Strange clutch phenomena

[NewarkNutter]

This happened to me on the way to work yesterday and is getting worse rapidly.
I approached a roundabout, the clutch did not want to let go. I revved the engine and slipped it into 1st and got away with it. I then entered the college car park, all was normal.
I suspected Hydraulics, made a mental note to look into it (2L air cooled with hydraulic clutch by the way).
It has happened more frequently today, but I have noticed that if it is in 1st and I depress the clutch and stand on the brake it frees off the clutch with a “clunk"|.
I've done this with vehicles which have been stood and the clutch has “stuck"|, but the van is used daily. These symptoms no longer suggest hydraulics to me. I remember having similar symptoms to this before on a motorbike, the thin multi-plates had notched their way into the spines. I can quite see this happening with a deep dry plate boss though.
Anyone come across this before.

Andy

[Tex Ritter]

Assuming that the friction disc has not collapsed!

Sounds possible that your spigot shaft bearing is on its last legs.

Try putting the van in 1st gear, then try to start the engine whilst holding the clutch down, if the van tries to move forward then I would suspect the fault could lie with the bearing that is situated in the crankshaft end and supports the front of the spigot shaft ( which in turn carries the cluth drive/friction disc).

If the bearing seizes this locks the drive between the spigot shaft and the crankshaft, which results in you cannot disengage the drive from the engine no matter how hard you press the clutch.

If you do suspect this bearing then the only way to fix it is to drop the box out. See WIKI.
https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... isengaging

[NewarkNutter]

Definitely not seized. As I said, there is a definite "clunk" when the clutch is made to disengage in this manner.
My experience with spigot shaft bearing problems on other vehicles is that they collapse. A very small bearing, not able to take this degree of torque even if it does seize. The result usually being a shattered friction plate due to input shaft instability.
I guess I'm going to have to either strip out the engine or the gearbox to take a look.
I was just hoping to get some ideas so I could get hold of parts first to minimize the "off the road" time.

A

[airhead]

I had this very same problem myself, and sure enough, it was the spigot shaft bearing that had let go. Expensive bloody job to get done!

[Ian Hulley]

The bearing is £3.50 BUT the gearbox, clutch and flywheel have to come off to do it.

You sure the clutch cover isn't on it's way out ?

Ian.

[Tex Ritter]

Definitely not seized. As I said, there is a definite "clunk" when the clutch is made to disengage in this manner.
My experience with spigot shaft bearing problems on other vehicles is that they collapse. A very small bearing, not able to take this degree of torque even if it does seize. The result usually being a shattered friction plate due to input shaft instability.
I guess I'm going to have to either strip out the engine or the gearbox to take a look.
I was just hoping to get some ideas so I could get hold of parts first to minimize the "off the road" time.

A

My spigot shaft bearing on my 2ltr A/C collapsed and locked the input shaft when we were in the South of France, by continously drivng it eventually 'desintegrated' and released the shaft which in turn allowed us to make it home. All that was left of the bearing was the outer casing and a lot of mettalic dust.

PS. You only need to drop the box out. Again the procedure can be found in the Wiki.

Tex Ritter

[NewarkNutter]

Thanks guys, looks like I will have to drop the box and take a look. I was thinking it could be the cover assay, but it is only some 6-7K miles old. Shouldn't have gone so soon......

I need to drop[ the box sooner or later because it is getting a bit noisey. I was hoping it was going to be later though.

Andy