Battery and Clutch

[BigLou]

I bought my 1969 280SL from the original owner in 1989. It lived in Los Angeles until then and New Orleans since then. I have complete records. My clutch began to fail right before the pandemic. It crunched a bit going into first or reverse. Then, the car would lurch forward (if in first) or back (if in reverse) if I tried to start it with the car in gear and the clutch pedal fully depressed. Getting this car serviced in New Orleans is not easy, and the pandemic made that worse. I’ve been using the same shop since I bought the car, but the shop does mostly Ferraris and Lamborghinis and I have to wait until there’s an opening, which can take weeks.  The M-B dealer will change the oil and lubricate, but that’s all. With a bad clutch and no service, the car has sat for months. Of course the battery is now dead as can be, and it won’t hold a charge. I started the car with jump wires (gear in neutral and clutch pedal fully depressed) and ran it for about 20 minutes at around 1500 rpm, then let it idle. It continued to run well for about 5 minutes, then abruptly stopped. A few weeks later I started it again with jump wires and ran it for around 10 minutes at around 1500 rpm, then let it idle and it stopped immediately.  Can the dead battery be a reason the engine stopped? I’m thinking maybe the alternator couldn’t provide enough current at idle speed. Back to the clutch.  I’m still waiting for my mechanic to call with an opening.  I have no local alternatives. The clutch fluid is full. The car has about 182,000 miles, and the records do not reflect a clutch change. Any thoughts or suggestions? I can fill a car with fuel, and that is the extent of my mechanical ability. Many thanks in advance. BigLou

[mdsalemi]

Hi Big Lou,

You have two separate issues here, so don't confuse them.

Your battery and charging system are fairly simple and similar to millions of cars; nothing particularly unique about it to a Pagoda. Many auto parts stores can test a battery and tell you whether or not its good, and they'll do the same for the charging system. If the battery shows signs of failure, just replace it: simple. A few years back, when Sears was still around (probably more than 5 years now) I replaced my battery with a sealed DieHard. Well, my mechanic informed me that one cell is bad. It probably has enough capacity to start the car, but I'll replace it this summer.

The car should be able to run w/o the battery, once started. That's part of the task of the alternator. So, take your car to a place that can test the battery/alternator.

Your clutch is another matter. If it is not functioning properly "get in line" with your guy that can service it. It's a pretty straightforward repair like it is on most standard transmission cars of the era. Ensure you get all the right parts, seals, etc. or ensure that your mechanic doesn't shortchange you on parts. So much money goes towards labor best to replace it all "while you are in there".

[BigLou]

Thanks much for the good advice.

[bracurrie]

Good advice on clutch and keeping the issues separate.
The engine not staying running could be a fueling issue, I suspect since the car sat for some time. Ethanol in the gas causes havoc.

[kampala]

Clutch:

Often when the actual clutch fails it slips - you seem to not have a slipping issue, you seem to have an issue where the clutch stays partially engaged — this can often be caused by the clutch master cylinder, the clutch slave cylinder, low or very old clutch fluid and such.  Before assuming you must pull the tranny, I would check the entire  clutch  fluid network.  A simple fluid change and good bleed can do wonders in helping to disengage the clutch properly for shifting. 

Hint: taught to me by an old Mercedes expert - before shifting to first or reverse, shift to second as it does something to line it up.  Works great and never crunches. 

[Cees Klumper]

To add my 2 cents: my son's 1986 Nissan's clutch was going out. I ordered a new slave cylinder and seals for the master. It took me about 2 hours to rebuild the master, and replace the slave, and bleed the system. I am not a mechanic and had never ever worked on one of these Nissans. What I am saying is that any car repair shop worth their salt should be able to replace your master/slave cylinders in little time. I am not aware of any complexities with the Pagoda clutch. So if your regular shop can't give you the time of day, I see absolutely no risk in you taking it to any other decent shop to get it taken care of.

[BigLou]

Thanks to all. Very helpful. BigLou