Clutch out after Storage?

[lytemup]

Hello, finally just got my 81 out of storage today (or tried to). When I went to put the car in reverse it just grinds the gear as the clutch is not disengaging. It will not go into any of the forward gears either (doesn't grind, but if I push a bit harder it drops rpm as it starts to load the engine). I pushed the car foward a bit just for giggles but that didn't change anything. Had the wife push the clutch while I checked the linkage and everything appeared fine.

The car has <20k original miles, and has been driven <100 in the last 5 years. It also did not show any signs of a worn clutch when I put it away last year... so I'm quite surprised that it would have gone out...

So my question is, how do I truely diagnose this, could it just be 'frozen' together? Anything else it could be?

Also of note when I unzipped the big baggie I keep it in was the car seems to have peed a large amout of what looked to be P/S fluid, but I'm pretty sure C3's did't have hydo clutches (& mine's all original).

I like to fix this myself if nothing else for the learning and enjoyment of it, but I am obviously not a mechanic. I am actually an engine engineer though, so I'm not starting at ground zero.

Thanks for your help!


EDIT: thinking about this more. I store it in one of the zip up bags, pretty much air tight. the P/S fluid leak caused some mold on the bag and cardboard i placed under the car, so perhaps the clutch is rusted to the flywheel given the extra condinsation right in the area?? hmm..how to check, test, free that...

 

[TimAT]

MY bet is, as you suggested, the driven plate of the clutch is stuck. Could be to the flywheel or the pressure plate. (really makes no difference, stuck is stuck).
Couple of ways to get it loose, one is to roll the car in gear while holding the clutch pedal to the floor (engine off) and it maybe will pop free. Be careful- watch your feet- don't run over your foot! The other way is to pull the trans/bellhousing and clutch as if you were replacing the clutch.
I've seen this happen a couple of times and always got it loose by rolling the car- had to actually tow one. It finally popped loose.
The driven clutch disc has just enough metal in it that it will get rusty and stick.
Let us know your results.- and as I said, PLEASE be careful.

You also mentioned that it does run- Get it out where you have room, put it in gear with the brakes off, hold the clutch down and start the engine. If it starts, stop the with the brakes, again holding the clutch down. IT will either kill the engine or pop the clutch loose. May take a few tries.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Tim has given you some sound advice. My 2 cents is to throwaway the zip up storage bag- your story of accumulated condensation and moisture is very common.

 

[lytemup]

thanks for the advice guys, I had it chained up and had it ready to pull when I decided to let it warm up real good and rev it *way* up just to see if the centrifugual force would do the job... it did! once up to redline and and it was good. appears it was acutally a coolant leak...i'm thinking the freeze protection is not so good on my (old) coolant anymore, though nothing is busted or leaking. how long do people *really* wait before flushing anyway?? perhaps that's a different post. thanks again.