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RE: murky clutch fluid

To: tvr@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: murky clutch fluid
From: breedon@ucdhep.ucdavis.edu
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 00:30:01 PST
And the winner is...

>Hmmm. Not clear from your email whether your work solved the problem of the
>car not budging.  You may be experiencing a fairly common problem with the
>TR6 engined cars, and that is the clutch rusts onto the flywheel.  So the
>clutch does not disengage when you press in the clutch, and it grinds like a
>son of a bitch when you try to put it in gear.  Two solutions:  I have only
>had to use the first.  Jack the rear of the car up, put the car in gear (2nd
>gear maybe). Then start the car.  Rev it up, push in the clutch, then hammer
>on the brakes.  The force of the rear wheels will break the flywheel free.
>When this did not work for a friend, he  would jack the car up, rev up the
>engine, push in the clutch, then drop the car on the ground.

Even though nothing is said about clutch fluid, this advice turned out to
be most useful.  As I confessed to those who wrote in response to my
original question, I actually had not yet tested whether or not I could
engage the clutch after I changed the fluid: it was too late at night, and
we all know that, well, the TVR is not known for its quiet purr.  So
earlier tonight I tried it out.  Sure enough, I still could not get it in
gear.  I tried starting it in gear with the clutch pedal pressed: the car
just went backwards and forwards according to the choice of gear (and the
confines of my garage).  So I tried method 1 above.  On about the 4th time
I revved up the engine with the rear raised, 2nd gear engaged and the clutch
in, it finally broke free.  From now on I will not let the car sit for
1 1/2 years without moving!  (I had started the engine from time to time,
but never put it in gear.)

Thanks for the advice I received.  One writer said that DOT 3 fluid will
dissolve the natural rubber parts of a Girling system like is in the
2500M and recommended DOT 5. But DOT 3 is what the owner's manual recommends. 
Can we have some discussion on that before I flush the clutch again?

-Richard

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