Freeing a frozen clutch

[tipo158]

The clutch on my car is frozen. What is your favorite technique for getting a frozen clutch to break free?

How can I tell if the clutch hydraulics is actually working? Can any of the movement of the clutch mechanism be seen with everything assembled?

alan

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

I will start with your last questions first.

Remove the clutch slave cylinder from the engine/trans adapter plate. Have someone slowly move the clutch peddle and check for movement on the slave cylinder piston.

If you try to re-install the slave cylinder with the original bolts, you will strip the threads in the bell housing. So BEFORE you start, go to the auto parts and buy two new bolts, the same size and thread pitch but 1/2" longer. Install the slave cylinder with the new bolts. When both of the bolts bottom out, remove one and install one of the original bolts in its place and snug it up. Replace the remaining new bolt and replace it with an original and bolt the slave cylinder into place.

OK, now run the engine until it is heated up well before trying these steps.

1. Turn off engine, block wheels, set parking brake, shift into 2nd, depress clutch peddle and try to start the car.

2. Tow the car to an empty strech of road. Have the tow car move to the back of your car. Turn on the key, shift into 2dn, depress the clutch peddle and have the other car push your to start it. Drive around while holding the clutch peddle in and blipping the gas. When it breaks free, drive home.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[FI Spyder]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jclay</i>


Remove the clutch slave cylinder from the engine/trans adapter plate. Have someone slowly move the clutch peddle and check for movement on the slave cylinder piston.


jclay

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

One caveat to this which happened to me. If piston in slave does indeed move take one further step. Clamp in a socket in the slave cylinder bore and see if there is a high resistance to clutch pedal. If not your plastic clutch hose is expanding and not transmitting pressure to clutch the result is clutch is not released and you can't shift into gear with motor running.

One other warning. When removing slave cylinder from bellhousing be careful to not allow the rod to come too far out as the pivot arm can disconnect from collar necessitating a removal of transmission to reconnect (warning in factory manual).



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Great points, FI Spyder,

The Push rod is held in by a plastic clip and we all know about the plastic clips on our cars. They are going away with time!

Here are the clutch lever parts: (Original arm on left, replacement on right)



Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay