1.8 Clutch Master and Slave System

After the slave cylinder exploded on my FL1 last week, I started this mod with an MGF slave cylinder a few days ago, but I have been having trouble getting enough travel to move the clutch release fork.

I don't know why Land Rover resorted to the plastic version of both slave and master cylinder, whereas MG used a modular metal components, both plastic and metal systems made by the same AP manufacturer.

Here is my progress to date, see attached pics, Note the yellow circled fatigue / cracks on the original gearbox mounts pic 1, the RH one even has a piece of metal missing!

I spliced the original Freelander 8mm plastic pipe to the 6mm compression fitting from the Mg setup.
The fabricated bracket is 2.5mm angle iron, cut to match the profile of the shoulder on the back of the MG slave cylinder, a few spot welds would help stop any flexing of the metal bracket when 'clutching'

I have bled the system and it still feels spongy, trying new hydraulic fluid to see if it helps?

Northern Irelander said:

After the slave cylinder exploded on my FL1 last week, I started this mod with an MGF slave cylinder a few days ago, but I have been having trouble getting enough travel to move the clutch release fork.

I don't know why Land Rover resorted to the plastic version of both slave and master cylinder, whereas MG used a modular metal components, both plastic and metal systems made by the same AP manufacturer.

Here is my progress to date, see attached pics, Note the yellow circled fatigue / cracks on the original gearbox mounts

I even spliced the original Freelander 8mm plastic pipe to the 6mm compression fitting from the Mg setup.
The fabricated bracket is 3mm angle iron, cut to match the profile of the shoulder on the back of the MG slave cylinder, a few spot welds would help stop any flexing of the metal bracket when 'clutching'

I have bled the system and it still feels spongy, trying new hydraulic fluid to see if it helps?

Click to expand...

Interesting project - great pic's - Keep us all informed of progress please.

Well she's done!........wasn't a straight forward plug and play but well worth doing for anyone, I'd recommend it

I removed the clutch line assembly to bleed on the bench (tip - keep the slave piston in place with a suitable sized G- clamp)
Before refilling with brand new hydraulic fluid, I popped the MG slave piston out to inspect the seal.....what I didn't expect was a nylon filter (STRYLON brand) at the opposite end of the piston, having checked under a scope it appears to be 60 micron mesh size?

I can't see the what this filter is achieving? filter OD 18mm and the piston bore ID 20.25mm, so a 1mm gap all round?
when full of crud it has to impede the fluid flow and air when bleeding, so it wasn't refitted.

Dimensions MG bore - 20.25mm, unloaded spring length 5cm, total travel of piston in the bore 3.8cm approx.
Dimensions Freelander bore - 21.05mm, unloaded spring length 8.7cm, total travel of piston in the bore 7.5cm approx. ( the end has snapped off the OEM slave cylinder to be accurate)

I also moved the MG slave closer to the fork release arm 3cm approx. and shortened the original FL push rod to 8.5cm (see 3rd pic post #41)
I don't trust the 'cup socket' on the FL release arm, I prefer the clevis pin type on the MG arm

the result is a short sharp clutch action, clutch feels heavy, more like a Defender, but very responsive, low biting point.....Note - I have a Heavy duty clutch plate fitted to my Freelander.

Some of the MG VVC setups have a clutch damper to lessen the feel of the clutch, where is the fun in that ?!!!

Sorry I didn't get many pics, as my objective was to get the vehicle operational, can come back to it if needed.
If I have more time I can maybe change the spring over? other useful bits were kept such as FL rubber seal (spare), the rest of the plastic slave cylinder was binned!!....good riddens!

It's been exactly a year since I did this mod, but the original rubber seal perished in the MG slave cylinder (salvaged from a 2003 MGTF)

replacement seals are available and was a straight forward job to do with the bleed valve

£7 for the seal, 15p for a 19mm circlip on the push rod, OEM master cylinder housing..............job done !!