Not Dolomite, but 2000

[Triumph1300]

Can anyone advise on an issue with my recently acquired mk 12000?

Clutch drag, it won't cleanly release.As far as I can tell, it's had a new wedgelok, release arm, thrust bearing, master cylinder, and slave cylinder.

It has a LUK clutch cover and plate.

It also has a lightened and balanced flywheel

M/cyl bore is 5/8, Slave is marked 7/8.

The slave cylinder actuation arm is currently in the hole nearest the bell housing.
Before I pay someone to rip the gearbox out, any ideas?

We've bled it many times, the clutch is currently wedged down overnight to try out the tale of things improving if you do this.

[Galileo]

Those bore sizes sound spot on from memory. This is going back 33 years but the only time I ever did a 2000 clutch I had the same problem, which was caused by a backplate that seemed identical to the old one, but the release fingers sat slightly nearer to the flywheel and it was foot flat to the floor job to disengage. Took it off and went back to the motor factors who swapped it out for another brand, which worked flawlessly. I was a bit miffed because the young me had struggled to get the box to line up even with my Dad's broom handle clutch alignment tool, and I was less than pleased at having to do the job twice, in a loose gravel car park. Probably why it has stuck in my memory.

I realise that both motor factors and motor factors stocking 2000 parts are in very short supply, and the reason for you clutch drag might be completely different but it's a slow Saturday!

[Carledo]

What Raf said ^^^^^

But also check the clevis pin in the pedal and the associated pedal pushrod for wear and play. More than once I have had a problem like this with clutches on the 2 litre engine, both in 2000s and GT6/Vitesse models. They work fine with a bit of wear when the clutch is old, new ones find all the weaknesses! Sometimes it's just a matter of "bedding in" the new clutch too!

But over the many years, i've had a couple of duff cover plates too! Oh and I hate to suggest such a dire fault may exist, but don't forget to check for end float in the crank thrust washers!This engine, as you well know, is renowned (or notorious) for this!

HTH Steve

[cliftyhanger]

I think there are all sorts of issues with clutch manufacture at the moment (and unlikley to improve)

Bought a LUK clutch release bearing for my Ford T9 gearbox, a sierra item so although a bit rare, thousands and thousands of kitcars etc still using them. Did it fit? nope. Clutch arm needed filing several mm to get it to snap in.
Also heard of incorrect thickness release bearings on Triumphs, think that was the vitesse/GT6 BUT that is the same clutch parts as teh 2000 IIRC, and could cause the issue.

Having a look and measuring the free play by pushing the release arm back towards the slave cylinder would be my place to start. It may be a simple "bodge" of using a longer rod will cure the issue, but the clutch will be slightly heavier than idea due to geometry going a little out.

All the above posts/comments are well worth considering, but unless a Triumph specialist is doing the work, they may have difficulty seeing/understanding the issues. That said, it may be a known issue? have you tried the T2000 register? or indeed CT?

[Triumph1300]

There is indeed headscratching going on on various 2000 groups.

It seems this car has suffered for some time from this issue.

As far as I can tell, the pedal is not excessively worn, and all appears well at the bell housing end.

It allegedly, has a LUK clutch assembly in.

I think it's reaching a point of box out, as it seems everything, except the clutch itself has been changed.

It'll have to stand for a bit, until my back is fixed.

[Triumph1300]

Oh, and the crank isn't moving back an forth, so thrusts seem to be ok.
In addition, I've had the slave spaced closer to the release arm, just in case it was running out of travel, and that's had no effect either.

The master is a sleeved refurbed item, as the original was leaking.

Confused.com, as I say, think it's box out time.
As stated, everything inside the bell housing, apart from the clutch assembly has been replaced. There's really only the clutch itself left, and I have something nagging in my mind about incompatibility of covers and plates.

[dollyman]

as an easy attempt at lengthening the pushrod, you will find that a female brake pipe fitting is right size to slip over the push rod.
common fix years ago, and can be left in.
might be worth a try before removing box?

[Triumph1300]

Bit of progress this afternoon, it looks as if we can't shift all the air out of the pipe that rouns acros the bulhead, also as if it has internal corrosion. Goodrich hose ordered.
Thanks to Tom Overton, Phill Wooton, and Nathan Billing for all their hard work this week, I cannot express my appreciation enough.

[Jon Tilson]

Try bleeding the slave off the box under the bonnet held high so bleed screw is top most and run a hose from bleed screw to master reservoir. Few pumps should have all air expelled and vented to atmosphere from master reservoir. Worth clamping slave piston with a cable tie to stop it coming right out.

If you've checked end float it and no air it must be the clutch. While its a good make its NOT OE and the diaphram fingers may be too flat at rest.

If its the one for a SAAB, these are designed for bellows type slaves with longer travel.

Jonners

[Triumph1300]

Jon,
It's a hard line from the master to within a few inches of the slave, it's not currently possible to do as you suggest

[Triumph1300]

Just to update this, courtesy of Tom, Phil, and Nathan, we have an almost working clutch, it just needs a final bleed, although the car is driveable.
It took a refurbed master, nos slave and goodridge hose to achieve this result.

The old hard line was internally corroded, and appeared to be holding air .

Now, if my sums are correct, with 15" wheels, 205/60 tyres, auto diff, and J type overdrive, I reckon this thing is pulling around 24 mph/1000 rpm, it goes through 4000rpm without thinking, ran out of (private) road....

[GTS290N]

I can't be bothered finding a drooling smiley.
Any chance of a picture or hundred?
When I was a kid my Dad had a Mk1 2000....

[Triumph1300]

It's not pretty, and my phone camera is playing up, and it's got 37 louvres in the bonnet!

[Carledo]

That's OBVIOUSLY far too many louvres for one Triumph - and an odd number too, i'll bet that will drive OCD rivet counters at shows completely frothing mad!

To save this sorry event from occurring, please send me 13 louvres, i'll give 12 of them a happy new home on my Sprint and give the 13th a decent burial with full honours!

Steve

[Triumph1300]

Nah, I'm happy with 19 one side, and 18 the other thanks, might be able to do you a straight through middle box though, need to let more of the 6-3-2-1 howl out