Vintage Minor Register

This received today from Gary Sims - owner of a 1930 saloon.

"Here`s my problem: I am having a lot of trouble with the transmission on the Minor: when depressing the clutch pedal (with the engine running) there is a loud metallic rattle from inside the bell-housing. I suspect the clutch withdrawal bearing, but apart from general wear I can't see anything wrong with it. The three toggle arms all have the correct clearance of 0.010". I have now dismantled the whole clutch assembly five times but have made no progress! Could you recommend an engineering firm (preferably in the south-east of the country) that might be able to help?

All the best, Gary"

I suggested that it might not be the clutch, but the gearbox input shaft bearing. Any other ideas anyone?

With the clutch depressed and any gear engaged there is nothing moving in the gearbox. Unless the car is moving!

That's what I thought until Andrew Streek had the same problem with my Semi-sports and also spent some time investigating the clutch. The problem turned out to be the gearbox input bearing in the end. He replaced it and the problem went away. But don't ask me why though!

I should know, but is there a spigot bearing in the flywheel..??? If so, maybe that's had it, and the inopt shaft is then able to move too much....
Ian, that may have been the issue with the Semi-sports, and the new bearing is maybe masking the other issues, assuming there is a spigot bearing of course...!

There is indeed a tail end bearing in the back of the flywheel which engages with the gearbox input shaft and sits over the flywheel nut (or at least there should be!). This would definitely be worth checking in this case.

If one of the hardened steel 'pins' that fit into the alloy clutch spring carrier assembly, was incorectly seated/missing, might (when the clutch pedal is depressed) the driven plate be rotating between two plates that are not parrallel; and perhaps 'catch' every now and again?

I assume the thrust clearance has been set once gearbox is on the engine, as per the manual?....