1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

T

Tech_machine

Junior Member
1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

I have a 47 Mercury Convertable, rebuilt running. When I tried to drive it, no go.

New Clutch with the rebuild, everything seems to be in order, but it must not be. Shifts through the gears, the wheels turn properly when they are off the ground. But with car on ground it will not move. Transmission seems alright, the wheels turn by hand properly, the driveshaft does as well. The hub lock keys are intact.

Any ideas are welcome, I have some guys locally that help me out, kind of running out of ideas. The transmission is currently out.

I should mention, when you put it in gear and let out the clutch, there is no drag down on the engine at all.
Thanks in advance.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Slipping clutch. Pressure plate not engaging clutch disc fully and disc barely engaging flywheel. Do you smell anything when you put it in gear when the wheels are on the ground? Check clutch pedal hookup...
 
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Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Should be 3/4 to 1" free play on the pedal before you feel it hit the throwout bearing.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

You wrote that "the transmission is currently out." Maybe I'm reading too much into that statement, but it seems to me that just might be your problem.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Kinda late if you have the transmission pulled; but if you looked inside the inspection cover on the transmission; you may have been able to see what was and what wasn't going around. Another thing that could have been checked was the speedometer, cable, or drive gear depending on the state of assembly to see if it was rotating.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

The transmission is”removed” at this time. The clutch pedal seemed to me to be very long, if you know what I mean. There was maybe 2” of free play, but with the clutch fully disengaged it would be hitting the bottom of the floorboard(if it was in). I did try adjusting the pedal to get that inch free play, did not seem to make a difference. There were no smells or anything. The car would just “wiggle” very slightly when going into low or reverse, with no engine drawdown at all. Thanks for the responses, I’m not much of a wrench, it was Dad’s car, been sitting for 15 to 20 yrs.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

To adj the clutch you need any rubber bumpers for the clutch pedal to be in place and the clutch pedal return spring. Start from there and then adj the free play. Same goes for the brake pedal.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Terry said:
To adj the clutch you need any rubber bumpers for the clutch pedal to be in place and the clutch pedal return spring. Start from there and then adj the free play. Same goes for the brake pedal.
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So, the floor should be in when adjusting clutch pedal, is that what you mean?
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Did the speedometer show speed when the car not moving?
Aguy I used to work with had that problem— then he found the clutch disc on the bench.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Kurt in NJ said:
Did the speedometer show speed when the car not moving?
Aguy I used to work with had that problem— then he found the clutch disc on the bench.
Click to expand...

Yep, that would do it. I had a similar experience… floorboards in, completely assembled with the throw-out bearing to the rear of the clutch fork.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

Broken axle , can you pull the rear drums out with it on jack stands ?wrong axle on one o both sides , forgot to install front u joint
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

If trans is out,jack up one wheel, hold the driveshaft from turning, try to turn the jacked up wheel. if it turns, broken axle.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

if in a gear and if the rear wheels are off the ground there is very, very little resistance, compared to that necessary to move a 3000 pound car when the wheels are on the ground to prevent the rear wheels from turning.

so i would first entertain the possibility that the clutch plate is not making sufficient contact with the flywheel's surface...and there are any number of reasons why that could be the case, from broken clutch parts, to leaking hydraulic slave cylinders or compressed air in the hydraulic clutch lines.

a simple test to verify if the clutch is not engaging properly would be to attempt stopping both wheels, simultaneously, from turning (as outlined in the first sentence above) by hand while the car is at idle.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

hueyhoolihan said:
if in a gear and if the rear wheels are off the ground there is very, very little resistance, compared to that necessary to move a 3000 pound car when the wheels are on the ground to prevent the rear wheels from turning.

so i would first entertain the possibility that the clutch plate is not making sufficient contact with the flywheel's surface...and there are any number of reasons why that could be the case, from broken clutch parts, to leaking hydraulic slave cylinders or compressed air in the hydraulic clutch lines.

a simple test to verify if the clutch is not engaging properly would be to attempt stopping both wheels, simultaneously, from turning (as outlined in the first sentence above) by hand while the car is at idle.
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47 Merc doesn’t have hydraulic clutch BUT if it did , a leaking cylinder or air in system would not slip at all but would be the opposite you would struggle to get clutch to disengage as is the case with any hydraulic clutch release system.
 
Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

ford38v8 said:
Huey, what parallel universe are you from?
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so it's mechanical? my apologies

probably should have written, "there are any number of reasons why that could be the case, from broken clutch parts. both in and outside of the bell housing". there is a bell housing isn't there? ha
 
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Re: 1947 Mercury runs, doesn’t move

hueyhoolihan said:
so it's mechanical? my apologies

probably should have written, "there are any number of reasons why that could be the case, from broken clutch parts. both in and outside of the bell housing". there is a bell housing isn't there? ha
Click to expand...

On a '47 Merc? Not really. They have an extended block, and a flange on the transmission; nothing in between.
 
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