Hi. I have had a Rossa K3 since 2000 with K series 1.4GTi engine. Would like to modify cable clutch to Hydraulic. Anyone any ideas please.

Several ideas.

In no particular order

1/Dudley held on to the fluid clutch kit when He passed the rest of the K3 to Alan.
2/Rally Spares do a clutch cylinder that pulls instead of pushing
3/Several people have made an up and over type arm (nearly inposible to describe)
4/MGF has a fluid clutch .....
I'm told some of these need the clutch release lever unpinned and turned thru an unspecified angle (which is reputed to be b*gger of a job)

Hopefully someone will be along with specifics as My K3 still has the cable

I think it was Don Stephenson who kindly gave me a copy of a set of instructions to convert over to a hydraulic clutch. I can send you a photocopy or scanned copy, I am not sure who did it originally. I did mine slightly differently in the end which seemed a bit simpler and it meant the cable can be left in place in and reconnected if all fails! I can send a couple of pictures and some drawings if you pm me your email address.
Peter

Hi Peter, Yes it was me, I am pleased that you got your hydraulic clutch working ,and to a simplified design. The good part of our system is that you can retain the existing lever on the gear box caseing and couple up to it a pull type slave cylinder (As you say Peter, retaining the cable in case of problems.)
It would be best if you supplied your info as you installed the system on a K3 and it is required for a K3 while mine was for a Libra.

Hi Titchy, I recently bought a K3 and it has an hydraulic clutch using a normal push cylinder. I'll take a photo of it tomorrow and post it for you to see.
It uses quite a complicated link which is easier to see in a photo than to describe.

Ian

Sorry for the lack of pictures of my K3 clutch linkage, but I'm away on business until Friday, 20th, so I'll take the pictures then.

I hoping that this thread might have had a bit more information regarding conversion to a Hydraulic clutch. My K3 which recently past a MOT so is now at last legal to drive has thrown up some issues with clutch, it slips in the higher gears but I have difficulty selecting gears and there is defiantly a drag when sitting in gear with clutch fully operated. I suspect it may down to the cable, being automatic adjusting could just be the start of the problems.
It is possible that this is the real reason the person wanted to sell it and may have already done damage to clutch plate that will require the clutch to be replaced.

I have found a useful PDF by QH regarding Metro Clutch cable but I am not sure this same at K3 it looks similar but not the same, I post the website here and when I get home the relevant part of the PDF.
http://www9.qha.com/uk/technical/downlo ... ership.pdf

Is the description of how to convert to Hydraulic available be it Metro, K3 or Libra as I may be forced down that route.

Hi Davrian pm me your email address and I will send you what I have to do my conversion, it transformed my car.

Well this weekend has not gone to plan, tried to get the gearbox out to change the clutch as the amount of work to replace the engine and gearbox with 1.8VVC with the cable gear change etc. looks to much work at this time.
I not sure you get the gear box out with engine place, as try as might I could not the gearbox out. So this has resulted in take the engine out as well. let hope the engine and box goes back in.

Looked at the clutch to night, not good, down to rivets, but worse are grooves in the flywheel. Looks like I am going to be looking for a replacement flywheel or get this one skimmed.

Another night down the garage, now with the engine gear box out I have been able to remove the poor bits of tin that were meant to hold the square nuts in place. I have ended up using a cold chisel to hack these off and then use a spanner to hold the square nuts to get them off.
I plan to weld these square nuts back on so that the bolts are easier to remove in the future.
I guess getting that part of the sub frame with gearbox mount on off the main sub frame will allow the gear box to be removed with engine in place. At least ti will make room to put the engine and gearbox back in once I have clutch sorted.
Looking at the clutch leaver I notice that I have wear in the top bush that holds the leaver so this looks like some else I need to sort. At least this parts are cheap at under £4 for the pair. I will order form Rimmer Bros as they are very good when I have used them in the past.

While You've got the gearbox out - look at removing the clutch release arm.

The reason for the "up and over" arm is 'cos it's so bad to get at in insitu, I've heard it said if You get the release arm turned thru' 90 degrees it's easier to get a 'push' cylinder to work

Excellent write up on the conversion to Hydraulic, now I nor sure what to do, leave it with cable or convert to hydraulic. If I leave the cable in place its a simple rebuild of the clutch and put the engine and box back in. Conversion to Hydraulic requires the purchasing of the parts required and doing the conversion, that after working out exactly how I going to doing, parts required and length of the hydraulic pipe.

"While You've got the gearbox out - look at removing the clutch release arm.

The reason for the "up and over" arm is 'cos it's so bad to get at in insitu, I've heard it said if You get the release arm turned thru' 90 degrees it's easier to get a 'push' cylinder to work"

I will have look at clutch release arm as I got new bushes as there was lots of play which I don't think was helping with operation. I have to take the roll pin out to get the bushes out, so an ideal time to look at possibly putting in the capability to move the arm at a later time if I don't do it now.

With damage to fly wheel i was left with dilemma of either getting it refaced or replacement, after initial enquires and be quoted £50.00 for reface I have opted for replacement from Breakers, which I pick up today, it needs a little cleaning but looks good for £20.00

I should get the new fly wheel cleaned up tomorrow and fitted on the engine if I hold the crank still to tighten up the flywheel bolts. If that goes to plan i should be able to sort out the release arm, and hopefully fit the box ready for fitment back in the K3

Hello,

I have replaced the clutch in my K3 a few times only months apart. I was using a beefed up cable which I had a larger non plastic coated inner from Speedograph Richfield in Arnold Notts. When dis-assembling to change it the second time I found the last bearing in the gearbox was shot and gave about 10mm of sideways movement on the shaft from the g/box that goes into the centre of the clutch, this destroyed the release bearing. Having sourced another g/box from Dudley at Talon and his hydraulic conversion kit based on MGF parts. The clutch went back together a treat.

When using a cable the reduced pedal length makes it's operating range difficult to get right. The hydraulic works really well and smooth, the system takes some bleeding but is fine now. I have digital pics of the installation/gear box if you need them.

When tightening the flywheel bolts don't use the bolt on the cam belt end of the engine to keep the crank stationary, I did and bent the crank at the cam belt end. The result is the crank damper pulley now makes the whole engine shake. I am in the process of building another 1.4 MPI engine to replace it. I made a clamp that engages with the flywheel teeth and bolts to the block to stop rotation.

Bye for Now, Howard.

Hi Howardy, if you have got some pics that would be of great help.
My cable has some damage to outer covering and I not sure I get replacement, Rossabitz does not have any. So if do not go to hydraulic now I may have to go down that route later.

Well the new clutch is on and I have fitted the new bushes to clutch release arm which now more much better. I not sure that old bushes were that bad but they was loads of crud in them. The new ones only cost me £5.00 with postage so seems sensible thing to do. I bolted the gear box back on using lots copper slip as I do not want the same issues if have to take these bits of again. I still have to remove a broken bolt from cam belt end of engine, on the ones that hold the alternator wiring out of the way. I am looking to drill that out and re-tap the tread, I let you know how that goes.