Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Plus Four clutch techniques

I am having the clutch on my 1966 Plus Four replaced and have been advised by another owner that these clutches do not take much and must only be used when a gear change is actually underway. In other words, no sitting in traffic with the car in gear and the clutch pedal depressed so you are ready to go. This doesn't seem to square with Morgan's history of trials success. I am eager for thoughts on this and thanks in advance. Hope this isn't a REALLY stupid question.

Years back I adopted the habit of shifting into neutral as I come to a halt in traffic both in my car and on a motorcycle. It's a lot kinder to clutch release bearings especially on classics. I'm not sure if yours is a race or a carbon faced bearing, either way if it were mine I'd avoid holding it out more than you need. Who needs to change clutches more than necessary?

It's bad practice with any manual transmission car to sit with the clutch depressed.

I have lost count of the number of times I have berated my wife and kids over this issue. They in turn would give me grief on my lecturing but guess who they turn to when their cars need repairing.

REF, if your +4 hasn't got one already it might be worth considering a diaphragm clutch. They are apparently easier/nicer to use but there will be some machining involved.

Nev.

I have driven My '63 +4-4Str literally all over the world. Clutch was converted to a diaphragm in 1999. Bell housing relined by prior owner. It uses a carbon thrust bearing. You need a good parking brake to hold the car with something other than the clutch. Because of the harpoon on the back of the axle (ready to puncture fuel tank) I converted to a MGB cable system. Keep the rears adjusted and save the clutch. The worst experience I have had was at LeMans getting to the Morgan Parking Lot. Very slow and uphill. I could smell the clutch. But it did not ruin the clutch and it must have well over 100,000 miles on it. After LeMans My +4 was shipped to Boston and We drove it across Northern US back to Seattle. After this a trip to the Rocky's. Clutch still doing its job.

Thanks to all for your responses. I have used the same technique of shifting into neutral for any stop of any duration but also using the clutch when in gear for a start and stop traffic situation in my two previous Porsches and three Triumphs with no issues at all but I recognize that Morgans are ….well....unique in may ways.

The Moss Box is a little clunky, but certainly robust. Keeping clean oil in it is a help. Making deliberate shifts is also a help. The synchro's wear and the internal springs loose their tension. But removing a Moss Box from a Morgan and taking it apart is not difficult. Fred Sisson's "Morgan Bedside Reader" is My Bible. Particularly about the Moss Box. If You do not have it, contact Me offline and I will tell You how to get it. Not sure if TM appreciates advertising.

On an engine of 1966 vintage you have 2 issues to worry about. Wear in the carbon thirst release bearing is one. The other is wear in the crankshaft thrust washers. I bought a Triumph Spitfire in the 70's which turned out to have >5mm end float on the crank shaft. The block was only fit for scrap. Not sure if the TR engines suffer the same weakness of thrust bearings as the 1296 Spitfire / Herald unit.

[quote=PaulWear in the carbon thirst release bearing is one.[/quote]

That'll be due to a lack of lubrication.