icsmike

Car has been stitting for a few weeks untouched, everything was fine when parked. I went out today gave it bettery charge and started it up to warm up, started fine. After warmed up I thought i would exercise the clutch and tranny, but no go. Clutch pedal has great pressure, cant move shifter from neutral unless you shut car off first. If you shut it off and put it into a gear it wants to pull forward with the starter. Im guessing slave cylinder, but im also worried about the clutch itself it feels good and there is pressure against it.

devilinblack

Since it's been sitting, is it possible that the clutch plate is stuck to the flywheel and not releasing when you push in on the pedal? If the pressure feels good and the pedal returns back up, I'm not sure I'd think of the hydraulics first, but I'm also fairly new to clutch theory.

123quattro

You could pour a can of coke into your bellhousing. It works decently at unsticking clutch disks. Was the car sitting on dirt? Moisture under sitting cars can lead to a stuck disk. Usually when the hydraulics go bad, the pedal will stick on the floor.

Another option is get up to 25 mph, push in the clutch pedal, and then jamb on the brakes.

Hilton

Did you by any chance wash the car immediately before putting it away for a few weeks?

I recall some posts about a similar issue from a year or two ago - memory says it was MrMerlin? The gist of it was that water gets in through the hole by the release arm at the top of the bell housing and causes the discs to bind.

Edit: Found the post.. was JPTL not Stan

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...utch-long.html

SharkSkin

Mike, how hard does it pull when in gear and cranking? There's not much to stick the friction disks to the flywheel, except the rivets if you poured saltwater in there and let it rust. I can't see that much rust forming over a few weeks. As a side note, make sure all inspection plugs are in place, there are two that can allow moisture into the clutch housing, one near the slave cylinder and one at the front of the torque tube. If you washed the top of the engine water can get into the bellhousing at the release arm. One way to check this is put the car in 5th gear and tromp the brakes, then crank it with the clutch in. This might break it free if it's sticking.

The clutch pedal could seem to have good pressure, yet not disengage the clutch if you have a clutch pressure hose that is old and ballooning. I would say air in the lines can give similar symptoms, but you say it worked when you parked it. Also if the helper spring is not there the clutch will feel firmer than it should. If the pedal comes back up when released then all of the mechanical parts are there and still connected together. Sounds like you're going to have to put it on jackstands and have a helper push the pedal while you check from underneath, shining a flashlight into the inspection hole and checking the hose. Wear safety glasses though, if it's a ballooning clutch hose it could let go in your face!

Mrmerlin

DO not pour any coke or anything else down the bell housing to unstick you disc, you will damage the pilot bearing and the throwout bearing, not to mention possibly damaging the crank position sensor if it should get the coke on it

icsmike

Its been parked in the garage and never wet. If I shut it off and put it into a gear and trun key its just like direct drive. Clutch pedal is firm and bounces back with normal force. No leaks under car either.

SharkSkin

Given your description of symptoms and behavior, the only thing that makes sense to me is a ballooning clutch hose. A too-tight master rod(no play at the pedal) can cause the clutch to disengage lower and lower over time, but not suddenly quit working IMHO. Fortunately you have a late model car and can see/feel the entire hose without lifting the car, though it might be hard to tell with the protective sheathing that the later cars have. Have someone cycle the clutch while you feel along the hose for ballooning.

There are some good pics here that show the routing.

Mrmerlin

roll the car out to a place where you can start in gear (warm it up first if you like,) then going down the street first push in the clutch and see if the clutch disc brakes free as you also apply the brakes( the car should be rolling atleast 20mph)

marton

Are you sure the pedal is coming all the way back after you release it? Sometimes in the mornings mine does not fully return & then I have similar symptoms.
Just hook your foot under the pedal & see if it will move; if so then work it fully up & down a couple of times - works for me.

Marton

tombtaylor

Isn't there an inspection hole in the bottom of the bell housing where you can see the rod from the slave cylinder move...wouldn't this be a simple way of telling whether the hydraulics are working?

icsmike

Alright it was just stuck. I put into reverse and made the car lug itself with the starter and then also in first. It made a pop and come undone. Now the new weird thing....I had previously started it up no problem but after it made the pop and freditself up it didnt want to start. Just crank and made a hit every now and then. I had to stay on the starter and give it gas for 20-30 sec intervals to let it "catch up" and take fire. when it did a crap load of black smoke rolled out and now it seems ok. Whats next?!!

Mrmerlin

check the lower bell housing for any broken parts it may be possible that a piece of the clutch has come off and damaged the crank position sensor.... If this checks good then its time to go for a drive, drive it like you stole it !

SharkSkin

Weird... I wonder what makes them stick. Anyone?

BTW, be careful about touching the throttle while cranking. IIRC, disengaging the idle switch at the throttle body alters the timing, which can cause a backfire -- which can blow your pipe-organ intake plenums off at the boots!

Anyway, it's possible you just flooded it a bit.

icsmike

Drove it like I stole it and it was normal. I think it was flooded.