Ford flathead clutch won't disengage?

I woke the flatty from it's two year slumber today. It purrs like a kitten and roars like a lion. Stock '47 59A with '47 side shift trans.

So anyways...

I had the clutch pedal and linkage all in the same as they were in the old chassis, but the clutch won't "disengage". When I push in the clutch, I can't get it in gear, and it starts to grind. I can slip it in and out of gear fine when the engine is off.

I took the external clutch shaft off, thinking maybe I didn't have it in correctly. But with a pair of vice-grips on the end of the clutch shaft that goes into the trans, it rotates slightly, and with the cover off I can see the throwout bearing moving forward and back.

I can see two "fingers" that come in from the outer edge in there- are they supposed to be up against the throwout bearing? I tugged and pushed on them a little, but they won't move. I didn't want to break anything.

Is there something that could cause this? Maybe the clutch plate is stuck against the pressure plate?

Before I moved and when the engine/trans were in the og chassis, I could get the clutch to engage and disengage just fine.

How much should the clutch shaft rotate to disengage the clutch?

Am I not rotating the shaft enough to disengage?

 

Sometimes the clutch disk and flywheel will fuse together with rust. Usually takes some jarring to get them to come apart. You mentioned it sat for a couple of years? I had this happen on a car that sat only 6 months.

 

If its stuck you could roll it back and forth and you might be able to pop it some and hopefully it will break free if it isnt too bad.
It sound slike a linkage problem to me.

 

I'd bet on the clutch plate being rusted to the flywheel. if it's where you can drive it, get it out and jerk it around a lilttle, kinda easy without tearing up your transmission. I've done it several times.

 

Or just jack it up on axle stands and start it in gear.

 

I had the same thing hapen to me, in my mini though. The bush mechanic way of fixing it is to start it in gear drive slowly then hit the brakes, it should free it up.

 

Thanks guys. I will try starting it in gear with the rear axle up on jack stands.

 

Did you finally run that battery down?

I was thinking, maybe you need to preload the throw out bearing. You say that the throw out bearing doesnt touch the clutch at rest. I think the throw out bearing should touch before you press the pedal. You might be using your travel just reaching the pressure plate.

just a thought.

later, jeff

 

This is perfect timing.
I have this exact problem with my 37 Nash. I tried this method multiple times (forward and bakwards) but it didn't work. I adjusted the clutch a little more hoping that would work but didn't. I guess I'll try it again with the rear in the air! If not, I've been told that you can adjust, slightly, the 2 or 3 fingers that push on the pressure plate. Is this true? I havn't been able to drive the car because of this and am having withdrawal pains!!! :-(
Thanks
Paul

 

What I have done when the clutch will not disengage from sitting too long is this: Warm up the engine. Shut it down and put the trans in first gear, start the car in gear and drive it around with the clutch pedal held down to the floor. Floor it and slam on the brakes all the while having the clutch pedal held down to the floor. Do this until it breaks loose. Do this in an empty parking lot or somewhere else safe, and wear your driving helmet. Safety first.

 

Same thing happened to me once with my 50' after sitting on a dirt floor over the winter. Took some agressive rocking to pop it loose but it's good as new now.

 

Same thing happened to one of the steering clutches in my bulldozer, I tried everything, wouldn't break free, so I had to pull the clutch out and sandblast the plates. Took a few days to get it apart and back together.

But it's not a flathead. strange.

 

Get engine running in neutral, if no hill available get some stout friends to getterrolling slightly, step on clutch pedal, shift into second (it'll go in, don't worry), and accelerate/decelerate a few times with pedal still down.
If no break loose with that treatment, you gotta do some tap-dancing: clutch pedal down, gas pedal down a bit (I hope you still have your hand throttle connected), third foot slams on brake. Flywheel goes, transmission stops, clutch disc has to make its choices...
Then start and stop several times to buzz off any surviving rust on the surfaces.
Warning: My experience with this phenomenon is that once it has happened, it will happen again in much less time. Repeatedly.

 

I think the answer to your problem is in this part of your description. You only see 2 fingers?? Are you sure you looked in there well enough? Got enough light?

There should be 3 "fingers" coming out of a stock old ford clutch. I've had a clutch plate in which one was broken. I've had another in which one of the pressure springs broke. The spring was flying around inside the pressure plate and would not allow the pressure plate to do its job.

You also seem to state that this engine/trans was in another car at one point. Have you separated the two at any point?

Mike

 

I could see two fingers near the top of the inspection hole, I did not look for a third, although I assumed there was one below out of my sight.

I bought the engine/trans and chassis all together a few years ago, and got it running in the og '47 chassis. I have since swapped the drivetrain over to the current chassis for my coupe.

here's a link to my last project update post: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118433

 

OK, so you know there are supposed to be 3. That's good.

It may just come down to adjusting the throwout bearing throw by adjusting the nuts on the end of each pressure plate finger. All 3 need to be equidistant from the throwout bearing. If any one is off, then you can have problems like you describe.

Keep us updated.

Mike

 

Another thought. Since you are going to run a torque tube, its best to put in a new clutch disk and get your sufaces machined now. Maybe even take this time to at least replace both main and all roller bearings in your transmission too.

Doing trans work with a torque tube car sucks. Do it now and save yourself grief down the road, else you'll have to unbolt the rear end before you can remove the transmission.

Mike

 

Same thing in my experience... especially about it likely happening agin' and soon..
Powerband

 

It will happen on a newly machined set up as well as a old one. My 50 has done it a couple times after setting a while. I do the same as some of the others. Warm the engine,start it in gear holding pedal down, give it hell and let off. Make it buck jump afew times and it should break free.

 

Hey Jay!

This is also very common in the old 8n, and 9n ford tractors. If you leave it set for a while, the disc will rust to the shinny flywheel. some of the discs don`t have the steel or iron particles in the disc, so they don`t stick at all.

sometimes you can break it loose by jacking up one side, and rocking the rear wheel and tire till it breaks loose.

Or you can get someone to drag you around back behind the chicken house on a chain ignition off, and stomping on the brake pedal...It will usually pop loose.

To keep it from sticking again, change to a different disc with non ferrous particles in the fibre; or block the clutch pedal down.

Dont give up!!! it will break loose.

Tom T.

 

the clutch in my ford was stuck.my dad jacked it up with bumper jack ,started it in gear and kicked it off the jack.i was wondering why he chained it to the tree.it worked !!!!!!!!!

 

Okay guys- I got it workin'!

It wasn't stuck together, it was the linkage. I repositioned the outer shaft mount aft about 3/4 of an inch so it was nice and square, then ran out the "yoke" on the connector link 'til it was almost up against the fingers.

Viola!

Here's a link to the video post:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121685

Thanks for all your help! Couldn't do it without the HAMB!