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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Pumping of clutch required when starting

The BBS kindly provided me with help the other month when I lost pressure on my clutch (Mk 2 Sprite). It transpired that it was the slave cylinder and I duly replaced it and all seemed fine. I am not using the car that much but I found the other day that I couldn't engage gears without first pumping the clutch for a short while. Fluid levels are fine and show no signs of any leakage. Is there something amiss that I need to rectify?
TJ Prime

Guessing it needs bleeding........
RS Hughes

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Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Yes... sounds like air still in the system

For some dumb reason, is it just me, but if I replace the slave then 10 days later the master decideds to pack it in...does that just happen to me? Or does that happen to everyone
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Do you mean your double clutching ?

If your a skilled driver, it is possiable to shift gears without the use of a clutch, but screw it up, and it will take an hour to pick up all the peices of your tranny off the road way

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Even with a newish slave it's possible the piston seal is not well and passing a little fluid. Any evidence of fluid under the car in the neighbourhood of the slave?

Master can also pass internally if worn or bad seals. But if your slave is good enough quality replacement then it points to air in the system, given the recent history.

Good luck TJ
RS Hughes

If it has not been used much since the slave was replaced it could be the seals in the slave have not fully bedded in yet and it needs a bit more use before a reliable effective fluid tight condition will be achieved.

I have found new replacement cylinders can take quite a bit of pedal pumping to get to work properly, which never used to be the case in the old days.
JB Anderson

JB,

I think thats because of the new rubber compounds .... it wasnt to long ago that BMC/lucas was still using natural rubber, from rubber tress to make brake and clutch parts... its only been in the last few years that petroleum based rubber has become mainstream for the old classic LBCs

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Thanks all. I'll bleed again with the Ezibleed and see what difference it makes. Fingers crossed.

Tim
TJ Prime

Here's an old chestnut. Push the slave piston fully in and hold it there while you bleed. Avoids bleeding short circuit.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

This thread was discussed between 06/05/2015 and 07/05/2015

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