10 replies to this topic

[benjwildeboer]

So I took the mini to Mini in the Park yesterday, which was by far the longest outing it's had in years, and it performed amazingly well until the last 5 miles or so of the journey, where the clutch started violently juddering when pulling off or slowing down.

When releasing it, it would start biting and then suddenly bite hard, as if your foot had slipped off the pedal. It would do the same when slowly releasing the pedal when going down through the gears asylum slowed down.

Can anybody think what it might be? I had a similar thing happen to my TF when I had it (although to be fair it was much worse in that) and it turned out that the clutch plate had completely disintegrated, I'm hoping it won't be the same for the Mini as I don't really have the cash or skill to sort it out at the mo

Real shame as other than that it did the whole 200 miles flawlessly, even averaging 46mpg! Well happy with that.

So yeah, any suggestions I will welcome with open arms!

Cheers
Ben

[mike.]

Do you have any idea how many miles the clutch has done?

[benjwildeboer]

Do you have any idea how many miles the clutch has done?

God knows to be honest...

The cars on 75k, but it was an auto originally, but I don't know when it was converted or weather the parts used were new or not!

[tiger99]

Sometines a little bit of oil, not enough to make them slip, makes them judder. That might suggest that whoever fitted the primary seal was not quite as careful as he should have been. But you can check easily enough, is there any oil dripping from the jiggle pin?

Also, try lubricating the clutch release plunger, and the lever pivots, and check all engine and subframe mounts and steadies before stripping it. Always, easy things first.

[benjwildeboer]

To be fair, it does drop quite a lot of oil which seems to be coming from around the gearbox/diff so I guess it could have got a bit in there? It seems to do it more when it's warm if that means anything?

[96minimig]

sounds like oil on the clutch which is probably affecting only a small proportion of the clutch plate. hence why its biting suddenly. The juddering may also be a worn pressure plate combined with worn engine mounts.

[mike.]

Theres a hole in the bottom of the transfer case that has a split pin through it. If theres oil dripping from that hole then oil is getting into the clutch where it shouldn't be.

Easiest thing to check.

[tiger99]

But, as I should probably have said, don't worrk about one tiny little drip from the jiggle pin, only if there are more than a few drips. All cars leak some slight amount of oil at their crankshaft seals, and mostly it drips out well clear of the clutch. Clean up the area and see where the oil is coming from, likely the gearchange rod seal, which will require a fairly inexpensive mod kit. Possibly also diff seals, which may need to be changed, but oil from down there will not get into the clutch.

The purpose of the jiggle pin is to rattle about as the car is driven and so help to keep the drain hole clear. Check that it does rattle about loosely, as if the hole has blocked up you will end up with the flywheel ring gear dipping in a small pool of oil and throwing it around inside the casing, which will be very bad for the clutch.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Check the rear brakes are not binding

[benjwildeboer]

Thanks chaps, I'll have a look at it at the weekend, the girlfriends currently using the car to get to and from work every day.

I'll report back my findings.

Cheers
Ben

[thebullet]

Give the clutch a good slip, to check no rubbish has got onto it. Works with my mums Bini. Hi revs and lots of slip and the judder is gone.