by Jim Morrison

In attempting to return the engine compartment in my Tiger to like new condition, I found no way of cleaning the exterior of the clutch and brake master cylinders to remove the discolorations of age. As a last resort, I lightly sand blasted them with very good results.

The first step is to thoroughly clean the part of grease, brake fluid, etc. Then tape up or plug the openings to prevent the sandblasting from damaging the bore.

After a light sandblasting, remove the tape and plugs and clean the piece thoroughly with soap and water making sure to get any sand particles out of the passages. Blow it out with an air gun and let it dry.

Further protection and beauty is added by coating the piece in a clear coating. For longest lasting results, use a coating that does not dissolve in gasoline or brake fluid. I found a spray can of Rustoleum clear to work very nicely but I would suggest you test a few brands before trying it on the real thing.

The end result is an attractive alloy finish with its glossiness determined by the type of clear coat used.

by R. Pennell

The hydraulic cylinders of my car were all rebuilt with painstaking care and utmost cleanliness. All internal parts were soaked in Castrol LMA and the completed assemblies stored in airtight ziplock plastic bags. All of this work was completed approx. 1 1/2 to two years prior to installation on the car.

Lo and behold, with everything assembled on the car, neither the brakes nor the clutch would work. So, off came all of the hydraulic cylinders for inspection. Incredibly, the internal parts were more corroded at this point than before they were originally cleaned up and rebuilt.

They have now been rebuilt for a second time, but this time the hydraulic system is filled with Dow-Corning silicone fluid, and everything seems to be working just fine. The conclusions reached from my experience are:

1. The cylinders should not be rebuilt until close to the time they win actually be installed.
2. To be on the safe side, spend a few more bucks and go first class with the silicone fluid.

by Jim Morrison

If you are having a problem with your Tiger’s clutch not fully disengaging, one potential solution is the installation of a clutch master cylinder with a 0.750-inch bore to replace the stock unit (having a bore of 0.625-inches). This will provide greater movement of the clutch arm for the same pedal movement. As the volume of hydraulic fluid displaced (for the same pedal movement) is a function of the square of the bore diameter, the increase in bore will result in a 44% increase in clutch arm movement.

But all this does not come without a trade off: clutch pedal effort is also increased by 44%. I have made this change to my car with good results, previously having had some trouble with a dragging clutch. The pedal effort is high but not unbearable (with a 2200 lb. performance pressure plate). The larger bore clutch master cylinder can be purchased through a Sunbeam parts supplier. Be sure to specify a bore size larger than 0.625″. 0.700″ and 0.750″ are the next two popular sizes.

by Chris Laisi

I recently went through a clutch replacement on my ’64 Alpine. I hope the information I found can be of some help to someone attempting to do the job. I have owned the car for eighteen years and have done all the maintenance, but this is the first time the clutch needed replacement. So here goes: During the years, I have had to rebuild both master and slave cylinders at least twice, so I elected to get new ones, finally. The throw at the slave cylinder should be about 3/8″. If it moves more then that then the problem is inside. The car was rolled up on standard ramps, and the sequence of dismantling goes as follows:

On Top:

1. Disconnect carburetor linkage.
2. Disconnect top water hose from the radiator.
3. Remove carburetor.
4. Remove three top bolts between engine and bell housing.
5. Remove floor covering and gear lever.

Below:

1. Remove the drive shaft.
2. Remove the exhaust pipe.
3. Drain the transmission (mine was empty).
4. Remove the starter motor and slave cylinder.
5. Disconnect the speedometer cable.
6. Place a hydraulic jack at the drain plug on transmission and remove the eight bolts holding the rear engine mount.
7. Slowly let trans/engine down. At a point before engine hits the firewall, support the rear of engine (I stacked a pile of 2″X 6″ pieces under the oil pan).
8. With the weight of the engine and transmission being supported by the jack, remove the remaining bolts on the bell housing.
9. Carefully slide the transmission back and down off the engine.

