Clutch won't release

[Nathan]

Help

Before my 911SC has been sitting up for about 3 weeks the clutch release perfectly. Lately it has been raining for about 2 weeks off and on. And today I'd started it up with clutch pedal in and in 1st gear only to release the clutch with it jumping foward.
So I put it in neutral and crank it with it running,and then turn the car off and try it again with the gear shift in 1st. And the car still jumps foward. So I'm thinking because of the humidity maybe the clutch is seize to the flywheel or something. I even tried rocking the car back and forth. It still won't release.

Any suggestion?

[Cerbin]

Not sure if this will be any significant help but i had the same problem in a different situation...Clutch would not disengage.

It could be merely stuck on the pressure plate
-Start in first gear and 'burn' the clutch a little to put some pressure on it. for enhancing this burning you can try it on a hill.

Unlikely but this was my scenario..
My pilot shaft was some how pushed out from the transmission and stuck against the engine making it so the tranny was engaged 100% of the time.
-we ended up dropping the engine and putting a small spacers inbetween the trans and engine.

Hope that helps
Patrick O

1970 T/S widebody

[Early_S_Man]

Nathan,

That sounds like the traditional clutch dust and rust problem that causes a stuck clutch disk on cars left standing for long periods of time under very humid conditions!

Two things to try ...

1. Try rocking the car back and forth with the transaxle in 5th gear ... while an assistant tries to operate the clutch pedal repeatedly.

2. Try starting the car in 5th gear ... and try operating the clutch pedal repeatedly ... only run the engine for a VERY BRIEF period, perhaps 30 seconds, then turn it off!

I would only try startng in 5th gear ONCE!

If neither of the above methods work ... it will be time to pull the engine and transaxle.

[CamB]

This happened to me on the '75. I tried starting the car in gear a couple of times (clutch pedal down), then left it running at a couple of thousand revs until it warmed up (which was my goal - hadn't started it in 3-4 months and wanted the thermostat to the front cooler to open, etc etc. Yes, my neighbours love me).

Then when I tried the same start it in gear trick it worked. The heat seemed to help.

Cam

[Nathan]

Thanks guys the clutch finally released. And I took her around the block to propertly warm the engine.