Henry's S3 clutch (skiing)

[Sparky]

Quite nice to be back in action after several months!  Henry's S3 arrived on a trailer yesterday due to clutch issues, and Henry @skiing arrived today (not on a trailer) to help with getting the box out. 

Fair to say he's had his money's worth out of this particular clutch.  Gearchange was difficult but still viable.  A lot of friction material debris was found around the gearbox area.  I had visions of a broken circlip, lunched nylatron washer and an ugly crankshaft - all unfounded, fortunately.

This car is a bit of a hybrid as it has an Excel engine.  The clutch was never 100%, perhaps due to some dimensional differences.

 

It was clear some friction material was missing from the disc...

We didn't realise how much!

New clutch fitted.  Release bearing replaced as that, too, is a bit messed up. Shame.

 

Most of it is now back together, but I won't be able to complete it for a couple of days at least.  I'm not 100% happy with the lever position.  We're looking forward to finding out how it all performs...

BTW that oil catch can is history.  I hate them.

[skiing]

Yes, thank you once again to Sparky for a most educational day... hopefully the whole thing works when put back together - we definitely got away lightly with there being not other damage I think.... 

[skiing]

(the physics on my car are definitely not standard!)

[Choppa]

Never realised before that the design of the shelves over the tanks is different on the later S3 . If they had left it the same it would have saved @Sparky about 2 hours cutting up the LH tank with his reciprocating saw to get it out.

[skiing]

Well the car was completed on Sunday and the gear change and clutch completely transformed. It has never really been right and it is so much nicer to drive now - Sparky also completed a couple of other swift jobs - replacing end cap o rings on the cam towers (one / both were leaking) and wire locked the otter switch in place (mine seemed to have no wire lock / cable tie...) All in all another successful visit to Watford Exotics to see the Maestro at work... 

[Chillidoggy]

Austin Maestro?

[Sparky]

Ahem, Vanden Plas.

[pete]

Didn't they do an Allegro

[Sparky]

The Leyland Rolls Royce.