72 911T clutch help!

Fishman7 · 10-09-2008, 04:42 PM

I purchased a 911T that had been sitting since 1991 and it appears the the clutch disc is rusted/stuck to the fly wheel, does anyone have an easy way to free it? Just to be clear I have pedal so the pressure plate is fine but the clutch won't engage.
Thanks!

Christien · Christien's Garage

Is the car running? What happens when you push the clutch pedal? If the clutch disc is stuck to the flywheel, the car should lurch forward when you try to start it. (note: if it hasn't been started since 1991 and you haven't taken the necessary steps to restart it, don't!)

Fishman7 · 10-09-2008, 04:49 PM

Car is running and yes it lurchs forward when it is started in gear.

Christien · Christien's Garage

Hmm. I'm assuming by "easy" you mean without dropping the engine. You *can* access the TO fork from the top of the transmission (this is useful when re-mating the engine and transmission to guide the fork onto the TO bearing) and it's possible you may be able to free the disc through that opening, but I'd say that might be more difficult than dropping the engine. The opening is only a square inch or 2, and you'd never be able to see what you're doing with the engine/trans installed.

One thing that might work would be to adjust the clutch cable so that it's far too tight, then try to put the clutch pedal in. The added tension might free it, but you run the risk of destroying the cable in the process. Still, replacing a clutch cable is easier than dropping the engine, and it might need to be replaced anyway (they're not expensive - IIRC $30 or so?).

You might want to wait for someone more knowledgeable to add their thoughts, because there might be something I'm overlooking that could cause more damage. Or maybe there's a simpler solution.

LakeCleElum · 10-09-2008, 05:01 PM

Here's what I did when the same thing happened to a car I left sitting while I took a summer college job of fishing in Alaska.

I started the car in neutral and let it warm up. I pushed it out of the garage so it was heading out of the driveway. I shut it off, put it in 2nd gear and hit the starter.....The car lurched forward, started and soon I was heading down our street in 2nd gear. I depressed the clutch pedal and in about a block, it broke free.

Warning: I think I tore off a piece of clutch disc material with this stunt, as after that, the clutch kind of "chattered" when I took off. After awhile, that must have worn off and it was all good......Worth a try????

Fishman7 · 10-09-2008, 05:06 PM

I like the starter idea, worth a shot I guess.

john walker's workshop · 10-09-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Here's what I did when the same thing happened to a car I left sitting while I took a summer college job of fishing in Alaska.

I started the car in neutral and let it warm up. I pushed it out of the garage so it was heading out of the driveway. I shut it off, put it in 2nd gear and hit the starter.....The car lurched forward, started and soon I was heading down our street in 2nd gear. I depressed the clutch pedal and in about a block, it broke free.

Warning: I think I tore off a piece of clutch disc material with this stunt, as after that, the clutch kind of "chattered" when I took off. After awhile, that must have worn off and it was all good......Worth a try????

do this, but once you get going, keep the clutch pedal to the floor and go on and off throttle quickly a few times until it breaks loose. just be sure you won't run into anything in the process.

Fishman7 · 10-16-2008, 12:15 PM

It worked, clutch is unfrozen! Thanks all, another 911 brought back to life!

jase007 · jase007's Garage

Interesting ...

I have to try this today as yesterday when I went to start my targa ... after sitting with battery disconnected for 1 month ... I had no gears.

Clutch engagement was perfect when I parked it.

My symptoms... start in neutral ... can't get into any gear without grinding. Start in gear with clutch pedal depressed ...car lurches. Sounds like a frozen clutch disc based on this thread.

If I get it going after starting in gear (2nd) I'll keep the clutch pedal depressed and give it some revs to break loose. Hope this works as well for my problem as it did for yours.

Cheers.

blackbird225 · blackbird225's Garage

It work for me TOO!!!!!