My first question was did he have a clutch pilot bearing alignment too. To which he responded, " No ".

The problem with aligning a transmission to a manual clutch is that the output shaft of the transmission is splined to mate with splines on the clutch face plate. The face plate is held in position by the pressure created by bolting the pressure plate to the fly wheel. Consiquently the center of the face plate may not align with the pilot bearing, (the little bearing in the hole in the center of the flywheel).

If these two parts are not in perfect alignment, it is impossible to get the input shaft of the transmission to go through the clutch face plate and into the hole in the flywheel.

 This is where the clutch pilot bearing alignment tool comes into play. Years ago, before the massive use of plastic, you could purchase a universal tool for this job. The tool kit consisted of many parts of different sizes to allow for the different sizes of the clutch face plate center hole, and the size of the pilot bearing. However, with plastics being all the rage, the aftermarket producers are manufacturing a line of different size pilot tools for the various different clutch configurations. And at a considerable savings. A plastic clutch pilot bearing tool costs less than $5.

I suggested that he measure the diameter of the pilot bearing and then take his clutch plate to a local autostore. The aftermarket auto parts stores are now carrying a line of these tools in plastic. In fact when I purchased the clutch kit for my 84 Accord, the kit consisted of a Pressure plate, face plate throw out bearing and a Clutch pilot bearing alignment tool.

To his and my supprise his local PeP Boys had one.

Steve reports:

" Thanks for the advice on the alignment tool. It was one of the best $2.00 purchases I have made. Purchased it at Pep Boys around the corner from the house. For future reference the 4/4 uses a 7/8" 20 spline MG/Triumph/Austin tool."

In response to a question about the clutch in the +4 Morgans being similar to that used in the TR3s and 4s. Greg Solow wrote:

Sorry, but the pressure plate was either unique to Morgan, or Morgan was the most common application. It is like a TR-3 pressure plate with a thrust plate for use with a Carbon release bearing. The Austin Healey 100-6 pressure plate was similar, but I believe had a sightly different spring pressure. When we replace clutches on Morgan +4s, we usually recommend converting to a 8 1/2 inch diaphragm clutch. It requires less pedal effort, operates more smoothly, weighs less, and applies more pressure to the clutch disc. The flywheel must be redrilled for the pressure plate, or you can find a TR-4A flywheel which is already correctly drilled.

The redrilled flywheel should be rebalanced with the new pressure plate attached.

The release bearing must be very accurately positioned by the hole bored in the bell housing. This hole tends to wear in the vertical direction because of the force exerted upward by the release bearing sleeve operating pinion at the bottom of the sleeve. We have designed and built a jig in which we bore out the worn hole, shrink in a steel sleeve, and then bore and hone the sleeve to the proper size for the release bearing. After this operation, the release bearing is held in exact alignment with the center of the thrust plate which is "crimped" onto the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate. If the release bearing is not in the exact center of the pressure plate, there is a tendency for the oscillating contact between the thrust plate and the off-center release bearing to cause the thrust plate to work loose from the pressure plate diaphragm spring. This often occurs in cars that use diaphragm pressure plates as original equipment when the mechanism that locates the release bearing wears, allowing the bearing to shift away from its original "centered" position. The release bearing sleeve also has to be modified to compensate for the difference in the height between the diaphragm and coil spring type pressure plates.

Although this all may sound very involved, it is a very worthwhile

(John T. Blair writes:)

While I have a 4/4, it was nice to see someone that could support the +4 community. So I had to ask.

Greg,

Will you do this work for anyone? Can someone send you the parts and you do your magic? If so, how much does it cost?

(Ed note: These prices are as of 9/98 and are subject to change.)

[Greg Solow] We will be glad to perform this work for anyone.

1. Redrilling the flywheel is $95.00
2. Balancing the flywheel and clutch is $75.00.
3. Welding, boring, sleeving the bellhousing can vary from about $160.00 up to $260.00 depending upon the amount of welding and machining required which depends an the amount of wear to the bell housing, T/O operating pin slot, and clevis pin boss and hole.
4. Modifying the clutch release sleeve is $25.00 to redrill and retap the operating in hole and maybe $30.00 to weld up the boss in the inside where the hole goes.( some sleeves require this and some do not)
5. The clutch parts are $87.00 for the pressure plate and $66.00 for the disc.

The total would run around $508.00 - $640.00 .

2. What is your Co. name and where are you located (address).

[Greg Solow] My company is:
Greg Solow's Engine Room
125 Front St.
Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
831-429-1800
Fax: 831-429-1801

3. Do you mind if I put your post up on the SOL Morgan Web page?
(Ed note: I have no interest in this company other than to forward what appears to be valuable information and services to the Morgan community)

[Greg Solow] I would not mind at all. I have had my own Morgan since 1965 when I bought it new and have been working on Morgans (other than my own) since 1970. It is my desire that everyone should have as much fun and pleasure with their own Morgans as I have had with mine. Anything I can to help people out would be my pleasure. [Greg Solow]

Thanks for the enlightment. John