Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing clutch adjustment tips?

I think i need to adjust the clutch on my cvh 4 seater. I am having trouble engaging 1st and reverse. So I'm hoping its just a simple adjustment

I'd be grateful for any tips, I have never looked at anything in this area before, can I do it without ramps etc?

just off to google....

Hi Sawman,

Clutches are usually hydraulic or cable operated.

Hydraulic type - If it is like mine then it is hydraulic and given you are having trouble engaging gears (are you getting grating noises particularly trying to engage reverse?) then the hydraulic system may need bleeding, just like you would for the brakes. If there is any air entrained in the system then bleeding will remove it and this should allow the release bearing to move further against the pressure plate and give you full release of the clutch friction plate. If bleeding the hydraulics hasn't worked you'll need to look at other options. It could be that the seals in the hydraulic cylinders are worn and passing some fluid, you may see signs of this where the actuating rods enter the cylinders, or a low fluid level in the master cylinder. If so then you will need a repair kit or new cylinders. Alternatively, if the the release bearing is the carbon type, it could be that the release bearing is worn down, which could give you similar symptoms. This would need a gearbox and clutch assembly removal to replace it. (Note: If the release bearing is the roller bearing type this won't apply).

Cable type - If your clutch is cable operated it may be that the cable has stretched with time and use. It should be possible to adjust the cable length (shorten it slightly) to restore the correct amount of pull on the clutch release bearing with the clutch pedal fully depressed. Again, if this doesn't work it may the release bearing that has worn down as for the hydraulic option above, requiring the gearbox removal. If the cable doesn't have any adjustment facility, then it should be possible to change it without the need to remove the gearbox and clutch assembly.

Hope this helps, MZ.

cheers monte'

mine is a cable type. I have just had a quick look at the locking nuts adjustment at the bell housing end of the cable. the nut nearest the bell housing was slightly moveable by finger and seemed pretty hard up to the fitting - I read on morganatica that there should be a 0.1inch gap - being a child of the 60's I am mainly metric, but I guess this is a couple of mm.
I need to find my spanned to shift the other locking nut which is pretty firm

quick update - I noted there was a lot of crud (muck and grime, possibly a bit of waxoyl) all over the end of the clutch cable and around locking nuts. So gave a this a good schoosh of gt85 and a little 3in1 and everything seems fine.
of course now the suns out, I'd better go for a test drive.....

Well, the car works fine when cold, but once up to temp I still cant get 1st and 2nd was getting awkward.

I haven't been able to shift the nuts on the clutch cable

any advice?

Hello sawman
I did answer a post to a similar problem in june this year.if you go to
the user list and put in Andre44 you will see the post[ difficult to engage gears when cold ]My reply may be some help and is very easy to adjust i have had no trouble since.
Regards Barry [78 4/4]

Hi Sawman,
Sorry for the tardy response, been driving back from France yesterday afternoon and today. I was thinking about your clutch problem en route and thought that another problem may be the friction plate sticking on the splines of the gearbox input shaft. I've just read the posts referred to by Andre44 above and this is also suggested by Guten. As Guten says this can cause the friction plate to drag on the flywheel or pressure plate and make it difficult for the synchromesh on the forward gears. Cleaning and/lubrication of the splines is probably a gearbox out job though. You don't want to risk contaminating the friction plate by trying to spray lubricant from an access point in the bell housing (e.g. where the release bearing actuator arm enters). I'd still try for some cable adjustment first though, just in case it works. It would be a lot less hassle than a gearbox out job.
MZ.

Thanks chaps, I'm going to have to look at this in the week if I get a moment. I spent this afternoon watching the newcastle falcons cruising to an easy victory against newport

Just in case anyone finds this thread and has a similar issue. It is now mended. I couldn't shift one of the nuts on the clutch cable, despite using a variety of penetrating oils. So in the end, just yesterday noticed that the local mechanic, who did my last MOT were working yesterday and I was able to get them to work some magic on the cable and replaced it with the spare I have had in the car for emergencies.

A decent drive today suggests that the problem is mended

Good news Sawman, well done with the fix.