Had a minor hernia operation last week, so been away from the truck for a bit. Going to be quite a few more weeks before I can really do anything significant and at least 6 weeks before I could face the master clutch clevis pin... Drove it to emissions testing and VIN verification today so had a chance to do more testing.

I think it's going to end up being a combination of things. Pretty sure there is a leak in the system - MiniMike, pumping the clutch does make it POSSIBLE to shift when cold and easier when warm. Still brutally hard though - every traffic light was an adventure. Probably a combination of worn linkages, clutch air, worn clevis pin etc etc. 

I learnt to drive on a non-sycromesh 3 speed, so I always do second than 1st on any car I drive - just habit.

It does do something really weird every 5 minutes or so. Goes "floppy" - I can move it easily to any position, but it's not engaging any gear.

First thing I'm going to do is remove the quikshift to get that out the mix and then just work logically through refreshing the system. 

when you put it into 1st gear, pull it into second then up to first. This will align the synchros as I recall. Either way, it you make a habit of
going into second then 1st before you take off, you'll find it much easier to get into 1t.

on another note, if you can pump the clutch 2 or 3 times and it goes into 1st easier, you need to bleed the system, or maybe have an internal leak in the clutch master.

I had a non-Mini vehicle where the splines of the clutch plate had too close tolerance. In cold weather, when the pedal was depressed, the clutch plate would not slide clear of the flywheel, resulting in drag until the clutch warmed up and the tolerances improved. We habitually left in 1st or reverse when we parked it. If we needed to let it idle in neutral, we would engage a higher gear (gently!) to stop the gearbox (Getrag 5 speed) spinning, then quickly engaged 1st or reverse.

I accidently over-stated how long the car was sitting. It was driving last fall, and then has been used mostly as a show/club car the previous 10 years.

Anyway, it looks like it was a stuck clutch plate. I couldn't get it going in first, so I started it in reserve and drove it (looking like an idiot) around my circular driveway dipping the clutch. After about 5 minutes, I have full functionality with no clutch slippage and took it for the first mail run (~3 miles to mailbox).

Still horrible to get into 1st/2nd gear from neutral when stationary, but not sure if that's me struggling with the quickshift or something else. But it's usable even if I have to start rolling in 3rd to be able to downshift to 2nd from stationary right now

Thanks all for the help.

Oh, and one more thing. If the car has not been driven in years and there was moisture in the environment, the actual flywheel and backing plate surfaces could have some rust or buildup on them with artificially closes up the gap that the friction disc rides between when the clutch is depressed. That means when you press the clutch and the flywheel and backplate separate, there is crap in there also creating some high spots that are catching the clutch disc that is trying to otherwise spin freely. After you drive a bit and do some "take offs" from a dead stop and drag/ride the clutch some during engagement, it'll sand away.

You don't need a clutch to shift a car that's not running. Nothing is spinning so there's nothing that needs to be disengaged and rengaged to mesh together. In fact, you can shift a car without a clutch at all if you time your shifts well. And a mini is always happiest to start with it in neutral and foot OFF the clutch and also shift into neutral at long lights and take your foot off the clutch rather than put continuous side (thrust) loading onto your crank and crank's thrust washers and your throwout bearing.

Now, back to the issue.

Any mini that sits for a year or more has likely had the slave cylinder leak. You can tell by peeling back the dust boot on the slave cylinder and seeing if there is gunk or moisture in there. If there is crap behind the dust boot, it came as a result of your slave cylinder leaking. Period. Even if it is just a tiny weep. But its a leak nonetheless.

