topcats today admiring your Cerbs - a particularly fetching red 4.2 with a marvellous paint job and a stunning yellow 4.5 that was looking very fine indeed. Looks like I'm in good company there!

Jes.

let me know when you guys are picking your motors up. Hopefully i will be getting mine back middle of next week, but depends on some finicky work required on the boot latch. I am trying to arrange a ride to get there (TC said they would pick me up if i was in dire straits). Any chance of a lift?

My first time to Topcats, and apart from getting lost in the nether regions of that massive airstrip and Warren having to come and find me, the whole team were great, and gave me a good look around the place

trooper1212

9,457 posts

274 months

Wednesday 21st January 2004
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I'm hoping my car will be ready by Friday, but I'm guessing it will probably be next Friday by the time it's all sorted out.

I'll then get a trip in the RAC van and swap my non-working golf for my working Cerb

If your desperate, then you can probably jump in the RAC van with me!

gbbird

5,193 posts

266 months

Wednesday 21st January 2004
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trooper1212 said:
I'm hoping my car will be ready by Friday, but I'm guessing it will probably be next Friday by the time it's all sorted out.

I'll then get a trip in the RAC van and swap my non-working golf for my working Cerb

If your desperate, then you can probably jump in the RAC van with me!


Let me know how it goes. If it is next Friday you go then i may well take you up on the offer - we could have a fun drive back to LB

Tatlow

187 posts

268 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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I'm supposed to be picking mine up tonight (Thursday) because I'm wellying it down to Devon tomorrow with a mate of mine who's in a Porker. Hopefully Warren has managed to get it through the MOT!

Good luck with your cars, by the way!

trooper1212

9,457 posts

274 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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Just had some news about my Cerb.

Waiting on the master cylinder turning up still, so hopefully it will come today and I can pick up the Cerb tomorrow.

My valve spring was interesting though, one broken valve spring was the diagnosis, the reality was 15 broken valve springs! The one that was ok had been replaced already at some time.
The new valve springs sent by TVR are a different type to the ones taken off the car, so we are guessing that there was a problem with the old type. All my springs had a broken inner spring, which had scored the valve seals.
A set of the new type springs and a set of seals later and all should be well, i'm also slightly hopefull that this will be the cause of my puffs of white smoke at high revs, rather than worn piston rings, but we'll have to experiment a bit to see

Traditionally valve spring replacement is a full engine out job, but Brian at Topcats managed to fashion a tool to enable it to be done in situ (much cheaper!) I don't know if i'd recommend stripping the engine down to look at the springs if nothing else is wrong, but if you have an early Cerb and your doing some work in that area, then it's probably worth checking out the valve springs to see if they are also broken and need replacing.

crazycats

700 posts

271 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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trooper1212 said:

I don't know if i'd recommend stripping the engine down to look at the springs if nothing else is wrong, but if you have an early Cerb and your doing some work in that area, then it's probably worth checking out the valve springs to see if they are also broken and need replacing.


Just so happens I'm doing my valve clearances at the moment, and gladly all mine are OK, good call though Neil, hope you get the car back soon and all is good!!