MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - WEAK CLUTCH

I am going to pull my engine to repair a leaky rear seal and at that time I want to replace the clutch plate. When my foot "accidentally puts the pedal to the metal" the clutch does not grab and hold. My engine does produce power 18v with a Judson supercharger. What and were do I get a clutch that can hold up to the power of the engine and not slip. All hydraulics are in great shape.

Thanks
Jeff Becker
Long Beach, California USA
JEFF BECKER

Replace the complete clutch.

A pal has a supercharger and modified head and has not mentioned clutch slip, and he is a pedal to the metal type as well.

Clutch slip at large throttle openings is a symptom of friction plate wear, possibly broken or weak springs as well, and is apparent in 4th gear first, becoming successively apparent in lower gears as the wear increases.

Having said that there are uprated clutches for the MGB, Google 'MGB uprated clutch'. In the UK at least they are available from the usual suspects. Expect it to be heavier.
paulh4

The clutch is about 4-5 thousand miles on it. It has always been this way since it was rebuilt. The clutch is more likely for a standard set up and not made for the power I am putting out. I talked with a few people and some have mentioned a company called ADP in the states which specializes in high performance parts. I will give a call to see what they have.
Thanks
Jeff
JEFF BECKER

The clutch has about 4-5 thousand miles on it. It has always been this way since it was rebuilt. The clutch is more likely for a standard set up and not made for the power I am putting out. I talked with a few people and some have mentioned a company called ADP in the states which specializes in high performance parts. I will give a call to see what they have.
Thanks
Jeff
JEFF BECKER

Does your car have overdrive?
Dave O'Neill 2

This is on an MGA car with a MGB engine. The engine is a 18v with a Ford Sierra 5 speed trans and a 3.9 rear end. The engine also has a period Judson Supercharger. As you can see this engine can put out the power if needed
JEFF BECKER

What power are you producing?
There are people with serious s/c power-mine is only 110 at the wheels-who don't seem to use an up-rated clutch. As you have to remove the old one, I would inspect it carefully before deciding on what will be a heavier "pedal".

"leaky rear seal" -where does the oil go? Anywhere near the clutch?
Michael Beswick

I've been running a supercharged B, with a Borg and Beck HD clutch, since '93. It's held up extremely well even with the extra power of the supercharger that I installed in '02. I highly recommend it. RAY
small

"leaky rear seal" -where does the oil go? Anywhere near the clutch?
Exactly!!!
Allan Reeling

The oil goes to the ground like most MG's. Since my is still leaking, that means I still have oil in the engine!!!. The slipping has been happening since on the road when rebuilt. The clutch should not be affected at the beginning because of the oil.
JEFF BECKER

If you have oil coming out the rear seal and coming out the little hole in the bellhousing you have a contaminated cluth.
This will slip and won't get any better.
Been there, had to get an engine lifted out and the seal and clutch changed on holiday once, done that!
Neckieman

"If you have oil coming out the rear seal and coming out the little hole in the bellhousing you have a contaminated cluth. "

That's certainly true, but the only time it has happened to me (on a classic Mini) it didn't slip at all - not even when pulling away, it was either in or out! Mind you, the 850 Mini was never going to put that much load on the clutch anyway.
paulh4

Oil contaminated clutches tend to judder on take up.
Maybe the release bearing is not allowing the full pressure of the plate to be exerted, either through misalignment or hydraulic issues.
Allan Reeling

Driven plate installed backwards?

Herb
H J Adler

Possible Herb, and also I have seen a mismatch of drive plate and p/plate where the row of rivets on some drive plates just inside the inside diameter of the linings are at a larger pcd than the id of the drive face area of the p/plate ---or flywheel
Specially if it happens to have a 8 1/2" plate in it
willy
William Revit

"Driven plate installed backwards?"

I've seen this mentioned before and deliberately tried it when changing a clutch. When it's the wrong way round the central metal parts prevent the friction plate getting anywhere near the flywheel, as in the attached. That makes the cover plate extremely difficult if not impossible to fit.

paulh4

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2017 and 04/03/2017

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now