If it has been leaking, then there is near-certainty that there is air in the system. Bleed it. My preferred method of bleeding is to have someone stand on the clutch pedal and then you crack the line on the slave and let the return spring push out the fluid. Close the bleeder before the assistant removes her / his foot from the pedal and repeats. When there's no "Ffffrrrrt sprrt" and it's just fluid, then you're bled.

there is no real need to "measure" any sort of super-specific distance between the lever arm stop and the arm. The thickness of a cereal box cardboard or post card is plenty. Just make sure you can create a thin visible gap between the stop bolt and the arm when you pull outwardly on the arm with your hand and overcome the forces of the little visible coil spring. Take the coil spring off if you want to to make sure you are only overcoming those forces, but over time you'll get a feel for how to check it without removing that spring. The reason for the stop is so that when the clutch is in the fully relaxed position there is a gap between the throwout bearing in the housing and the clutch spring so the throwout bearing isn't constantly spinning and riding on the clutch spring inside. It is also to make sure you aren't slightly "riding" the clutch which would cause it to eventually slip, would cause you to ride your crank and the crank's thrust washers.

If you are not able to fully disengage the clutch either because of air in the system, slop in the mechanical parts of the system, or some other reason, you will have difficulty engaging and disengaging gears while the engine is running. 1st and reverse will be the most difficult to engage and disengage followed closely by 2nd gear and then 3rd and 4th.

The stuck plunger is also a possibility, but you can sometimes just temporarily "cheap out" and just spray a bunch of penetrant down there and work it free with the pedal. But removing the cover and greasing it is indeed the RIGHT way. But not always necessary for the short term checking.

There are probably no less than 20 possible causes, but start with bleeding the clutch.

When you depress the clutch pedal, does the shuttle (shaft/plunger) in the clutch cover that is supposed to move when the lever moves actually moving? Are the stop nuts too close to the clutch cover? Remove them if they seem to be interfering.

With the brakes off, engine off, the transmission in 4th gear, and the clutch pedal fully depressed, can the car be moved? If everything else is working the clutch plate itself may be stuck, either to the flywheel or pressure plate or on its splines and not sliding clear of the flywheel - a small amount of rust or grime can do this.

With the engine off and no clutch input, most manual transmission cars can be shifted from gear to gear for most combinations (maybe not all on all cars). It depends partly on the gear ratios and the cut of the gears (and how worn!) how easily it can be done. The trouble is most likely where Mike suggests, or the clutch plate or stuck to the flywheel.

it's pretty common when a car sits in crappy environments.  If the arm is moving everything else is working, that's where I'd look next.

"I'm gonna guess your release bearing SHAFT is frozen in the clutch housing". Wouldn't that cause a complete failure? I have some clutch function, since I can start the car when in gear with clutch down. Appreciate the advice.

I'm gonna guess your release bearing SHAFT is frozen in the clutch housing. Remove the cover. Remove the bearing shaft, clean it up, and put some neverseize on it. Good time to replace the release bearing if it was ever making the whirring sound with your foot on clutch pedal down. 
Reassemble and leave out the 8 o'clock bolt. not needed and a PITA to reach back there.

And you can do all the other basic stuff, but if the arm is moving from the slave, the hydraulics are working.

and for anyone else, to test a slipping clutch, put it in 4th, start engine, as you release clutch have foot on brake and give it plenty of gas. It should stall as soon as clutch is released.  Not slipping

New to me mini.  Clutch is not working. Pre-verto. When engine is off, can shift fine. When engine on, it’s frozen – can’t shift at all. Clutch worked enough for me to be able to start it in gear in order to get it off the transporter and into the garage. When starting in 1^st gear, the starter rolls it forwards a bit.

Was reportedly running fine at the end of summer. Wasn’t damage from transport – had this problem before it was transported. While has been cold here is not a temperature problem – garage is plenty warm. Have checked carpets not in way.

Probably at least 10 years since it’s done much driving, most of that sitting in a garage.

Has a quick shifter installed.

Clutch master has fluid, metal lines look good. Arm is moving in and out of slave fine. Gap looks reasonable, but have not measured yet. No sign of oil leak from flywheel housing, but engine recently detailed so might not see it if there is.

 

Am intending to start with the basics. Bleed system – if it won’t bleed, then replace hoses. Adjust  freeplay on clutch arm. Check adjustment on throwout stop.

Then get into replacing master, slave and clevis pins.

Thoughts on my approach based on the symptoms?
Don't assume any real knowledge on my part when giving advice - only the second time in my life I've worked on a clutch.

Thanks in advance!