Subject: [Spridgets] Rivergate clutch issues

From: Greg Gowins via Spridgets <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2023 15:59:48 +0000

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Hello all,

I've been having a heck of a time getting gremlins worked out of my clutch
hydraulics with my Rivergate 5 speed.   The clutch never seems to
engage, and all I get is grinding when trying to get into gear.   When I
press the clutch pedal in, the pushrod at the slave doesn't start to move
until the pedal is about halfway down.  I took the slave cylinder off the
transmission, and I can see the piston moving inside when I press the
clutch.  I attempted to see if there was an air pocket in the slave by
pressing in the clutch, then trying to press the pushrod in to see if
anything bubbled back up, but it was solid.   I remounted the slave, and
tried adjusting the pushrod, but if I make it too long, it doesn't move at
all when the pedal is pushed in.  When I shorten it, I get pushrod
movement, and I can't move the fork anymore by hand when the clutch is
depressed.

I'm not sure what else at this point to check. It seems to me that the
pushrod should be moving sooner in the pedal travel than it is.  When Mark
and Jack came out to help me last year, they discovered a few things that I
had done wrong when I originally installed the conversion kit.  We got
those resolved, and re-measured, and things appeared to be in tolerance.
 Any hints or ideas of other things to check are greatly appreciated.

Greg Gowins
'69 Sprite
Driftwood, TX

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hello all,<div><br></div><div>I&#39;ve been having a heck =
of a time getting gremlins worked out of my clutch hydraulics with my River=
gate 5 speed.=C2=A0 =C2=A0The clutch never seems to engage,=C2=A0and all I =
get is grinding when trying to get into gear.=C2=A0 =C2=A0When I press the =
clutch pedal in, the pushrod at the slave doesn&#39;t start to move until t=
he pedal is about halfway down.=C2=A0 I took the slave cylinder off the tra=
nsmission, and I can see the piston moving inside when I press the clutch.=
=C2=A0 I attempted to see if there was an air pocket in the=C2=A0slave by p=
ressing in the clutch, then trying to press the=C2=A0pushrod in to see if a=
nything bubbled back up, but it was solid.=C2=A0 =C2=A0I remounted the slav=
e, and tried adjusting the pushrod, but if I make it too long, it doesn&#39=
;t move at all when the pedal is pushed in.=C2=A0 When I shorten it, I get =
pushrod movement, and I can&#39;t move the fork anymore by hand when the cl=
utch is depressed.</div><div><br></div><div>I&#39;m not sure what else at t=
his point to check. It seems to me that the pushrod should be moving sooner=
 in the pedal travel than it is.=C2=A0 When Mark and Jack came out to help =
me last year, they discovered a few things that I had done wrong when=C2=A0=
I=C2=A0originally installed the conversion kit.=C2=A0 We got those resolved=
, and re-measured, and things appeared to be in tolerance.=C2=A0 =C2=A0Any =
hints or ideas of other things to check are greatly appreciated.=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0</div><div><br></div><div>Greg Gowins</div><div>&#39;69 Sprite</div><div=
>Driftwood, TX</div></div>

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[email-masked]

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets  http://autox.team.net/archive

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From: Greg Gowins via Spridgets <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2023 21:48:16 +0000

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Got lots of good things to check from folks.  Luckily, it ended up being a
master cylinder issue, not anything related to a bent fork or things being
out of tolerance.   I must have had a stubborn air pocket, the master
cylinder pushrod not moving until the pedal was halfway down should have
been the clue.  I've been fighting this gremlin off and on for months.   It
finally moved under its own power for the first time since 2000.  Will have
to do some more shakedowns, but getting it inspected and registered is
closer than ever.  Thanks to the folks who sent tips my way.

Greg

On Wed, Jul 5, 2023 at 10:59=E2=80=AFAM Greg Gowins <[email-masked]=
> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I've been having a heck of a time getting gremlins worked out of my clutc=
h
> tried adjusting the pushrod, but if I make it too long, it doesn't move a=
t
> pushrod should be moving sooner in the pedal travel than it is.  When Mar=
k
> and Jack came out to help me last year, they discovered a few things that=
 I
>  Any hints or ideas of other things to check are greatly appreciated.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Got lots of good things to check from folks.=C2=A0 Lu=
ckily, it ended up being a master cylinder issue, not anything related to a=
 bent fork or things being out of tolerance.=C2=A0 =C2=A0I must have had a =
stubborn air pocket, the master cylinder pushrod not moving until the pedal=
 was halfway down should have been the clue.=C2=A0 I&#39;ve been fighting t=
his gremlin off and on for months.=C2=A0 =C2=A0It finally moved under its o=
wn power for the first time since 2000.=C2=A0 Will have to do some more sha=
kedowns, but getting it inspected and registered is closer than ever.=C2=A0=
 Thanks to the folks who sent tips my way.</div><div><br></div><div>Greg</d=
iv><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On =
Wed, Jul 5, 2023 at 10:59=E2=80=AFAM Greg Gowins &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:emai=
[email-masked]">[email-masked]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockqu=
ote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px=
 solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hello all,<div><=
br></div><div>I&#39;ve been having a heck of a time getting gremlins worked=
 out of my clutch hydraulics with my Rivergate 5 speed.=C2=A0 =C2=A0The clu=
tch never seems to engage,=C2=A0and all I get is grinding when trying to ge=
t into gear.=C2=A0 =C2=A0When I press the clutch pedal in, the pushrod at t=
he slave doesn&#39;t start to move until the pedal is about halfway down.=
=C2=A0 I took the slave cylinder off the transmission, and I can see the pi=
ston moving inside when I press the clutch.=C2=A0 I attempted to see if the=
re was an air pocket in the=C2=A0slave by pressing in the clutch, then tryi=
ng to press the=C2=A0pushrod in to see if anything bubbled back up, but it =
was solid.=C2=A0 =C2=A0I remounted the slave, and tried adjusting the pushr=
od, but if I make it too long, it doesn&#39;t move at all when the pedal is=
 pushed in.=C2=A0 When I shorten it, I get pushrod movement, and I can&#39;=
t move the fork anymore by hand when the clutch is depressed.</div><div><br=
></div><div>I&#39;m not sure what else at this point to check. It seems to =
me that the pushrod should be moving sooner in the pedal travel than it is.=
=C2=A0 When Mark and Jack came out to help me last year, they discovered a =
few things that I had done wrong when=C2=A0I=C2=A0originally installed the =
conversion kit.=C2=A0 We got those resolved, and re-measured, and things ap=
peared to be in tolerance.=C2=A0 =C2=A0Any hints or ideas of other things t=
o check are greatly appreciated.=C2=A0 =C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>Greg=
 Gowins</div><div>&#39;69 Sprite</div><div>Driftwood, TX</div></div>
</blockquote></div></div>

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[email-masked]

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