65 Clutch

[FireFly]

First time poster to the site - glad I found it.

I have a 1965 with a 4 speed manual transmission. Unfortunately I do not get to drive it as much as I'd like - the cold winters here in NH don't help matters much.

When I tucked the car away for storage last fall everything worked fine. When I started it up last weekend I found a problem with my clutch. It does not work.

The pedal is hard to push in. With the car in gear I can attempt to start it but it will lunge forward, even with the clutch pressed in. I can start it in neutral but if I try to put it in gear with the clutch pressed in, it grinds - did this only one time.

Any thoughts on how I can fix this myself? I'm not the most mechanically inclined person but I have done a lot fo work on the car by myself and with others.

Thanks for the help!

 

[vigman]

I'll bet the following

BTW WELCOME TO THE CAC!!!

The clutch SURFACE has rusted to the flywheel

Can you do a rolling start?

EG ( roll the car down the driveway.. get it straight on the street...attempt to start in 1st gear and drive ..) press the pedal in and give it a good REV.. it should break loose.. then just slip it a few times and should be good as new.

Where was the car stored? In or outside?
covered?..How long?

If the linkage is not bent or broken this should do the trick.


Vig~

 

[allcoupedup]

FireFly-
Be sure you have plenty of room because you'll have to kill your motor by ignition or brakes to stop your car. I'd also start your car in neutral and let it warm up and get out of high idle before trying this. I suppose you could force the car into neutral but I wouldn't recommend it

vigman
Here's one thign I don't understand - if the clutch was rusted to the flywheel - wouldn't he be able push the clutch pedal in w/o any additional effort? The pressure created by the plate pressure should still be relieved but the clutch disk just woudn't slide on the shaft. Is this reasoning correct?


You might want to have someone push the pedal and take a look at your clutch linkage to see what's going on.


Good Luck
allcoupedup

 

[IH2LOSE]

allcouped up and firefly
WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

Firefly before you do anything get under the dash and then under the car make sure the linkage is connected and working correct.Your in a real dangerous situation DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR untill you know if its a linkage problem or as vig says rusted to the flywheel,If its rusted on onces it breacks loose youll be ok if its linkage and it frees up or starts to work then all of a sudden it binds again your in trouble,

This is definatly a dangerous problem use real care in figuring out,I have never ever had a clutch rust fast to the flywheel it makes sence it could happen but I have never seen it my self personally,Good luck be safe !

 

[magicv8]

Vigman has posted the cure for a rusted stuck clutch.

Remmeber to be ready to kill the engine with the key if it doesn't break loose, or if a piece has broken off and is wedged beween the pressure plate and the clutch - at which point you will not be able to put the pedal down to the floor.

I speak from experience, having blown my clutch in to several dozen pieces racing a motorcycle through the mountains in Montana several years ago. I had to drive the 1400 miles from ThreeForks MT to Moline IL with no clutch, and stop thecar with the key off.

 

[vigman]

It's Logical to assume

If the clutch is rusted to the flywheel.. it logical to assume that all the other linkage, springs, throw out bearing shaft.. et al.. is equally F'ed up.

And the clutch is not ACTUALLY rusted .. but there is a fair amount of crud binding the two together.

The OTHER thing you could try instead of the driving thing... WHICH IS DANGEROUS.. AND SHOULD ONLY BE ATTEMPED IF YOU ARE REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR DRIVING SKILLS.. I have driven MANY odd.. unsafe things.. with broken parts aplenty.. just for the fun/ experience of it.

The other thing is just let the car IDLE till it gets up to temprature ( 10 min )

The spend another 3 min wih the clutch IN.. just revin' the motor in neutral.. that MIGHT help...

DO NOT SPRAY ANY KINDA LUBE, cleaner, or solvent IN THERE!

DO check out the linkage..( engine off ) and DO watch the throw out bearing move in & out.

Vig~

 

[FireFly]

Thanks for all the great advice! The car has been in storage for 6+ months and when it went into storage the clutch worked just fine. I store the car in my regular, un-heated garage.

I have plenty of room to do a running start- 700 foot driveway which goes downhill

I'll check out underneath to see what's going on, then I'll warm up the car to see if that makes a difference (moving clutch in and out) and then I'll try the running start.

Only problem I'll have is making it back up my driveway if this fails to fix the problem but I'll deal with that on my own.

Thanks again for the great info!

 

[youwish2bme]

WOW! Running start man you got a brass set don't ya. I think there has to be a better way... Dave..

 

[vigman]

Well any other suggestions?

This has worked for me in the past...

Yes I agree it's a bit dodgy.. but it sure beats dropping the tranny, bellhousing, clutch etc.

I have to assume that the clutch didnt BLOW before it was shutting down....

Which only leaves 1 option.

GRUNGE..

Is the rubber boot intact on the fork arm?

Maybe you have a MOUSE stuck in there gumming up the works ( joke )


Vig~

 

[bradfordsvettes]

vigs idea for breaking loose the clutch disc rusted to to the fly wheel is a good repair have done it myself it works at least 98% of the time unless it has set for many years in bad wet conditions only my 2cents worth Steve

 

[FireFly]

Tried everything last night except for the running start. I did manage to look under to see the linkage is all working fine. So I guess I'll have to try sailing it down my driveway this weekend.

Still a tad bit concerned about trying it but it sounds like it is the best solution for now.

I'll drop in on Monday with the results.

 

[magicv8]

If it does not break looseut it in reverse, start it in gear, back it into the driveway , and kill the ignition while hitting the brakes.

I got mine home from MT starting it in 4th gear.

 

[vigman]

Magic

And he does this WITH the clutch pedal pushed in... right?


Vig~

 

[magicv8]

No - as with my fragmented clutch (which would not allow me to push the pedal down) - start it in gear with no clutch pedal use. Unless its on a severe grade or the battery is dead, it will start.