Clutch will not disengage

Minn-Tex Lee

Minn-Tex Lee

Senior Member
The good news is it started,(1931 Roadster) however I could not get the clutch to disengage.
I have about 1/8" travel on the throw-out bearing ( 1" on the clutch pedal) then the fingers start to move. It appears plenty of motion is given to the fingers but the clutch plate still appears to be attached to the fly wheel.
How can the clutch disk be freed up short of removing the engine.
This is a rebuild and has been sitting for a year.
I would appreciate any thoughts on this issue.
Thanks
Lee
 
I have had luck with the car in third gear, push the car with a few friends and let the clutch out. That usually frees it up

mike
 
I've had similar issues with some of my old tractors. Moisture between the plates causes the clutch to seize. If this is the case here, the cure has been as described above. Good luck!
 
Start the engine and allow it to get up to operating temps. Sometimes the clutch facing will release from the flywheel on its own. If the car is driveable (safely) then driving it in slow-to-fast bursts with the clutch pedal depressed will often times cause it to break free. If you don't feel comfortable starting it in gear and driving it, then you can try placing the rear axle on jack stands and starting the engine. Then allow the rear wheel(s) to turn with the clutch pedal depressed and try jabbing on the brake pedal to free it.

.
 
You might check that the arm on the clutch release shaft is not cracked or broken at the retaining pin. It could be not allowing the full clutch action.

Tom Endy
 
if you can drive it you may be able to break the clutch loose by driving it in a safe area and pushing in the clutch and then releasing it rapidily, or putting on the brakes hard while giving it lots of throiile, it should break free in a short time, if it doesnt you may have gotten one of the cheap chinesse clutchs that is to thick to allow the clutch to release, if so you get to pull the engine or trans to replace it with a good usa made clutch
 
I freed one up that wouldn't break loose in third gear by spraying carburetor cleaner through the inspection plate and driving it in third gear again. Don't use anything that leaves an oily residue.
 
RonC said:
I freed one up that wouldn't break loose in third gear by spraying carburetor cleaner through the inspection plate and driving it in third gear again. Don't use anything that leaves an oily residue.
Click to expand...

Ron, DITTO!
And, another good spray without oil....brake cleaner!
 
RonC said:
I freed one up that wouldn't break loose in third gear by spraying carburetor cleaner through the inspection plate and driving it in third gear again. Don't use anything that leaves an oily residue.
Click to expand...

Ron, did you spray the chemical with the engine running or stopped?

.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. I did Brents trick of starting it in second gear and driving it into a solid object (tree) and it freed up. After 5 years of getting this far the old bird sure takes on a different personality.
Looking forward to interior work and actually driving it.
Lee
 
Minn-Tex Lee said:
Thanks for all the input guys. I did Brents trick of starting it in second gear and driving it into a solid object (tree) and it freed up. After 5 years of getting this far the old bird sure takes on a different personality.
Looking forward to interior work and actually driving it.
Lee
Click to expand...

I missed the part where Brent said to drive it into a tree. :D
When I was 15 I freed up the stuck clutch on a 1952 fluid drive DeSoto the same way. I drove it against a tree and pushed the clutch in and stepped on the gas and it popped loose.

BTW, not only is my 28 clutch frozen, but the entire car is and it'll stay that way for another 3 months. :(
Sure hope we get an early thaw like we had last year.
 
a tree , can you specify your speed and the distance of approach ? i suggest choosing a large tree .
i found to hand crank it, using the inspection window , inserting a slim solid block of wood and a hammer to jar a tight pressure plate some, rotating it a few times and repeating . i've not done this on a model A .
 
'29wagon said:
a tree , can you specify your speed and the distance of approach ? i suggest choosing a large tree .
i found to hand crank it, using the inspection window , inserting a slim solid block of wood and a hammer to jar a tight pressure plate some, rotating it a few times and repeating . i've not done this on a model A .
Click to expand...

You just EASE the car's front bumper against the tree, so the car has something to keep it from moving forward. This worked well with the fluid drive on the DeSoto, but would be hard to do with a CLUTCH ONLY car, because if the clutch won't release, the car has to be OFF or MOVING.
 
Minn-Tex Lee said:
Thanks for all the input guys. I did Brents trick of starting it in second gear and driving it into a solid object (tree) and it freed up. Lee
Click to expand...

Brent, What kind of trees you runnin your A's into down thar in 10-uh-C?
icon12.gif
And....the rest of the story is?

Good Day!
Dave in MN
 
I must appologize-- Starting the car in gear was Brents idea
The tree was mine. Distance was 3" and maybe it just warmed up and freed up. Anyway she is up and running.
 
I was driving along, clutching and shifting just fine then clutch pedal went down with no resistance and car remained in gear. After towing it home all linkages are fine but throw out bearing just barely touches "fingers' when pedal depressed and pressure plate and clutch plate are firmly stuck together. I cannot get clutch pedal to release engine from ******. Any thoughts ?
 

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Check for a broken clutch arm. You may need someone pushing in the clutch while you are looking at it to see it.
 
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