Hi there series 2a owner with a clutch problem

Hi folks I've just registered on here as have been lurking for a few months. I have a series 2a swb land rover which has been faultless since owning it in February.

A few weeks ago I jumped in it and found the clutch pedal had dropped about 1-2 inches and I couldn't select gears with the engine running. I looked in the engine bay and the slave cylinder looked a bit wet so had my mate change that out but still the problem remained and the pedal felt exactly the same.

It's now been adjusted on the slave rod to its maximum but still no joy. My mate thinks something has happened inside the box as in the pressure plate or thrust bearing side of things. Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Before this happened it drove fine and doesn't make any noises when ticking over etc. I literally parked it up fine then this happened.

Have you checked the Master cylinder? Is the system bled correctly?

Thanks for replying, the pedal feels the same after fitting the new slave cylinder as with the old one.

Could you briefly explain about the master cylinder? It's linked to the slave?

Make sure the new rod on new master cylinder is the same length as the one on the old master cylinder, also check there is the same amount of thread on the new master cylinder as there is on the old master cylinder, sometimes the new ones don't have as much thread.

Thanks, the original setup was used and the slave is working to it's maximum travel.

The master cylinder is in the engine bay. The slave cylinder is under the car, next to the clutch housing. Firstly, you should check that there is sufficient fluid in the master cylinder in the engine bay - the cap screws off and the level should be approx 5mm below the top of the cylinder. If not, top up using DOT4 clutch (or brake) fluid. If level is ok, you may have an issue with the slave cylinder. This can develop a leak and the fluid leaks out visbily around the housing, or can leak into the lutch mechanism and then you will never see a leak. The symptom will be a reduction is clutch fluid level observed at the master cylinder.
If fluid level is ok, as someone already said, it is possible that you need to bleed air out of the system. Plenty of online advice on how to bleed the clutch system.
Good luck.

Is the slave cylinder on the drivers side or passengers side if drivers side check the pins have not sheared in the cross shaft linkage to the gearbox.

Hi it's on the driver's side, I've left it to my mate to sort out now. He seems to think it's something in the bellhousing that's gone

The pins are outside the bell housing between chassis and gearbox.

Second the pins idea, dont use normal bolts as they wont last, but will suffice for testing etc, if the pins are okay the holes in the shaft may have elongated.
The release bearing set up inside the flywheel housing is as tough as old boots.

Floor plates and trans tunnel out for a proper look, slave are a bit prone to failure as well.

The clutches on these are very basic, so I think the last answer is probably the best place to start. A problem that can occur is where someone has used the wrong pins in the linkage through the bell housing. They can shear and mean the clutch pedal is no longer activating the clutch.

This can be identified by looking at the shaft from under the vehicle while someone presses the clutch.

However depending on which pin is having a problem it could be quite hard to see without taking the floor up.

The clutch mechanism on the S2A is very well made so its very unlikely there's a failure inside the bell housing. Compare the old and new slave cylinders and check the pistons are the same. As above, also swap the master cylinder as they wear.

Hi folks just to round this up, pulled the gearbox out luckily it had a removable cross member. Clutch plate contaminated with oil leaking from the oillite bush in the withdrawl housing on the gearbox. Cross shaft connection tube pins, one broken and the other bent also the tube itself had been crushed either side to allow the split pin for the pins themselves to be put through the hole as the diameter was too big ( looks like it's off something else, different model maybe?) All back together and working now. Thanks for the advice

Paulandrover said:

Hi folks just to round this up, pulled the gearbox out luckily it had a removable cross member. Clutch plate contaminated with oil leaking from the oillite bush in the withdrawl housing on the gearbox. Cross shaft connection tube pins, one broken and the other bent also the tube itself had been crushed either side to allow the split pin for the pins themselves to be put through the hole as the diameter was too big ( looks like it's off something else, different model maybe?) All back together and working now. Thanks for the advice

Click to expand...

There are/were two styles of crosstube, the round type and the rarer ones with flattened ends, think flattened ends were early cars only, possibly a s1 carry over?
The tubes themselves are hardened and can crack with age/use.
Oiltite bush is the bush that goes in the end of the crank, dont think the gearbox output shaft has a conventonal seal but could be wrong? I think its has a scroll seal, so if you park it downhill it will leak!

Squashed tube, https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/2...-clutch-tube-all-1948-58-oval-ended-type.html

Hi yes I changed the oilite bush in the flywheel and flashed it on the surface grinder. That cross shaft tube looks like the one I had in mine. I made one out of stainless in work myself, fits well. The other oilite bush is in the withdrawl housing, here's the part no.


Oilite Bush for Clutch Withdrawal Sleeve Genuine 231075 G