Clutch stuck

bo8109b

Senior Member
Clutch appears to be stuck to the flywheel on my '48 car. Happened over night. Pedal travels 4" without any resistance. Linkage under car moving normally. Starting the engine, went to shift in 1st to the surprise of grinding gears. Have to fix this car without removing it from the garage. Help please. Carl
 
You could start with removing the front floor panel and transmission inspection cover and looking through there at the clutch and all of the other linkage to see what you can see while you depress the clutch pedal. That would be a start to possibly figure out what's wrong without removing the transmission and/or engine to fix something.

Clutch pedal should only move down an inch before resistance is felt.

Here's how to adjust it:

Clutch%20Adjustment_zps0gypkwlf.jpg
 
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Have you tried putting it in gear and pushing the car back and forth to see if it will break loose.
 
If you have all that movement with no resistance then possibly the pin has shorn which connects the clutch release fork to the cross shaft or if luck is on your side maybe the pin connecting the actuating lever to the cross shaft on the outside. Geoff
 
That is exactly what happened to my 40
You will have to remove the transmission to fix the problem.
My trans had a roll pin that fractured and fell apart
use a grade 5 bolt and nut with loctite
 
If the trans shifts through all the gears with the motor not running it sounds like it is the clutch not the trans. When the clutch stuck in my '40 big truck this is what I did to free it up: jacked up the rear wheels and set the frame on jack stands. Started the motor in high gear. Got it up to speed and then jammed on the brakes. Did it a couple of times and the clutch freed up. Just my .02 cents.
 
Clutch appears to be stuck to the flywheel on my '48 car. Happened over night. Pedal travels 4" without any resistance. Linkage under car moving normally. Starting the engine, went to shift in 1st to the surprise of grinding gears. Have to fix this car without removing it from the garage. Help please. Carl

Think you are going to have to figure out if it a stuck clutch/pressure plate or linkage. As other have said, it could well be the linkage.
 
Put it in gear and try to start it, this usually breaks the clutch free . Though it's pretty unusual to be an overnighter. More likely happens from a moderate hibernation. Just give the starter a jab , not enough to lurch thru the end wall!!!
 
Clutch appears to be stuck to the flywheel on my '48 car. Happened over night. Pedal travels 4" without any resistance. Linkage under car moving normally. Starting the engine, went to shift in 1st to the surprise of grinding gears. Have to fix this car without removing it from the garage. Help please. Carl

Clutch is not stuck to flywheel, the thro out bearing is not pushing the fingers on the pressure plate, read these replys, the linkage has a seared pin someplace, Walt
 
If there is no resistance for four inches or so, I highly doubt the disc (stuck) is an issue. If it were, the fellow would still feel resistance on the pressure plate when depressing the pedal.
My vote? This sounds like the clutch fork within the "bell housing" has become loose on the release shaft. My second place vote? the pressure plate failed.
 
I like Kube's diagnosis (clutch fork pin sheared so it moves on the cross-shaft). The clue is the clutch pedal travel without resistance. I think you should be able to see that movement through the inspection cover mentioned above. Should be fixed with a solid pin - not a roll pin because of the sheer action on the pin. I think you can buy a new one from the usual vendors. If that's it, the ****** must come out to repair a fairly simple thing!! Sorry!!
 
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