Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[AFP78]

Hello

My clutch I think has seized. I can put the car in gear when the engine is off but not when it is on.

Is this something I can fix? I not massively technical with my car although I do manage to follow the manual and fix little things. I wish I could do more.

Please can someone help?

Thanks

[Rick]

Welcome to the forum!

Is there any fluid in the reservoir? found bolted on the bulkhead over where the pedals are situated (open the bonnet to see the reservoir, alongside an identical one for the braking circuit)

Did this situation occur overnight, or after a period of being laid up?

Rick
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[AFP78]

There was some fluid in the reservoir and I've topped that up.

It has been standing for sometime, basically over winter - about 2 months.

[michael1703]

try leaving it ticking over for 30-45 mins and trying again,thats sometimes enough time to get heat into the clutch plate to free it off

[Peter_L]

You may try this. Warm up the engine so it will start easily. Switch off engine

Jack up one rear wheel and chock the other and as a safe guard, chock the front wheels too.

Put it in first gear. Start the engine. The rear wheel off the ground will be turning.

Hold engine revs at about 1000. Press the clutch pedal as far as it will go.

Slowly pull on the handbrake. This will transmit a force on the clutch plate that it may not be able to sustain.

Be careful, and don't do it parked close to anything else and keep one hand on the ignition key to cut the engine in case it tries to jump the chocks. If you can't pull the handbrake and reach the ignition, phone a friend.

Don't be too rough with it, but if it is just a light seizure it could just break free. If it does, then both wheels on the ground, handbrake on and let the clutch slip a bit to clean up the surfaces.

If you are not driving the car much, find a piece of wood to wedge between the seat and the clutch to press it down, until next time you drive it. But don't leave it like that for very long.

Good Luck

[P3steve]

Hi dose the clutch peddel fell like it did before the winter lay up ie quite springie as soon as you press it or dose it feel "loose and slack" you say there was fluid in the reservoir but if it was very low it might need bleeding or the slave or master cylinders may be leaking and need new seals. Good luck and keep us posted.
_________________
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off

[peter scott]

Get someone to operate the clutch pedal whilst you look under the car for movement of the operating arm on the bellhousing just in front of the gearbox. Assuming that moves ~1" then the clutch driven plate is probably stuck to the flywheel. This can happen when moisture causes rusting of the flywheel and this penetrates the clutch lining material.

If you don't have success in freeing it by the methods suggested above then a more brutal approach is to start the car in gear and drive along the road giving sharp depressions of the pedal whilst also sharply pulling up and releasing the handbrake. It may take quite a few goes to get it free and you need to be as brutal possible in pulling up the handbrake and depressing the clutch. Just stay in first gear and drive at 10 to 20 mph.

HTH

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Penman]

Hi
It may well be that by now the spigot shaft has also started to rust, so even after you free it up the centre plate may still be rubbing when the pedal is down, had the clutch on a brand new Viva HB go at 1200 mls because of a rusty spigot.

I would suggest you might need to do a clutch stripdown just to make sure.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[MVPeters]

After only two months, it can't be that stuck!

If the hydraulics are OK, here's yet one more method to free a stuck clutch plate:

Put the car in top gear, engine off, & tow it gently. Press on the clutch pedal when you safely can.
_________________
Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[Peter_L]

[victor 101]

If some of the replies sound a bit daunting, let us know roughly where you are and maybe someone local will be able to offer some assistance.

[AFP78]

WOW! Thanks everyone.

Okay today I tried the warming up advice - but no go. I then tried to start the car in gear (foot on and off the clutch) but both ways the car wouldn't start - it kind of just wheezed at me!

If anyone lives near Barnet, North London I am happy for you to have a look - free tickets to London Zoo in it for you!

[peter scott]

If it starts out of gear then I'd be very surprised that it won't start in gear.
You have to be prepared for it to lurch forward the moment you operate the starter. Are you sure that you remembered to release the handbrake. The starter certainly won't be able to fight the handbrake.

If your handbrake was off but it wouldn't start then try to get a couple of strong lads to push the car as you operate the starter.

HTH

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[JR FLYWHEEL]

Hi,

Any latest news on your clutch problem.

Any feedback you can give will help other folk in future.

Thanks JRF

[JR FLYWHEEL]

apologies see above..