Easy so far, right? After pressure plate removal, it is time to see what it needs. The throw out bearing was well worn and had a crack and the plate was also well worm, so those had to go. The pressure plate looked okay, so back in she goes. The reason for no oil in transmission was a broken rear transmission seal, so I replaced both front and rear seals. The starter motor was also replaced. Back in everything went reversing the process, but to my dismay the clutch did not work. As much as I hated to, I had to go through the process again. This time I found a fulcrum ring in the old pressure plate had broken and had to be replaced.

Tips:

1. Use new parts.
2. If you are replacing the master cylinder, use the old push rod as the new one may not fit.
3. Check the throw out bearing clips. If they do not fit, you will have to be ream them out.
4. When using the clutch alignment tool, make sure it is centered when tightening the pressure plate bolts. I think this is how I broke the fulcrum ring.

Everything works great including the synchro gears with oil in the transmission.

by Rich Bakula

My 1965 Tiger (Serial No. B9473202) developed an extreme case of chewed flywheel teeth. This was probably started about 12 years ago by a starter gear, which was hanging up on the shaft.

When my mechanic (Gary Turner at GT Automotive) took everything apart, we also discovered that the clutch disc had just had it, after 16 years and 110,000 miles of service. You could see the wear indicator marks in the face, but you couldn’t feel them!

The only thing we could tell about what we had was the flywheel part no. of C30E-6380B with 159 teeth and a 10 1/2 inch clutch with no part numbers on either the disc or pressure plate.

Armed with Walt Tetrahedra’s Tech Tip from the June 1981 issue of the TE/AE Newsletter and the S.T.O.A. Tech Tip, “Ford Muscle Parts Clutch,” from April 1977, we decided to try for a Hays factory rebuild on the clutch, and blissfully called the machine shop in Orlando about a new ring gear.

Gary was able to contact the Hays factory in Cleveland, Ohio, to arrange for a rebuild. The person he talked to was Ray Van Dame at (216) 398-8300. Gary told Ray about the problem with the Hays clutch installed in a Tiger reported in Walt Teichgraber’s Tech Tip, and Ray was surprised to hear this, but said he would look into it.

Gary also asked for lighter springs, as we felt that what we had was 1,900 1b. springs (i.e., a Boss 302 unit). Gary measured all the critical dimensions, put a special identification mark on each piece and shipped it off to Cleveland.

What we got back was my original clutch (with our ID marks) all beautifully rebuilt! The invoice was for a “P/N” 40-107 Clutch Disc ($35.44) and “P/N” 41-200 Clutch Pressure Plate ($98.60). Gary said this was $35 less than a new Hays clutch, which probably wouldn’t have worked, anyway.

The rebuilt clutch has a lighter touch, yet engages firmly. It has a different feel on disengagement, however, which eases pedal pressure at high RPM (much as described in the second paragraph of the above-cited S.T.O.A. Tech Tip).

Whatever was done to it seems like the right formula to me!

The flywheel proved to be a little more puzzling and difficult. The word came back from Orlando that the ring gear had to have either 157 or 162 teeth-not 159! Gary counted it three more times 159, 159 and 159. I called Tiger Tom who said to use a 162-tooth ring gear for replacement, but Gary and I felt uncomfortable with this solution. The machine shop finally found the proper ring gear at “Ford Special Parts” in California. I have no information beyond this. Perhaps someone will be able to fill in the details. We were invoiced for a P/N C202-6384B (This could be an erroneous translation of the Ford P/N C30E-6380B) ring gear at $49, plus $25 for labor. Everything works perfectly, and I’m very pleased that we (Gary did it) were able to accomplish this project successfully on the first try, at a reasonable cost, while maintaining absolute originality.

By the way, Gary was able to do this work without removing or disturbing the engine, or any of its components, probably in a similar fashion as was done by Walt Teichgraber and Scott Woerth.

Note:

The Tiger flywheel (C30E-6380B) is no longer available. C30E-6480B is the casting number of the flywheel used on the Tiger. The part number for this unit is C40Z-6375-A. It comes with the 160-tooth ring gear P/N C20Z-6384-A. You can use both the 10″ clutch and a 10 1/2″ clutch such as the LAT-60 on this flywheel.

