Clutch wont disengage?

[fuzzybunny]

Hi All,

Car was driving fine on Monday but tried to drive off today and despite depressing clutch I couldn't get it into gear.

Clutch felt fine and depressing it allowed me to start the engine as normal but seems it wasnt disengaging.

Does this mean a clutch failure?

Thanks

 

[gumdrop]

What is the milage? and typical usage?

[fuzzybunny]

4 hours ago, gumdrop said:

What is the milage? and typical usage?

11 years old, 82,000 but now only down to 2-3k a year

[Warrior193]

@fuzzybunny Have you tried putting into gear with engine stopped, then starting it? Make sure car is not likely to hit anything if it does lurch forward if it starts then stalls.    

[Austin 7]

Hi

 

Occasionally, the clutch friction disc can stick to the flywheel due to a very thin rust layer if it gets damp and hasn't been used for a few days.  A bit like brake pads sticking to the discs. Sometimes starting in gear (carefully) and driving for a bit so the friction disc is called upon to transmit some torque will free it off.

[J.R.]

A lot more than a few days but its a remote possibility, the pedal feel being normal corresponds.

[J.R.]

On 07/12/2023 at 18:06, Austin 7 said:

Sometimes starting in gear (carefully) with the clutch pedal depressed and driving for a bit so the friction disc is called upon to transmit some torque will free it off.

 

I added the above important bit, engine torque will release a stuck clutch every time, my preferred method is to have someone run the car in a high gear (clutch depressed) with the driven wheels off the ground and drop the trolley jack swiftly, it sounds like you will cause an accident or run yourself over but I have done it scores of times and they have never moved an inch, I stand directly in front because thats where the jack handle is. Caution, do not try this with a 4WD version!

 

You need to trust the person behind the wheel to have depressed the clutch, if they are revving high its a bad omen, it only needs minimal revs, inertia vs momentum does the job.

Edited 10 December, 2023 by J.R.

[fuzzybunny]

Thanks everyone, I'll try what you suggest and let you know, I'm away from home at the mo so back on Monday. Cheers

 

[muddyjim]

It's probably worth checking the brake/clutch fluid level first, as if the clutch hydraulic sytem has failed, dropping the car onto its wheels could end up with embarrassing results....

[J.R.]

On 06/12/2023 at 17:39, fuzzybunny said:

Clutch felt fine

 

[phil1380]

We had a sticky pedal recently, would go down but not come back up again.

 

Bled the clutch slave cylinder - lots of black fluid came out, bled it til it ran clean and pedal operation return to normal.

 

Worth a try ??

 

Phil.

[daveannjon]

Similar problem earlier this year, sorry to say it developed into the clutch slave/clutch and dual mass flywheel having to be replaced.

 

DaveW

[J.R.]

Yep, Phil is living on borrowed time.

 

I repeat again, the OP claims that the clutch pedal feels fine.

[fuzzybunny]

Thanks Guys,

Last Monday when I last used the car I went through several floods around here in Somerset, only slowly in 2nd gear of course and no deeper than 9 inches.

The next day was when the clutch wouldn't disengage, so I wonder if water had caused the problem but not sure how?

 

Just before I went away for a few days , I tried one of the suggestions above.

I started the engine to warm it up, turned off the engine, put into 2nd gear and started the engine with the clutch depressed.

The car jumped forward for a few yards, then I braked to stop it going onto next door's hedge, (they wouldn't like that).

Made no difference though, the clutch was still stuck.

 

I have been away for a few days, back now and just tried it and 'hey presto' everything is back to normal, drove it up and down the road so hopefully problem solved.

Taking her in for the MoT on Tuesday, so hopefully all OK for then.

Thanks again, guys.

 

 

 

[fuzzybunny]

On 07/12/2023 at 18:08, J.R. said:

 

I added the above important bit, engine torque will release a stuck clutch every time, my preferred method is to have someone run the car in a high gear (clutch depressed) with the driven wheels off the ground and drop the trolley jack swiftly, it sounds like you will cause an accident or run yourself over but I have done it scores of times and they have never moved an inch, I stand directly in front because thats where the jack handle is.

 

You need to trust the person behind the wheel to have depressed the clutch, if they are revving high its a bad omen, it only needs minimal revs, inertia vs momentum does the job.

 

Thanks, JR that looks a great suggestion to force the clutch to disengage, my car is 4x4 though so would need to have the rear wheels on a roller I suspect.

[J.R.]

Good point, I will edit my posting to avoid any accidents.

 

Really chuffed that you have solved th problem, thats 2 people who suffered the same problem this week!