Clutch wont disengage on 86 turbo

[mgfCup]

Hi ,

I have just put my turbo back together after a year off the road and cant get it into gear ,which appears to be a clutch problem but....

Starting at the front It has the existing master cylinder which is fine .I replaced the red hose with a s/s one fromPNM.I replaced the slave cylinder.The push rod is the existing one.

The gearbox was rebuilt as the cwp had shattered.The bellhousing is the existing ,as is the clutch arm.I replaced the spigot bearing and nylon washer.The input shaft was fine with the circlip and spring in place !The clutch is new.

I bled the system and fired her up ,cant get into gear.I am getting approx 1 inch of travel on the clutch arm and the pedal feels strong.The clutch is obviously not disengaging,but why??????

I can start it in any gear so I know the gears are okand the input shaft hasnt popped out.

The only thing I can think is that the clutch plate has stuck on the splines or that It still needs more travel to disengage but I think I,m maxed out on that.

IAM DESPAIRING -PLEASE HELP.

[98GT3]

Sounds like the plate has stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate after a year of inactivity. You could try putting it in first gear and using several people front and rear to give it some serious rocking, this has worked for me in the past on other cars. The other thing you can try, is to, with the help of some other people pushing, start the car in first gear (best warm the engine first) and drive it with the clutch pressed down, powering on and off Kangaroo style - - - this has also worked for me!!!

Good luck!

98GT3

[mgfCup]

Thanks,

I did that with a Triumph spitfire once with good results.

The car is still off the road as I,m doing the interior and still have the front brake kit to fit so I may just pull the bos and unstick it that way.

If it was stuck though I would have thought that the clutch arm wouldnt be able to move ?

Or am I being dense.

I have tried running it in gear and applying the brakes with the clutch on the floor but this just stalls the engine.

[98GT3]

If it was stuck though I would have thought that the clutch arm wouldnt be able to move ?

Or am I being dense.

No the clutch arm will move, as the plate doesn't stick too hard to the surface and will be pulled from one of the faces on the first clutch press. It is moisture that forms a light rusting between the surface that makes it stick, and although it could be prised relatively easilly from the surface, in a sliding motion all that surface area makes it grip/stick really well. To get it to release needs sharp shocks rather than a steady large pressure (imagine trying to put in a nail by pressing with a hammer rather than hitting it), so using the brakes is not the best way. Try the rocking or kangarooing it with the clutch down in first, it may take some time but it hasn't failed me yet.

98GT3

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Richard out of curiosity how much did your gearbox cost to be reconditioned.

[mgfCup]

Hi ,

Success!!! The problems were a combination of a stuck plate and bleeding.

I took the slave off and bled until my wifes leg wouldnt move anymore.

I think I only got about another 5mm movement but the pedal felt better and that ecxtra movement was enough to persuade the clutch plate to unstick.I had to force it into gear at low revs and then gave it some welly in first and bang the plate freed itsself.

The biggest expense in the box is the parts .These cost me nearly

[98GT3]

1Success!!! The problems were a combination of a stuck plate and bleeding.

Well done, bet you're happy all is well . . . . with no more expense!!!

98GT3

[mgfCup]

Well I,m learning all the time!!

The aim is to get the car back together and then have a full C service done to make sure I havent done anything wrong.

Its one of those projects that started off as a gearbox replacement and has ended up as rebuild and retrim !!

Now on to installing that Hi Spec brake kit that has just arrived...