Suggestion:

If the part that you are looking for is no longer available under the original part number, a good place to find a replacement part is in an interchange manual. The two most common interchange manuals are Mitchell’s and Hollander’s. If you can’t find a copy at your local library, try your friendly neighborhood junkyard.

Editors note: Prices mentioned in this article have obviously increased.

by Jim Morrison

If you are having a problem with your Tiger’s clutch not fully disengaging, one potential solution is the installation of a clutch master cylinder with a 0.750-inch bore to replace the stock unit (having a bore of 0.625-inches). This will provide greater movement of the clutch arm for the same pedal movement. As the volume of hydraulic fluid displaced (for the same pedal movement) is a function of the square of the bore diameter, the increase in bore will result in a 44% increase in clutch arm movement.

But all this does not come without a trade off: clutch pedal effort is also increased by 44%. I have made this change to my car with good results, previously having had some trouble with a dragging clutch. The pedal effort is high but not unbearable (with a 2200 lb. performance pressure plate). The larger bore clutch master cylinder can be purchased through a Sunbeam parts supplier. Be sure to specify a bore size larger than 0.625″. 0.700″ and 0.750″ are the next two popular sizes.

by Chris Laisi

I recently went through a clutch replacement on my ’64 Alpine. I hope the information I found can be of some help to someone attempting to do the job. I have owned the car for eighteen years and have done all the maintenance, but this is the first time the clutch needed replacement. So here goes: During the years, I have had to rebuild both master and slave cylinders at least twice, so I elected to get new ones, finally. The throw at the slave cylinder should be about 3/8″. If it moves more then that then the problem is inside. The car was rolled up on standard ramps, and the sequence of dismantling goes as follows:

On top:

1. Disconnect carburetor linkage.
2. Disconnect top water hose from the radiator.
3. Remove carburetor.
4. Remove three top bolts between engine and bell housing.
5. Remove floor covering and gear lever.

Below:

1. Remove the drive shaft.
2. Remove the exhaust pipe.
3. Drain the transmission (mine was empty).
4. Remove the starter motor and slave cylinder.
5. Disconnect the speedometer cable.
6. Place a hydraulic jack at the drain plug on transmission and remove the eight bolts holding the rear engine mount.
7. Slowly let trans/engine down. At a point before engine hits the firewall, support the rear of engine (I stacked a pile of 2″X 6″ pieces under the oil pan).
8. With the weight of the engine and transmission being supported by the jack, remove the remaining bolts on the bell housing.
9. Carefully slide the transmission back and down off the engine.

Easy so far, right? After pressure plate removal, it is time to see what it needs. The throw out bearing was well worn and had a crack and the plate was also well worm, so those had to go. The pressure plate looked okay, so back in she goes. The reason for no oil in transmission was a broken rear transmission seal, so I replaced both front and rear seals. The starter motor was also replaced. Back in everything went reversing the process, but to my dismay the clutch did not work. As much as I hated to, I had to go through the process again. This time I found a fulcrum ring in the old pressure plate had broken and had to be replaced.

Tips:

1. Use new parts.
2. If you are replacing the master cylinder, use the old push rod as the new one may not fit.
3. Check the throw out bearing clips. If they do not fit, you will have to be ream them out.
4. When using the clutch alignment tool, make sure it is centered when tightening the pressure plate bolts. I think this is how I broke the fulcrum ring.

Everything works great including the synchro gears with oil in the transmission.

NUMBER: 67-12
DATE: Jan. 23, 1967
GROUP: Engine
SUBGROUP: Clutch Shaft Pilot Bushing – Noisy

MODELS: Alpine & Minx
SUBJECT: Clutch Shaft Pilot Bushing – Noisy

Some reports have been received of low pitched noise from the clutch on release of the pedal during the first few applications, especially when the vehicle has been standing overnight.

When called upon to investigate such a complaint, it is recommended that the gearbox is removed and the clutch shaft pilot bushing in the flywheel is replaced in accordance with the instructions contained in Section ‘B’ Page 33 of the Service Manual.

NOTE: As this clutch shaft pilot bushing is self lubricating, it must be soaked in engine oil for 24 hours at room temperature prior to fitting.

T.H. Bullard
Service & Parts Manager