Stuck Clutch - Transmission

Caser

New Member
Hi anyone,
I have a 2000SC that may have clutch plate stuck as someone has mentioned. Have bled then replaced clutch cylinder and master cylinder and pipe to no avail. Clutch rod moves but with engine started can't move into any gear. How do I know if it is stuck and how do I free it?
I have been told it may be a collapsed clutch plate.

Before I got it the car had been stood for 3/4 years. The brakes are also siezed but that's another problem!!!
Ian
 
if the brakes are seized the its more than likely the clutch is to..it only takes a bit of damp to make the clutch rust onto the flywheel..
 
You can free a stuck clutch by driving the car with your foot on the clutch and then braking . The forces involved should separate the clutch from the flywheel
You need a bit of clear space to try this
Or jack the back of the car up .Run it in gear with the clutch held down and then brake.
 
I've always driven the cars with stuck clutches as described by Dave and never had one that wouldn't free off, but it can take a while. The only reason I would advise against it in this case is the problems with the brakes.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. The problem I have is that if I try to start it in gear it will jump forward across the road and into parked cars on the other side!!!! Could always wait until no cars but then I am across the road and have to push back up slight incline with siezed brakes. Oh why is nothing ever easy!!

The idea of jacking up rear and then starting in gear etc sounds good as long as I can make it secure enough.

When the engine is running can't even move into any forward gear. Reverse makes an awful graunching noise so haven't forced this obviously.

Failing all this I could always drop the gearbox out.

Ian
 
Foot hard on the brakes, foot down on the clutch, then attempt to start it in gear, shouldn't move forward then !

Remember to keep foot on the clutch or it'll never free off !

Another tip I heard was to make sure the engine was fully warmed up first, get a bit of heat into the flywheel which can help.
 
Pasted from a MG forum

"The simplest procedure can be done in your garage in a few seconds. It assumes that the brakes are working, that the clutch hydraulics are working, the starter motor works, and that the battery is charged. (I suppose it also rashly assumes that you have two feet and at least one hand). Sit in the driver's seat. Pump the brake pedal a couple of times and hold the brakes on firmly with your right foot. Depress the clutch pedal fully with your left foot. Put the transmission in 4th gear (least likely to drive the car away), and engage the starter for about one second. If you're lucky the torque from the starter motor may break the flywheel free from the clutch disk, and the engine will crank over normally. If that doesn't work in the first try or two, move on to Plan B.

The rest of these procedures require some open running space on a totally vacant street or empty parking lot. Put the transmission in neutral, start the engine and allow it to run up to normal running temperature. Give it a tune up if necessary so it runs reasonably well. Switch engine off, and take the car to a safe open space (preferably paved). You may expect the car to lurch forward during this operation, so be sure there is no one and nothing around the car. In fact for this procedure you will actually be driving the car.

With car stationary, engine off and parking brake off, depress the clutch and select 1st gear. Hold the throttle down slightly (1/2" or so), and start the engine. The car should jerk lurch forward and gradually pick up speed until the engine is running at or above idle speed. Run it up to about 2500 rpm, which will be about 10 mph in 1st gear. This engine speed is the speed at which a stock engine will develop near maximum torque. With the clutch pedal still fully depressed, and running at around 2500 rpm, alternate the throttle pedal between full down and full up position. This will alternately apply full engine driving torque and full engine braking torque (coasting down with no throttle) to the clutch, and with a little luck this may be sufficient to break the bond to free the clutch disk. Assuming that it will work, you should be prepared to get your foot off the throttle before you over-rev the engine, and get on the brakes to bring the car to a stop. If this does not work then take the car to a convenient open work space, kill the engine, and proceed to Plan C.

With the engine and parking brake off and the vehicle pointed in a safe direction, use a hydraulic floor jack with a long handle (not a bottle jack). Place the jack under the center differential housing of the rear axle to lift both rear wheels so they are clear of the ground by about two inches. Get into the car and confirm that there are no obstacles or people in front of the vehicle. With engine and parking brake still off, shift the transmission into 4th gear (least driving torque at rear wheels when full engine torque is applied up font). Start the engine and throttled up to a constant tachometer reading of about 1500 rpm. This puts a substantial amount of energy into the rotating engine and flywheel. Depresses the clutch pedal and keep it depressed, then apply the brakes firmly and suddenly. The inertia of the engine and flywheel will apply a very large torque to the stuck clutch, limited only by how fast and how hard you can apply the brakes. If this works the clutch will disengage and the engine will continue running when the brakes are applied. Then set the parking brake, remove the jack, and you can drive the car normally. If this doesn't work it will kill the engine. If it still doesn't work after a few tries, proceed to Plan D.

