Clutch Issues

**Vombil** · 02-01-2013, 03:17 AM

So my 6cyl WB van was super greasy. I gave it a really good soaking with the old girls fang dangle Karcher commercial grade pressure cleaner. I tried to start and run it after the bath but it didnt kick so I left it to dry out for a few days.

Started and engine runs fine but the clutch wont disengage now! I pumped the pedal a few times and played with adjustment... nothing.

So I took inspection cover off and saw that the clutch plate was rusted to the flywheel. I flicked it off but now I think I may have stretched the cable (this was already adjusted way out-max). Also when I get my GF to dip the clutch I can see the clutch plate move only half a mm off the flywheel and the clutch plate itself looks to be splitting in half when dipped(you can see the shim thing in the middle).

Has anyone had this happen before? any tips? Reckon its worth trying a new cable before a new clutch kit?

thanks in advance for any suggestions

update: im headed out into the dark to see if clutch plate is also rusted to the pressure plate!

update: was rusted to the pressure plate as well!!! Ill fire it up in the morning and see what happens... fingers crossed

**Vombil** · 03-01-2013, 02:53 AM

calling all mechanics! Ive still had no joy. I can see pressure plate separating from the pressure plate and the flywheel but still wont disengage :(

any advice is greatly appreciated!

**Taily** · 03-01-2013, 09:05 AM

One of a few things possible and you've mentioned two of them (stretched cable, but wouldn't just keep stretching that quickly to cause more issues that quickly) and rust/ flushed-in crap causing the plates to bind together.

Something you may need to look at is the spiggot bush sticking to the input shaft? You may have flushed some rubbish in there and it is now trying to all spin at the flywheel speed.

I'd still have money on it being what you're suggesting it already is. Clutch kits for them aren't expensive and they only seriously take around 2-2.5 hours to do. The other option might be to temporarily rig a clamp into the cable to give you more clamp/release (depending on which way you look at it, bearing or clutch face), put the gearbox in 4th and start the car with the clutch in.

Regards,

Dave

**Taily** · 03-01-2013, 09:21 AM

You may have to wet it all down again to realease whatever rubbish has caused it to gum up again too.

**Vombil** · 03-01-2013, 10:07 AM

thanks very much Dave! Ive tried the clamp already to give more release but has not been successful. Ill wet it all down again and go for a drive in 3rd! haha that could get kinda sketchy

**Taily** · 03-01-2013, 10:21 AM

You just want to "roast it up" a little (not much!), just to clean up the surfaces. Though if the spiggot bush (the one in the centre of the flywheel that accepts the input shaft from the gearbox) is gummed-up the box really does need to come out as it will make selecting gears difficult if not impossible.

**green taxi** · 03-01-2013, 11:26 AM

had same problem with mine (plate siezed to fly wheel) a mate told me to drive down the road in second gear with my foot on the clutch pedal and accelarte hard and brake hard. made a loud bang when it let go but havnt had a problem since. cheers

**Vombil** · 04-01-2013, 02:16 AM

all fixed! big thanks for the advice!!

I ended up spinning the flywheel around by hand three times levering/jimmying the clutch plate off the pressure plate. It was locked on the enitre was around!

So glad i persisted with it. A mechanic I use had started pricing clutch kits and cables etc