• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Frozen Clutch Prevention

Share this page

F

frankBN6

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
The clutch on my 1959 BN6 has frozen up during winter storage on more than one occasion over the past twenty years, due to rust/corrosion on the clutch plate surfaces. When I regularly run the engine and activate the clutch during storage, I avoid this problem, but sometimes that's not possible. A number of folks have suggested using a piece of wood to keep the clutch pedal depressed a few inches during storage as a way to avoid periodic lockup. It sounds like it should work, but I'm concerned about the long term effect of depressing the clutch on the various springs and hydraulics. I'd like to know if anyone uses this approach and/or what problems it might cause. Thanks.
 
No,no,you would be keeping pressure(constant) on hydraulics,rubber seals will fail ,springs in p/plate would get weak,much easier too break stuck disc loose-starting in gear w/clutch depressed(w/nothing in front of your car)or starting&driving disengaging clutch off &on. cheers Genos2
 
frankBN6 said:
The clutch on my 1959 BN6 has frozen up during winter storage on more than one occasion over the past twenty years, due to rust/corrosion on the clutch plate surfaces. When I regularly run the engine and activate the clutch during storage, I avoid this problem, but sometimes that's not possible. A number of folks have suggested using a piece of wood to keep the clutch pedal depressed a few inches during storage as a way to avoid periodic lockup. It sounds like it should work, but I'm concerned about the long term effect of depressing the clutch on the various springs and hydraulics. I'd like to know if anyone uses this approach and/or what problems it might cause. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I used to take care of this problem by starting the car in 2nd(3rd sometimes), gear and driving it a little ways and accerating and decelerating. It worked everytime.
Patrick
 
My clutch is, I believe frozen too. How can I unfreeze it? When I attempt to start my 59 100-6 in gear the rear wheels just spin and the car jerks. Any help appreciated!
 
Thanks Genos2. Earlier today I had rigged a piece of wood to partially depress my clutch in an attempt to prevent this recurring storage problem. After a few hours, I started to think about what might go wrong with this "simple" solution. I thought it best to see if anyone had any thoughts or cautions about this approach, so I removed the wood and posted my question. I'm really glad I did. Thanks for the feedback.

Frank
 
Thanks Patrick. I've used your approach in the past and it has always worked. It sounds like depressing the clutch during storage is problematic and will do more harm than good.

Frank
 
Hello Gar. First of all, it sounds like depressing the clutch during storage to prevent a frozen clutch from occurring is not a good solution. When my clutch does freeze up, I first try to free it by putting the transmission into 2nd or 3rd gear and rocking the car back and forth while someone presses the clutch in. I can usually hear a mechanical pop when it frees up. If it's really frozen and rocking doesn't work, I warm up the engine with the car in neutral, so it will start quickly and smoothly the next time I start it. I then turn the engine off and put the car in 2nd gear. I then start the car with the clutch depressed. The car will jerk forward but should drive. I speed up and decelerate a few times with the clutch in and this has always caused the clutch to free up. You'll need to do this where you have lots of room to drive without obstacles or traffic. I usually ask some friends or neighbors to keep traffic from entering the street in front of my house when I'm doing this. It usually takes only a minute or two. Good luck.

Frank
 
Well Frank, sounds like it's time to replace the clutch. After 20 years the springs in the cover plate are weakened. While you have the clutch removed have the flywheel resurfaced. Do this and you won't have anymore problems.
 
Johnny said:
Well Frank, sounds like it's time to replace the clutch. After 20 years the springs in the cover plate are weakened. While you have the clutch removed have the flywheel resurfaced. Do this and you won't have anymore problems.
Click to expand...
Frank,....and while the flyheel is off you might as well install the new type of rear main seal(the only thing in the way is the rear engine plate).Patrick\(where will it stop???)
 
Just curious why these clutches are freezing up. Do you leave the car outside? I live in snow country (stored in an unheated garage)and I have never had a problem.
 
Johnny said:
Well Frank, sounds like it's time to replace the clutch. After 20 years the springs in the cover plate are weakened. While you have the clutch removed have the flywheel resurfaced. Do this and you won't have anymore problems.

Nope long cold winters wil cause the clutch to freeze up those that are familiar with this problem have sent him in the right direction.
However, an old clutch probably should be replaced so you do not get left on the side of the road. :D---Fwiw--Keoke
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top