Kangarooing

Clutch adjustment would seem the order of the day, however it's a hydraulic clutch so I dont think you can adjust (unless you are loosing fluid or something). When using the clutch try and plant the heel of your left foot firmly on the carpet/map and pivot your foot around it this helps make heavy clutches less likely to kangaroo. If that doesn't help it may be something else that's wrong :-(

Sounds like play in the driveline or wear in the suspension. Unless you are actually using the clutch it won't impart and "kangaroo". I'd be checking suspension bushes, engine & gearbox mounts, driveshafts, UJ's, and also play within the transmission itself

My 110 with 185k miles on it does that sometimes too, usually when descending a slight hill in 2nd high at idle. I put it down to transmission slack. When it starts, a small squeeze on the throttle calms it. It doesn't do it in low range.

Mine only does it on overrun so I don't notice it that often. Not that there's much I can do about the general slack in the drivetrain anyway.

You could try to determing how much/where the slack is by jacking up various wheels and seeing how much movement there is at each wheel with various combinations if difflock and handbrake on or off. At 200k though, it's probably everywhere! :-)

HTH Gromit

Yeah, it's really easy to calm, or to avoid with very careful clutch control.

I'm reassured to know it's not unheard of - just wanted to be sure I was checking everything I should be. However, I'm back to suspecting that in addition to general slack, there is also a replacement due somewhere in the clutch system (see below)

"LOL" as they say (though I swore I never would!) - there is indeed slack just about everywhere, but not much. I do pamper the beast, changing just about every fluid in the last year and doing 3000 mile splash & dash main oil changes. Hoping for a fair bit more life yet.

I just noticed though, that there is a slight drop in clutch fluid level... hmm... now I'm going to have to get everything really clean so I can try to see where it's coming out. Urgh.

:) K

On or around Mon, 9 Aug 2004 19:00:27 +0100, "Kieran Turner" enlightened us thusly:

with the clutch engaged or on taking up drive?

it's not unknown for the pump governor to "hunt" slightly at idle[1], and if you pootle along at or near idle in gear, it'll make it kangaroo slightly.

must have a look at the pump timing sometime on ours - having rebuilt it and put a new timing belt on, and having reset the timing of the pump in the process, it now feels rather "flat" (and indeed always has). considering the way it's done when changing the belt (viz. pin into the pump gear/body, lock the pump spindle, then tweak the crankshaft 'till the crank pin will go into the flywheel), I reckon I can do the pump locking procedure, loosen the pump pulley-to-hub bolts, then back the crank a degree or so and retighten the pump drive, unlock the pump, and it'll have advanced the pump timing. I

if it doesn't work, I can re-acquire the original positions easy enough by the normal setting procedure.

This engine has always felt "flat" off-idle. When we first had it it was relatively easy to stall unless you gave it a noticeable amount of boot pulling off. tweaking the fuelling on the pump made it better, but not much, it behaves very like a spark ignition engine with a late spark...