Have just fired up the old girl after it sitting for 18 mths. Everything's fine except when you push in the clutch the gearbox is still spinning and will not go into gear.I checked the linkage and everything up to the bell housing is working correctly.Could the Clutch pads fused to the flywheel and the fingers not strong enough to pull them apart!If so is there an easy fix!Thanks in advance
poppajn,
Apr 17, 8:31pm
I,d asy the clutch plate is stuck to the flywheel. Sometimes a tow will free it, but it may also tear the centre out of the clutch. It,s not a big job tp drop the gearbox out of these
nightboss,
Apr 17, 8:54pm
Similar to Escorts, common problem if left parked over lawn for a time. Easy fix often works. Here are four methods in the order I would try
[1] Unbolt starter motor, give the flywheel a couple of taps with a hammer avoiding the gear edge if possible, the shock can relaese the clutch. Reconnect starter and test.
[2] Put into gear, handbrake off, ensure key is not on (don't want is jump starting in gear), with a couple of burly blokes try to rock car back and forth, get your rock on a bit and should free up with a pop.
[3] Another method that is a bit scarier and needs quick reactions is, put into gear before starting engine, you will need to turn engine off immediately if clutch does not release or you can start it in gear. You willneed a bit of quiet road or yard for this.
[4] Remove gearbox.
m16d,
Apr 17, 10:30pm
Start it in 1st gear in the driveway. then stand on all 3 pedals at the same time.
skin1235,
Apr 17, 11:21pm
option 3 is the way run the engine while in neutral until warm, turn off, line up gateway, select 1st, start engine, hold clutch down and pulse the throttle if by this time you are on the road, slip it into 2nd, still hold clutch down pulsethrottle, you can get quite vigorous with the pulses but keep an eye on road speed and don't get yourself up a blind alley my old c33 rd28 laurel used to do it often, and sometimes took a couple of hundred mts before I could get it to break the rust free
sr2,
Apr 17, 11:35pm
Jack up the rear wheels and support the car on a good pair of axel stands. Start the engine in 2nd or 3rd gear, bring the revs up a bit, push the clutch in and then ease the handbrake on. No need to be too rough or aggressive, if the clutch won??
msigg,
Apr 18, 12:24am
Easiest is to drive the car(where no one else is around) and as your flooring it push the clutch peddle in and out, should free.
matosako,
Apr 18, 12:28am
Many Thanks, I'll go with sr2 idea first and if still have trouble I'll try other options.I did not mention that it is cortina running gear in a JBA kit car that has large box cross section chassis running under the gearbox - motor would have to come out.Lets see what tomorrow brings.Thanks again.
unclejake,
Apr 18, 1:10am
If SR2's option doesn't work (and it never has for me. and I even tried dropping the car onto the ground when in gear) then Msigg's plan is pretty likely to work.
Don't give up. Just keep driving up and down the road with your foot on the clutch, accellerating as hard as you are able. Most likely it will suddenly come free. the last one I did (a TR7 in a damp semi underground garage for four years) took close to 30 minutes of driving around at night before it freed. still quicker than a gearbox drop though
sr2,
Apr 18, 3:33am
Make sure you let us all know how you finally manage to free it up.
mopar63,
Apr 18, 3:59am
had the same trouble with an escort, I just held my foot on the clutch and using the statrer motor ,flicking the key,alternated between 1st and reverse , popped out after about 4 goes
matosako,
Apr 18, 4:51pm
All fixed.thank you everyone,method SR2's idea. Popped out after about 10 mins.Now to get a wof and start using it !
nightboss,
Apr 18, 6:40pm
Thanks for the report, it is nice to hear back from Original Poster when problem solved. Can you post a pic of your JBA kit car, not familiar with what you have!
matosako,
Apr 18, 7:28pm
check out this site http://www.jbaoc.org.uk/ and you'll get all the info.I think there are about 12 in NZ
unclejake,
Apr 18, 9:38pm
SR2 strikes again!
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