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Triumph TR6 - falling apart in the clutches

Guys, I'm fairly knowledgable on engines but a total basket case on clutch problems, which is really strange since I've only owned one automatic in a very long life. Anyway, my 72 '6 has started slipping. The thing is it only happens in high gear. All other gears are fine but in high, if I put my foot down, the engine revs but speed does not increase. Then eventually the clutch catches up with the engine and away we go. Please tell me I don't need a new clutch as I''m, too ignorant to do the job myself and my mechanic wants my first born male child to do the job. Any advice?
Joel

Hi Joel,

Unfortunately, it does sound like you need a new clutch disk! If you keep driving the car, the clutch will eventually start slipping in the lower gears, and you may have to machine the flywheel.

Since it is a pretty big job just getting to the clutch on a TR6, there are probably a few other things in there that you may as well renew like your clutch fork pin, shaft bushes, etc. If you look in the archives there is some info on how you can improve the way the pin was engineered. You may also want to rebuild your tranny while it is out.

Ignatius
Ignatius

Way to go Ignatius. Jump in there and spell it out.
Don K.
DON KELLY

Thanks Ignatius. I was pretty sure of the answer but thought I'd grasp at a few straws anyway.
Joel

Joel,
Its not that big a job- no need to take engine out. Remove gearbox up through the cockpit. Can be done single handed at home in a weekend.
Peter Cobbold

Hey Joel,

It is not as hard a job as you think...just time consuming with the majority of the time removing and re-installing the trim pieces for the interior. The transmission without O/d only wieghs about 70 lbs and can be easily lifted by one. Figure about 3hrs to take out and 3 to put in, and to make the job easier with more room remove the steering wheel and the driver's seat as well


Here is a tip(s):

Undo the 3 nuts/bolts at the top of the bell housing to the engine block first; remove the bolts for the prop shaft and rear trans mission mount. Jack up the engine and support it with a homemade jig of a piece of plywood inserted in the small space between the engine and the tranny (about a 1 1/2" gap) that will support the wieght of the engine about 1" higher than normal (ie so that the engine is slightly tilted forward. There are about 18 bolts that mate the trans to the engine and of all different sizes...some attach the starter, the slave cylinder, engine ground etc etc.


2nd tip: While it is out, THIS IS MANDITORY:

*replace the clutch fork tappered pin
*rotate the 2 pins in the fork that fit into the release bearing, 90* (you will see wear on them and this affects release distance)
*replace release bearing
*replace the clutch shaft bushing, either with a TR3/4 bushing or double up on the TR6 ones...they are thin and wimpy
*buy yourself a clutch alignment tool
*while the tranny is out, good time to change the oil in it as it is easier

MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESSURE PLATE AND THE CLUTCH DISK ARE THE SAME BRAND DON'T INTERMIX

I have removed my tranny 3 times and have the whole procedure down to a science, and in case you are wondering, 1st to replace the fork pin; 2nd to rebuild tranny; 3rd to add a j-type o/d.
steven

Steven,

I figure that I need to rebuild my tranny down the road, and your post is encouraging! It sounds like it is not the nightmare I think it is, if you were willing to do it 3x yourself.

Once you have the tranny out, how long did it take you to rebuild it? Also, are you faster than the average weekend mechanic? I figure it takes me 4x as long as a real mechanic to do anything.

Thanks,

Ignatius
Ignatius

Ignatius- If you need help let me know . Ive seen the inside of the shift lever side,but the gear cluster side is a black hole to me and would love to experiment on somebodies other than mine. Beside your going to need some help lifting that hog out of the car.
Don
DON KELLY

Hey Don,

Thanks for the offer! My tranny crunches in 3rd sometimes, so I know that synchro is starting to go, but I have been driving my 6 like a granny so hopefully I do not have to do this too soon.

It was good to meet you and Rick C. last night. Thanks also for buying!

...cheers,

Ignatius
Ignatius

Ignatius and the rest
You where not suppose to tell Joel he needed to replace the clutch. Like Don K said "Way to go Ignatius"
Oh Ya...Don, thanks for buying. Ignatius, ya should have kept the bucket.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Ignatius:

Regarding your question, it took me about a day to disassemble and clean all the parts, and about a half a day+ to re-assemble it. Add in the ''re & re'' which is another half a day+ and there you have a complete weekend donated to the cause. Here is a tip: use a series of coat hangers to keep all the parts in order...remove one part clean it and place it on the next hanger and do this with all the parts and will not have a mix-up. The spit ring from the mainshaft is the tricky one...there is a specific tool for the job which luckily a club member had. If you have an earlier TR6 replace the bronze 'top hat' bushings...they tend to wear and in later years they used a steel one instead.

I am faster than the average backyard mechanic (I know what I am doing and became sort of expert on the TR) but more thorough than the licensed one so usually it takes me 1 1/2 to 2 times longer. Here is an example it took me 6 hrs to change all the bushings for the front suspension (which involves taking everything apart including brakes) and I was quoted 4 hrs labour by a Brit car specialist.

The TR is a simple car to work on and everything can be tackled by the hobiest EXCEPT: rebuilding rear diff, re-building rear hubs ie bearings and re-building the o/d
steven

This thread was discussed between 03/05/2002 and 11/05/2002

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