Clutch won’t disengage – Ford

[Gene Jenkins]

Sold the Chevette today and started working on the Ford. When I went to move it into the garage, the clutch would not disengage when the pedal was pressed. This has happened in the past and the local mechanic I took it to started it in gear and drove it around a couple a minutes and all was well. It happened again and I successfully did what the mechanic did. Today I drove it around in circles till it heated up and no go. It has sat longer then in the past. Any ideas?

Gene Jenkins
Keystone Heights Florida

[Dan Rosa]

  Gene

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you are almost there , the clutch disk is stuck to the fly wheel unless the cable is not working  the way to release it like you are doing, but depress the clutch to the floor and hit the breaks with the car driving in gear ,this should release the disk  I had this problem with a Jeep i had many years ago every winter season that I had it

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Dan

[Gene Jenkins]

Thanks Dan. I’ll give it a try.

Gene

[Gene Jenkins]

I did it about 10 times and it’s still stuck.

[edward ericson]

How does the pedal feel?

[Gene Jenkins]

Normal

[edward ericson]

Any chance you can shift up without the clutch? If you can, maybe get it up into 3rd and try the foot-on-the-clutch, slam-on-the-brake thing once more.

If that doesn’t get it, I wonder if your throwout bearing or pressure plate springs might be at fault. If it were me, I might even start by examining the cable to make sure it’s not bound up, which might explain the pedal feel. I’m trying to imagine how this thing would feel “normal” yet still not disengage.

Here are some ideas about Ford mustang clutches. I think we’re looking at a similar design but not sure. Ford guys, chime in?

[Larry Murphy]

 Have someone work the clutch pedal while you look at the clutch fork from underneath the car.See if the fork moves back and forth as the pedal is depressed.It may be that the cable has stretched and is not moving the fork enough to disengage. You mentioned that the car had set longer, could the disc be stuck to the flywheel because of sometype of buildup from dried grease?. If that is the case, if you do get it broke loose again, try gently slipping the clutch to clean off the residue.The disc material may have come apart and be wedged in between the parts thereby preventing it from disengaging.Is there an inspection cover you can remove to see the clutch and flywheel?

[Dan Rosa]

  Jene , if the car sat for a long time in an  open damp area the disk could have come apart, some 1970’S ford’s had a wood compound clutch disk whitch could come apart .. it could be the fork pivot could have lost it’s spring clip that holds it to the bell housing, the cable may just be out of adjustment, i have also seen the holder for the cable at the floor come loose, so many things it could be start from the simple first

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Dan

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BEST OF LUCK

[Scott A Chynoweth]

Could also be that the disc splines are rusted to the input shaft.It only takes a little rust to sieze things up.

[Gene Jenkins]

I took it up to the mechanic yesterday. He said that all he could do was drop the transmission and that if it were him, he’d drive it around and get it good and hot. I drove it around the shopping center parking lot across the street from the mechanic about 20 times. Stalled it a few times but still no go. I took it back to the mechanic. While he was moving it into the shop, it came unstuck .

It’s at the upholstry shop to get carpet cut and will be moved to the paint shop this afternoon. Getting the car painted Ferarri Red with Camel interior. The wife really wanted a yellow car, but since we sold the BCW locally, she decided the town was too small for two yellow MG’s.

I didn’t realize till this morning that the “Real Thing” posted over in the general forum is also from this small town. So there will be two in town the same color. Only one will be real fiberglass though.

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