18 replies to this topic

[ibzy]

Hi All,

Was glad to find a forum specific to classic Minis and related problems. Hopefully I will be spending more time around here now I know it exists.

Model:Mini City E
Year:1982 (Engine: 1987)
Description of problem:
Took my car for MOT a few months back and the tester mentioned the clutch was slipping. I hadn't noticed it myself, but agreed to get it checked. Recently I have noticed a big problem with my clutch so have just been and bought a new one. I went to a local place called Min-its in Hockley Heath, spoke tot he guy there and explained some details about the engine such as year, short/long arm (mine has the short), stage 1 kit etc. and he came back with what looked like a standard clutch set and thought nothing of it.

Coming to fit the clutch today, after taking the casing off I was shocked to see a completely different clutch (attached). I have followed standard steps for removing the clutch and flywheel but to no avail. We have even resorted to taking off the alternator and smacking the flywheel from that side - nothing moves.

This brings me to having 3 questions:
1) What clutch do I have? My dad changed countless Austin clutches in hit youth and has never seen one of these on a Mini.
2) Is there a specific way of getting this off besides a clutch puller (I have no immediate access to one)?
3) Would a normal clutch fit?

Thanks

Edit: Sorry, forgot to mention: Standard 998cc engine, no mods besides the stage 1 kit (that I'm aware of).

Attached Files

•  P1615_08_08_10.JPG   1.11MB   57 downloads

Edited by ibzy, 08 August 2010 - 04:05 PM.

[rawky]

What you have in there is a VERTO clutch, which differs from the previous PRE-VERTO clutches in several ways, such as the lack of a diaphragm amongst other things.

If you said you had a short arm (VERTO) then you should have been given a verto clutch replacement obviously, but maybe he's made a mistake? (unlikely)
Have you a photo of the kit you have just bought? It may just not include the part you're seeing there, and the mini guy is expecting you to re-use it which is not unknown.

To your other question, I don't know of any other way to remove the clutch except with a puller. Halfords sold me a good one if you have a local shop..

Edited by rawky, 08 August 2010 - 04:32 PM.

[Cooperman]

That is a standard Verto clutch. You will not get the flywheel assembly off without a good quality puller, and even then it an be a struggle if the flywheel has 'cold-welded' itself to the crank (as it has on a 1997 MPI I'm working on at present - another story in itself!).
Once the flywheel is off, you can change the centre plate and would probably be best advised to replace the crankshaft oil seal (the 'red' seal) whilst the clutch and flywheel are off.
To work the usual pullers you will need a 15/16" socket and a long breaker bar plus a flywheel locking tool. When pulling the flywheel make sure the crank is mid-way between TDC and BDC on all cylinders to prevent the 'C-washer' from dropping down and jamming the whole thing up.

[ibzy]

What you have in there is a VERTO clutch, which differs from the previous PRE-VERTO clutches in several ways, such as the lack of a diaphragm amongst other things.

If you said you had a short arm (VERTO) then you should have been given a verto clutch replacement obviously, but maybe he's made a mistake? (unlikely)
Have you a photo of the kit you have just bought? It may just not include the part you're seeing there, and the mini guy is expecting you to re-use it which is not unknown.

To your other question, I don't know of any other way to remove the clutch except with a puller. Halfords sold me a good one if you have a local shop..

Hi Rawky,

I went with a friend of mine who has dealt with a few Mini rebuilds, and he did say it was pre-verto. I just took his word for it.

Attached is the kit I was sold, I can just go back and swap it though.

I will buy a puller tomorrow as Halfords is closed by now, hopefully I can get it sorted tomorrow too.

Thanks for your help

Attached Files

•  P1744_01__08_08_10.JPG   1019.21K   19 downloads
•  P1744_08_08_10.JPG   971.75K   18 downloads

[rawky]

Yes you've bought a pre-verto clutch kit there!

As a general rule, short arm = verto clutch.

Hope you get it sorted, just make sure you get the puller on evenly and dont pull the flywheel at an angle!

[ibzy]

I'm officially going to *******-slap that kid!

Off to swap the clutch tomorrow then, and buy some engine mounts and a front steady bar bracket (a few things I noticed when taking the cover off) and a slave cylinder which decided to leak when I took it off.

Thanks for the tips Cooperman, will be sure to keep them in mind. Hopefully I wont kill myself in the process!

Thanks guys

[mini danny]

dont go in there f'ing and blinding everyone makes mistakes

EDIT : how much was the clutch think im gonna need one myself soon

Edited by mini danny, 08 August 2010 - 05:11 PM.

[ibzy]

Was referring to my mate, not the guy in the shop haha.

Was about £43 with the VAT and another £2.50 for the oil seal.

[mini danny]

Was referring to my mate, not the guy in the shop haha.

Was about £43 with the VAT and another £2.50 for the oil seal.

ohhh kk lol and thats good from halfords its 120 and i work there and thats the cheapest halfords can get it :s and do you need a special tool to do it been told you do :S

[ibzy]

£120? You sure its the right thing? The kit I got was literally whats pictured above, no casings or anything. You tend to need a clutch puller, Halfords sell them for £18.99 on their website, so I'm sure you can get one from there, but on my old engine we just knocked the flywheel out from the side the alternator fits in.

[Cooperman]

It's very unlikely that you'll get the flywheel/clutch off without a good flywheel puller. If you can knock it off with a hammer, then it wasn't properly fitted in the first place. If you hammer it through the starter motor hole don't hit the aluminium casing. I've seen so many with great lumps out of them finish up as scrap. The puller is the only correct way to do the job together with a flywheel loation tool. All those are available from Mini Spares on mail order at sensible prices and are the right tools for the job.

[danrock101]

I managed to get a verto flywheel off with the flywheel puller from halfords, I put a bar through to stop it turning help on to this and then got a breaker bar and just use brute force and it came off, shot off and hit my dad 'who was holding the block' right in the shin lmao got oil on his new trainers too as it landed on his foot after

[ibzy]

I got it off!
Bought a flywheel puller the same time as swapping my clutch. 2 hours and ringing ears later, it was off.

I have now managed to take allt eh clutch assembly apart, clean the cover etc and put the new one in. Unfortunately, now when we put the whole thing back together and attached the slave cylinder the clutch pedal is rock solid!

Has anyone got any ideas why this could be?

Thanks

[olds_kool_lews]

is the flexi pipe to the slave cylinder twisted or kinked? (might even be blocked if theres muck in the fluid) if it is twisted, untwist it, that will be blocking the flow of fluid to the slave cylinder, refit without the twist, and it will work

Edited by olds_kool_lews, 10 August 2010 - 08:08 AM.

[ibzy]

The pipe has been checked for kinks before refitting the bracket. It seems more like an issue with the clutch arm as it appears to be all the way out. I will try fitting the new slave cylinder tonight and see how it goes then.

Thanks