This procedure is a little more dramatic, and it requires an assistant. As in the prior method, raise the rear wheels a couple inches off the ground with a hydraulic floor jack. Leave the jack handle extending to the rear, and very close to the ground. The driver gets in the car, selects 4th gear (least torque at rear wheels), and starts the engine. This time run the engine up to about 2500 RPM, so it may develop good flywheel energy and maximum torque (if you hit full throttle). On pre-arranged signal, the assistant then snaps the jack hydraulic valve full open to drop the car suddenly to the ground. If all goes well the tires will suddenly stop turning while the engine keeps running, and the clutch bond will have been broken. If it doesn't work, the tires will squeak once, the car will lurch forward a bit, and it will kill the engine.

The functional difference between this method and simple application of the brakes is that the full weight of the car is brought to bear on the tires to provide sudden resistance on the driveshaft, which may allow more applied torque than you get by using the brakes. This is not guaranteed, as with well functioning brakes you should be able to lock it up and skid the tires when the car is moving. However, dropping the running car onto the rear tires may apply the torque more suddenly than you might do with the brakes, so the resulting shock to the clutch might be greater. Also, in addition to the torque you get from inertia of the engine and flywheel, if the partners in this venture can time things right, you might hit full throttle just at the same time that the tires come into contact with the ground. This will apply full engine torque to the clutch in addition to the torque resulting from sudden deceleration of the flywheel. As with the prior method you should assume that it will work, and be ready to get your foot off the throttle before over-revving the engine when it breaks loose.

If that doesn't work, take the car back to the garage and proceed with Plan E. Remove engine from car, remove clutch pressure plate and clutch disk from flywheel. Use large pry bar if necessary to pull pressure plate free. Use a solid punch (or chisel) and heavy hammer on the edge of the clutch disk if necessary to separate it from the flywheel. This would of course be the most extreme and least convenient of all, so lets hope one of the prior plans works first so you don't have to pull the engine."
 
All the above advice is fine up to plan D as far as the P6 goes, because you're more likely to blow the diff up than free off the clutch if plans A to C have already failed to free it off.
 
Thanks all,
The tips that do not involve the car moving are the ones I can go for with the position of the car etc. If these don't work maybe I'll need to paln for one of the others.

In the first post I suggested stuck clutch but also asked how would I know. Would a collapsed clutch plate give me the same symptoms? I obviously hope that it is stuck and can be freed but is there anything else it could be??

Regards
Ian
 
Try all the methods suggested and if no good , you haven't lost anything .Then you can take the box out

Wonder how many of the "polishers" in the MG club have tried those methods ?
 
As far as things other than the centre plate being stuck to the flywheel causing the problem, spigot bearing seized, or the diaphragm in the pressure plate broken, both of which will require gearbox removal.
 
I guess the main thing to check is that the cylinder really is moving the lever far enough to release the clutch.

I have seen fully rebuilt master and slave cylinders still not work properly.

I can't quite picture the release lever but you may be able to slide a pipe over it and move it manually to see if you can get the clutch to clear.
 
DaveHerns said:
Wonder how many of the "polishers" in the MG club have tried those methods ?
'ey! sod off! Im a Rubber bumper MG owner.
Rubber bumper owners drive.
Chrome bumper owners polish.
 
I have used the following method on a car that had been laid up for 10+ years and it worked. Assuming clutch hydraulics are ok remove washer bottle and bottle holder, yes drill out the rivets if the holder is riveted. Open the timing flap at the back of the engine below the washer bottle and have available a LONG rod with a sharp-ish flattened end similar to a wood chisel that will fit into the opening. Turn the engine until opposite the one of the 3 cover plate springs and get an assistant to push on the clutch pedal. You will see the cover plate release tension on the drive plate. Gently tap your flattened end between drive plate and flywheel and TWIST, your rod must have a handle or the end bent enough to twist it. Do the same on the other two spring points and voila she will be free without danger to drive train or neighbours cars. Yes it is fiddly and the rod must be LONG a 2 ft + screwdriver is ideal.

Regards
Alan Francis
Partviking
 
That sounds like what the garage did to free off mine after all other atempts had failed, the guy said he had "stuck a screwdriver in and levered the plate off" but I couldn't see where, now I get it :cool:
 
Thanks again for all the tips. The weather is not the best at the moment to try any out plus I'm trying to get my Land Rover through it's MOT (very fair weather DIY'er!!!) Will try over soon and post the result, postitive or negative.

Seasons greetings to you all. I know it's a bit early but some people have decs up etc.

Ian
 
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