Hot Clutch?

Hello, I am new to this forum, but have had my RHD 72 MGB since 2000 when I lived in the UK. I just got the car out today and encoutered some traffic. When I got home I noticed the clutch started to slip in gears and barely had reverse. After the car cooled down, it drove normally.

After reading some posts I see that using the clutch in traffic isn't the best for the car! Have I damaged the release bearing? I know if the clutch assembly needs to be replaced you have to remove the engine. What kind of money are we talking here!? Maybe I am panicing too early. Inputs are greatly appreciated.

Using the clutch in traffic is a necessity. Since you have had the car since 72 I would hesitate to think that you don't know how to use the clutch but just in case, you are aware of the normal manual transmission technique of not slipping the clutch more than is absolutely needed to get the car moving and to allow a break in the power flow needed to change gears. The first thing that comes to my mind is that you have slipped the clutch enough to get it very hot and in getting it that way the disc has warped and the friction surfaces are now glazed.

The thing that you might be thinking of is the advisability of not depressing the clutch pedal unless you are actually using it. Do not just sit there at a light with the clutch depressed because that WILL shorten the life of the release bearing.

Perhaps honing your changing skills and making sure that you don't overslip the clutch would help. If the situation remains it sounds like you might be in for a clutchectomy.

Jack

I rarely depress the clutch pedal in traffic. If you are slow enough you dont need the clutch to shift in to 1st and 2nd.

if that doesnt sound doable to you, atleast do not press the pedal to get the tranny out of gear. just let off the gas and pull to Neutral...
Its a pain in the ass to replace the clutch.

Be careful Deniz. It might be a PITA to change the clutch but it is a real PITA to overhaul the transmission. Doing what you say you are doing is overloading the synchro rings for the gears that you are going into, and as we all know, if you end up taking the unit apart to replace the baulk rings you might as well.... LOL

Jack

twigworker Wrote:

Jack, ason said he has had the 72 since 2000 in the UK, not since new.
Still, 7 years is a long time if he is riding the clutch.