[ROVERNET - UK] 2000 Clutch Woes

[Dermot Harvey]

Hi,

Thanks Eric and Stephen for the musings on my '69 TC Clutch. Yes, 
Stephen, I usually bleed the clutch as you suggest by taking it off and 
hanging it down. I'm a bit suspicious about the flexible nylon tube 
that connects to the slave cylinder. I am wondering if air is getting 
drawn in around the connection to the steel ends of the pipe. I might 
try making up a solid steel hydraulic line, as I think the nylon 
hydraulic line has been unavailable new for years. I live in Rockland 
County, about 25 miles North of NYC. Come and visit!
Eric, my clutch was fine until I replaced it many years ago. I probably 
used a GCC192 clutch cover plate with the bare clutch fingers and a 
GCP209 clutch disc. I also used the thick gasket FRC1217 under the 
clutch withdrawal housing. These should be the correct parts for the 
'69. The crank for the slave cylinder was set up correctly as per the 
shop manual.
This 'new' clutch has always been a bit marginal about withdrawing 
completely. I had a similar problem with a 68 or 69 car that I replaced 
the clutch on for a customer.
I can only assume that there is a slight difference in the late clutch 
parts (These clutch part numbers are from my 1974 parts book). The 1969 
parts book that I have lists the clutch cover as 571280 and the clutch 
plate as 605005. The Unipart numbers I quoted earlier might not be 
direct supercessions to the Rover part numbers
Eric, I couldn't find the photos of the clutch on the Rover Car Club of 
Canada website, but I did see pictures of your '69 TC. It is almost 
identical to mine! My TC is Cameron Green with the black Vinyl 
interior, a full length Webasto  sunroof and the 'correct' roof top 
antenna! My car also has no a/c but it has Sundym glass. My serial 
number is 85904118F - what's yours? I took the Webasto sunroof from a 
'65 or '66 car plus the Magstar wheels.
Whilst on the subject of the P6, what tires are people putting on their 
P6's? 165 and 175 tires are pretty much unavailable. I think 185 tires 
may rub on the top link assembly when the car is loaded. The 3500S has 
an offset top link assembly. Also, 185 tires make the steering very 
heavy!

Dermot Harvey