Fatboy Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I've "aquired" another Series wagon thats been sitting around for a while. Overall, its in okay nick with a galz chassis fitted a few years ago but its done very little since. It has a few obvious niggles which include all of the oil seals leaking So yesterday I put a battery on it, checked the plugs / points etc and tried to start "click". Jumped the solenoid with a screwdriver and voila - cranked and eventually started. Bit smokey but running.... When I tried to engage a gear I discovered the clutch is stuck. I can get gears if the engine is off and indeed, it starts and lurches up the drive towards the house in low 1st. After, pumping the pedal frantically, hoping the clutch would free I was left no option but to switch it off before I add a patio door hole in the bedroom The frantic pumping hasn't worked, neither has a lump of wood left on the pedal overnight - Anybody got any other ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 looking like a split the engine/gearbox & free the friction plate from the splines/flywheel, can't think of any other ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 I had a horrible feeling you might say that... I've got enough engine out / engine in projects at the moment without this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Manouver it into a suitable safe spot before carrying out the following! Start it in gear, such that it moves off. Get a bit of speed up, and with the clutch pedal pressed to the floor stand on the brakes. After a few attempts it should free off! I have also done this by attaching a kinetic rope to a suitably immovable object (eg a tree) and ensuring the towing hitch is sound and secure drive off as above - as the tension is taken up there should be a bang as the clutch frees itself off. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Ah ha! Now that sounds like plan MkII.. Plenty of big trees around and the towbar is in good nick! I'll maybe give it a blast tomorrow if I get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Just be aware that if the clutch frees and the kinetic is at full stretch you'll suddenly be freewheeling backwards at speed towards the tree! Suggest giving it a belt round the yard and standing on the brakes first as its a bit safer! You'll probably stall it a few times but it should free off. Cheers Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Suggest giving it a belt round the yard and standing on the brakes first as its a bit safer! You'll probably stall it a few times but it should free off. Tried that today, brakes are a bit rotten as well.... and ran out of feet while either zooming towards my trailer going forwards or the trees going backwards. Comedy value was pretty good though Images of me crunching it before I've even agreed a price came to mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Just to add what happens to these is the flywheel and/or pressure plate corrode and the driven plate sticks to them with rust. Block of wood on the pedal etc wont do any good. Be aware that if you do manage to free it then unless you use it a fair bit to wear off all the corrosion then it will very quickly stick again. Last resort is shift the box back 6" to remove the clutch the hard way. A quick rub over with some wet and dry (obviously dry) will be sufficient if the clutch isnt too worn, then just reassemble. It quite surprising quite how stuck they really sometimes when you come to take them apart! Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Tried that today, brakes are a bit rotten as well.... and ran out of feet while either zooming towards my trailer going forwards or the trees going backwards. Comedy value was pretty good though Images of me crunching it before I've even agreed a price came to mind! Ah yes - been there as well - stand on the anchors but the brakes are too cr@p to actually make much difference!!! Dont be tempted to try and use the starter to free if off cos all you'll do is burn the starter out! You need the engine running..... Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Dont be tempted to try and use the starter to free if off cos all you'll do is burn the starter out! You need the engine running..... Thats why I'm in low box... hopefully not putting to much strain on the starter.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomG Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 How about... Socket & breaker bar onto the crankshaft pulley bolt, and breaker bar up against the chassis (to lock the engine / stop it turning) Put the box in high range & top gear clutch pedal pressed down (breezeblock/helper, etc) Slowly tow it backwards or forwards (if the crank bolt winds undone then try the other way) Something's gotta give.. only problem is it might not be the clutch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 You'll be fine so long as you're starting the engine. What I meant was dont hook it up to summat and then just wind it over on the starter - let the engine take the strain! Standard starter will start the truck in gear in high ratio without any difficulty on level ground. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 The clutch stuck on my Dad's Capri Mk1 3.0 V6 after it had stood for a number of years. It freed off through running the engine, with the gear box in neutral, until the engine was really hot. The thermal expansion of the flywheel was enough to break the bond with the drive plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars L Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 My 2p... Engage 1st gear, put transfer in neutral, keep the clutch down, start the engine and let it itdle. Then grab the transfer lever and push or pull it in gear. Bang - the clutch is free. Haven't had to do this myself, but several others have with success. Well, if you have the guts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Plan for this Evening then: 1. Bungee up the track off the big tree by the garage. 2. T/Box in Neutral and let her run for a while.... Maybe rev up and down a few times (with pedal depressed). Put gearbox in 4th and see if inertia will help. 3. For me, unbolting and shifting the gearbox is probably preferred before the breaker bar or crunch low box... Thanks for the thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 4. Set up Video so we can enjoy the moment it all goes 'slightly pear shaped' Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Ah yes - been there as well - stand on the anchors but the brakes are too cr@p to actually make much difference!!!Dont be tempted to try and use the starter to free if off cos all you'll do is burn the starter out! You need the engine running..... Jon Done this a couple of times. Used Low box once only and will never use it again. Here's why: 1st time I tried 1st High 4x4 engaged, started engine, drove around with full brakes and V8 with lots of power, clutch freed fine. 2nd time. Clutch stuck, Low 1st 4x4 engaged, started engine, drove around with full brakes and V8 with lots of power. 5 mins later BANG, halfshaft gone. Gave up stuck it in High 1st started engine, pulled away and stopped at a junction clutch now pererfect!!!!! Decision, don't use Low box, you want to put strain on the clutch not the halfshafts. Here's another way a mate of mine says that he tried this. Remove Starter Motor and firer a fire exstinguisher (CO2) into the hole, evereything cools down at different rates and breaks the bond? Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 This used to happen on a SII I used to own. The way I used to free it off was jack up the back wheels, engage 4th gear high box, start the engine and get it hot (helps try and loosen the bond between the flywheel and clutch plate) and then rev the nuts off and do the standing on the brake / clutch routine. That normally did the job. After its off go for a good drive and slip the clutch a fair but to prevent it resticking as Les said (it used to happen to mine as it was an off road only truck). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_d Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Sounds rather well stuck. All the ones I've done in the past have freed just by banking on and off the throttle in the traditional learner driver kangaroo jumps. Steve ETA You have ensured the clutch is actuating and is not out of fluid or something. (don't know what the release mechanism is). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 The method I use is the same as how Jon has described. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 i cannot fathom why your all using a low gear to do this? if you selected 5th in high box and applied the brakes hard and pressed the clutch down then turned the key it would probably have freed off one one go. by using the low box your giving the engine a huge advantage over the brakes low first is something like 35:1 so your engines developing 100lbft of torque and applying that to the clutch disk, then your transmission is applying 3500lbft to the axles..., but in 5th high the brakes have a huge advantage over the engine, also the torque the starter can apply from 0 rpm is much much greater than you'll be able to apply with the engine running. so in future, apply hand and foot brakes and press clutch to the floor, stick it in high 5th and turn the key! if however the starter cant free it instantly, then you can do the rolling thing, however i would use as high a gear as possible, depress clutch and floor it up a hill or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 You'd have to fit a 5-speed box first then. Series only go to 4. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 lol well you get the picture im also trying to figure out how people can drive around pressing the clutch brake and accellerator all at the same time... you obviously need to keep the clutch pedal down to release the spring tension, and apply the brakes to stop it taking off up the road, do you use a stick on the gas pedal or something!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 UPDATE: Its still stuck..... 1. Tried the T/Box in neutral and warmed it up. I thought inertia might help but there does not appear to be that much. In fact, I was happily changing gear with no problems (& no clutch). Engine revved up like it was in main neutral. 2. Tied a good rope to two trees and gently tried the bungee trick.... No go. Got a bit more excited and took some decent runs up.... "BOING" but no freeing. At least I know that 4x4 is working because it happily dug four trenches on the back stroke. Persevered when it got the kangaroo's, made no difference. Its still stuck... I tried starting it in high yesterday but the starter couldn't spin it... thats why I was in low box. So, its to the back of the q for this one and gearbox back, clutch off. Not to worry though, I had a laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 when your doing all this crazy bungee ****, you are keeping the clutch pedal on the floor arent you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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