Big Problem Several weeks ago I had an ACT clutch kit, flywheel and Quaife installed. Used Amsoil 75w90 gear lube based on the recommendations of a NAM vendor. The trans shifted fine when cold. Once it warmed up, it wouldn't shift or it shifted very hard - almost like the clutch wasn't fully disengaged. Only put 15 miles on it. Replaced oil with Amsoil 5w30 syncromesh today. Drained lube has alot of metal shavings in it.
Trans shifts better, but when warm shifting becomes really stiff. I plan on running it 100 miles or so and replace the fluid again. I fear I may have done some serious damage. Any ideas, comments, insults or ?

Oh well, it may "force" me to get a 2005/2006 trans - except I can't afford one right know.

Kevin

 

salve cylinder?

maybe it wasnt bled properly....

 

You’re going to need to drop the gearbox again to look. If the clutch wasn’t disengaging and the shifts were forced, that’s one issue. If a ring gear bolt cam loose and tossed into the shifting mechanism, that’s another. The tossed bolt was an example not meant to be the diagnosis, just illustrating the need to take a look.

 

New slave cylinder, new clutch master cylinder. System bled 3 times. Really sucks.............. And on top of this, my Wilwood rear brake kit doesn't clear my wheels - front is fine.
Oh well, at least I won't be needing new tires this summer.

Kevin

 

So............ After checking the drained trans oil and finding lots of bronze dust and only 3 or 4 tiny flecks of steel, I am leaning towards a clutch problem. Changed the trans oil and went for a test drive. Shifting effort was the best its ever been. Drove about 6 miles - every thing is fine. Get back home, two stops within forty feet of each other. After second stop, didn't want to go into 1st. Got it in first and pulled in driveway. Depressed clutch - and it was sort of in gear. So now I have to go through the clutch hydraulic system and try to figure it out. Any ideas are welcome.

Kevin

 

Your clutch is not dis-engaging. MINI has been known to have bad slave cylinders from the factory. I have the same issue, but havent had time to diagnose completely....(car isnt running yet) if you are seeing brass particles, its not the clutch, as that is all a dry setup and will not get into the gearbox oil. I would check the slave....they are cheap enough to replace, also you may want to check with ACT and see what throwout bearing they recommend.

 

Considering all the symptoms, and despite bleeding the system 3 times, I have to conclude there is air somewhere in the clutch hydraulics. Since the clutch works fine when cold, there isn't enough air to keep it from working properly. When hot, the heat causes the air to expend. The hot, expanded air occupies more volume. Too much to be compressed and allow proper clutch action. This is my theory - probably wrong but it gives me a place to start. Also, as suggested by Trickle X, I will check with ACT.

Kevin

 

We had a similar issue and can't understand why it would get worse then better but with a Clutchmasters. Took it apart and found the pressure plate had warped somehow, We only found this when we cleaned everything and were putting it back together and we decided to test the range of movement before we reinstalled everything, we would loose 1/2 inch of slave travel and found the warped clutch plate as the cause. Customer drove the car till it flat wouldn't drive anymore and simply explained the issue to us as the car came off the tow truck. There was a lot more damage found in there due to debris from failed throw out bearing and a severely overheated flywheel (blue hot spots) which we believe lead to one of the clutch alignment pins coming out and destroying just about everything in there. Didn't try to warranty anything because of the amount of damage we found and no real clear beggining source.
Moral of the Story..... pull the Tranny down before you do more damage!

 

Ian,
Thanks for the input. I am going to bleed the clutch hydraulics one more time. I've put less than 40 miles on the my MCS since the problem appeared. I know I have a serious problem so pulling the trans is the next step if bleeding the system (again) doesn't help. Sure don't want to pull the trans again, but it looks like it may be the only option.

