The 'E' Type Forum

I have a 66 series 1.
I suffer from cultch slip. The scenario goes like this…
Clutch starts to slip. Pedal hard up against the stop and much higher than brake pedal. This does not allow the clutch to fully engage and thus slip.
I loosen the lock nut on the slave cylinder push rod and wind the push rod in to give a small amount of free play.
I then have a good working clutch that will spin the wheels if necessary. After a couple of pedal presses the free play disappears between the slave push rod and clutch arm. I drive the car for a while and then the whole process repeats. After several times, the push rod is wound in far enough for the piston in the slave cylinder to hit the circlip with the clutch pedal only half way down.
It is as if the system continually tops up with fluid from the reservoir when not needed?
What I know about my system is:
The car is a 66 S1 which according to my parts book should have a diaphragm clutch pressure plate, but it has the large spring clutch. The flywheel. Is not drilled for the diaphragm clutch.
The clutch plate is good and not worn.
The Girling master cylinder looks new and I believe was replace before I purchased the car.
Slave cylinder is measures approx. 75mm from outside end to end and does not have a return spring.
There is not a spacer between the master cylinder and the pedal box.
I have the feeling there is a mismatch of components.
Any thoughts as the why the clutch system behaves in this way would be much appreciated?
Thanks in advance.
Lester

Does your slave have a return spring?

Paul

Hi Paul.
No, there is not a return spring on the slave cylinder.
Lester

Hi Lester PM sent...Steve

Hi Lester...re a mismatch lots of info here.. /viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9381

Hi its a problem with master cylinder had it quite a few times with different cars over years its either not fully returning or seals have swelled not allowing fluid to return back it acts to pump up system first check piston is fully returning if it is seals may be swelled or hose that feeds fluid from bottle to master cylinder may have collapsed and is working like a one way valve

Good luck

Hi All. Thanks very much to all for your comments and Steve for the chat. Success!
After checking if it was possible for the master cylinder piston to move the last part of its travel back into the slave with the clutch pedal fully at the top of its travel, and it wasn’t. I came to the conclusion it was a master cylinder issue. Thanks, madjack4. I believe the master cylinder piston was not able to fully retract as the pedal was reaching the end of it’s travel . This will not open the port to the reservoir and thus allow fluid to return or enter the system. So, I did two things. First, fit a slave cylinder return spring as from what I can gather my setup should have one. Then I made a spacer to lift the master cylinder away from the pedal box. This allowed the master piston to reach the end of its travel and properly expose the reservoir port.
Now all works exactly as expected with no slipping.
Thanks to this forum.
Stay well
Best
Lester

Great that its now working for you ..Steve