Seized Clutch

[Graham]

I have been slowly working my way through getting my new project started and finally today the beast roared into life for the first time in 10-15 years, now just have to deal with the issue that as (probably) to be expected the clutch is stuck on the flywheel.......properly stuck,  I can drive the car on the starter, not good practise I know,  but the car will ,at some point be getting a rebuild. I just need to get the car mobile as my parking area is gravel and pushing the car is impossible.  I have done a bit of 'Googling' and  seen a solution where you jack up the rear of the car, start it in gear and then, with the clutch pedal depressed,  dab the brakes to hopefully separate the plate from the flywheel. I'm just concerned that this might be a bit brutal for the overdrive ? 

I know to do this properly I should have the G/box out, but as I'm really just trying to get the car mobile for the time being just looking for a shortcut but don't want the break anything !

[Waldi]

Hi Graham,

I would let the engine warm up, car in neutral, then stop it, put in 1st gear, start it, and drive it, playing with throttle to rock the drive line. Keep clutch pedal pressed in, and maybe it will disengage.

Waldi

[tim hunt]

Graham,

 

Many years ago I came up with a mechanically sympathetic method of freeing a stuck clutch as follows:

Remove spark plugs to eliminate engine compression. Engage handbrake and chock front and rear wheels firmly. Select a gear and fully depress the clutch by wedging a piece of wood of the right length between the pedal and the seat runner. Fit a socket (1/2Whitworth 9/16BS on my car) on the bolt securing the fan assembly to the crankshaft.  Next simply fit a suitable T-bar on the socket and exert a clockwise turning force. Both times I was able easily to exert sufficient force with just a 12” T-bar to free the flywheel from the clutch driven plate. In more stubborn cases a longer T-bar could be used or a snug fitting length of pipe over a short T-bar for extra torque. Try it!

 

Tim

 

From 5-7 October I will take part in my 22^nd Club Triumph RBRR in the 4A. This time we are raising funds for Epilepsy Research UK. If anyone would like to support team 74 our web page is www.justgiving.com/tim-hunt4

 

[Drewmotty]

Ive had this problem in the past and have found the following method to work every time:

Start the engine and warm it up in neutral.

Stop the engine.

Put the car in 4th gear.

With the handbrake and footbrake applied and the clutch depressed restart the engine.

The engine will usually start and free the clutch.

If this doesnt work first time run the engine in neutral again to set the crank in a different position and try again.

In extreme cases bump start the car and drive it throttle on and off with the clutch down.

Let us know how you get on.

[Graham]

Guys many thanks ..........we're sorted clutch freed off and taken the car for its first drive( all be it a very short one round the garden !)  under its own power for a very long time. Now I can move the thing without having to get 6 people to push it , have to say now its running it actually starts easier than BUO (TR6) which had a VERY expensive engine rebuild, but that might have something to do with the fact the BUO's engine is still very tight and is suspect this engine is possibly a little tired.

[DOG_MORGAN]

Hi have you got a telephone number thanks Billy