 

Hey Guys..I have the same Issue with Daughters '02 MCS
Dis engagement plain and simple..Heres how I got there
44 thou second owner ..2nd trans..
Shes a pretty good driver but said "it smelled and slipped"
cool..replaced w/ 13lb centerforce flywheel, Organic sprung hub Friction
disc and Stage 1 pressure plate..Used Lucas and Mobil 1 mixture in gearbox
worked awesome for about a week
Increased effort to put in gear (all)
pumping clutch several times seemed to help(bleed,master bypassing)
Obviously if it shifts smoothly wihle the engine is not running,And difficult to shift while engine IS running
generally 1. Air in the system, 2 Master cylinder is shot and bypassing fluid
(not talking about cars with adjustment on slave) and after reading posts
weak slave..(not sure about that one, It would leak right?)
oh and one more Warped friction disc( it would just act thicker and take more pedal travel to disengage)..most people would just leave it and not even notice that it was releasing closer to the floor IF(and a big IF) it didnt run OUT of room (pedal travel) Hydraulic is always self adjusting and if clean and
bled is made to have the right length of stroke ..unless you have AFTERMARKET PRESSURE PLATE which has its pivot points on the diaphragm spring manipulated for MORE clamping force..well now we need more travel
out of slave to do the same job(release clutch) and as we all know Mini was crap to begin with...Me? i am looking for Toyota or similar with SMALLER
dia. slave and threaded steel pushrod..in aluminium of course...
Yeah my disc is alittle warped ..Has to be, worked awesome until it broke in and pedal travel could no longer keep up, then the disc gets Hotter cuz its in contact all the time David

 

I really hate to see someone else having the same problem I am... Makes me wonder if clutch kits shown as fitting the 2002 MCS really do fit. I'm going to bleed hydraulics one more time. If still bad, I'll probably get intouch with Wayland and let him work his magic.

 

Sounds like you're looking for a ONE answer here but it's like you have more than one issue, the slave etc is one thing but that doesn't explain metal pieces in your tranny fluid I agree with MaitlandImports you need to pull your tranny and solve that problem first, maybe I'm missing something here but if your tranny is self distructing it's going to shift badly no matter how good your slave is, but this may have been caused by a poor clutch or clutch parts, install etc

Is your Mini highly modified? If not can I ask why you didn't go with a stock clutch? I had an aftermarket clutch in my 02 MCS for 1 week which gave me all kinds of headaches with similar complaints you are experiencing (minus the metal pieces) I finally gave up bit the bullet went with a stock clutch and everything was fine!

 

i disagree; i think the metal pieces (dust) are from shift sleeves and due to not disengaging enough ;causing hard ,forced shifts . something had to give.

 

That's what I think is happening - incomplete disengagement. But why? That's what's frustrating me.

Kevin

 

Isn't there a special tool required to bleed this clutch? Seems I remember reading about this, something needed to force the piston in the slave all the way back into the bore in order to get all the air out of the system. Do some research here on NAM, I'm pretty sure I'm right.

I also think the shavings are due to forcing the shift, but if it's just a matter of getting all the air out of the system you might not need to pull the tranny again.

 

Well is a big deep subject!
I actually thought the stock clutch was ok..didnt have problems just
thought having a lighter flywheel and stronger clutch was a good thing.
In hindsite I would do the same just check the stack height for all the components and compare it to factory..NOT assume they knew what the were doing when they put the package together..Buddy of mine from Ford is coming over to help me..Ford products use same type of plastic master/ slave combination and he says he runs into odd deals like that al the time.
no adjustment so on..I didnt comment on the internal stuff because I didnt take mine apart ..just changed the fluid..yeah it had brass particles from the
syncros..not unusual on other manual gear boxes so it didnt bother me..its ferrous trash that i would worry about..I also whole heartedly agree that
when the clutch doesnt release it about the worst thing that you could do tto the syncros and shift forks..DONT DRIVE IT..Of course if you do just turn the engine off @ stoplights and then put it into 1st with engine stopped . saves the syncros for another battle like those pesky Subarus and Evos..

 

I added 10mm more throw w/ this mod
cost 13 dollars ..Clutch releases 50 ..60 mm from floor
need lathe tho...late and Im bushed..email for picsfull size
Took longer to resize then to build the slave..LOL
yes ...IT KICKED *** adds 20% pedal effort but COMLPETELY REALEASES CLUTCH..EVEN my warped one... I decreased size of slave from 24mm
to 20 mm..13/16...Even got a big T/Y DAD! I have like 12 pics..not sure how to post them all..heres some tho..David