TR6 TR6 Clutch Problem

[Adam]

My 1973 tr6's clutch seems like its not releasing. When the clutch is in, I can not put the car in gear. It feels fine and the slave master and slave cylinders seem to be moving the shaft fine. Do you guys think the clutch is stuck?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[tomshobby]

Sounds like either the clutch is worn or the taper pin may be broken.

 

[Brosky]

I go with Tom on the taper pin being sheared or broken. I think if the clutch was worn, you would have had grinding or some sort of notice before now.

As long as the shaft out of the slave moves, the hydraulics are working.

 

[Adam]

The clutch was fine up until know, maybe its the taper pin?? It's been sitting for about a month and everything was ok before storage.

Thanks for the input.

Adam

 

[Brosky]

Maybe the disk is frozen or stuck to the flywheel. The problem with these cars is that there is no inspection plate to remove to look at the PP/Disk to flywheel action.

 

[Geo Hahn]

It's been sitting for about a month and everything was ok before storage.

Has it been humid? Sometimes the clutch can rust to the pressureplate/flywheel and will not want to release.

Typical fix is to set the handbrake, put it in gear, clutch pedal down and bump the starter.

In an extreme case I had to jack up the rear of my TR3... rev in (a forward) gear and have my wife release the jack. The shock of the spinning tires hitting the pavement broke the clutch free. Exciting and you want some open space in front of you just in case.

 

[LastDeadLast]

Has it been humid? Sometimes the clutch can rust to the pressureplate/flywheel and will not want to release.

For some reason that statement scares me a little. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif

 

[Tinster]

What can be done to prevent this rusting?
and subsequent seizing?

With the exception of maybe 4 or 5 hours running,
my car has been on jackstands almost 6 months since
the new clutch was installed the first week in March
this year.

The engine is marginally operational and I do crank
it up a few times a week to keep the gasoline from
turning to glue in my carbs.

Would any movement of the clutch plate break the rust?
I live in the tropics where it is humid all the time.

I'd really hate to get things more or less sorted out and
then have to replace a brand new clutch due to rust.

thanks,

d

 

[Adam]

Bump starting didn't work and the ole lady was too much of a wimp to release the jack. Took the tranny out, and it was amazing how easy it was to unstick the thing. Put the trans back in and its fine. Now, lets hope I can get the interior back together before it rusts its self back on again.

My guess is to weekly engage and disengage the clutch so it won't get stuck??? Its humid as all else here. Maybe its time for a newer car or a better climate.

Thanks for your help,
Adam

 

[TR3driver]

Just curious, Adam, was it stuck to the flywheel, pressure plate or input shaft ? Did it seem to actually be the friction material caught in surface rust ?

Seems like there should be some sort of surface treatment that would stop the rust without interfering with friction, but I don't know what it would be. Something like gun bluing, perhaps ?

Oddly enough, in some 30 years of driving Triumphs (including a few underwater excursions), I've never had a stuck clutch. Maybe there's a reason the rear main seal always leaks a little ?

 

[TR4]

Would any movement of the clutch plate break the rust?
I live in the tropics where it is humid all the time.

I'd really hate to get things more or less sorted out and
then have to replace a brand new clutch due to rust.

thanks,

d

If your garage is somewhat air tight, you could run a dehumidifier?

 

[piman]

Hello all,

as far as I know there is nothing you can apply to stop the corrosion, nor will depressing the clutch pedal periodically make any real difference. It really is a small problem as long as you have some space to run the car. (The clutch will not need replacing either, Tinster)

If the car hasn't run for a while, it sometimes helps to run the engine a bit to warm it up, so that you know it will run OK.
Engine off, clutch pedal in and into first gear, start the engine and accelerate. If that doesn't free it straight away, apply foot brake and throttle together, all the time with the clutch fully depressed. I've never had to go more than a few cars lengths with that method.

Alec