Clutch Delima

Unknown

While driving my car today I came to a location in a parking lot where I had to back up. I engaged the clutch and wads barely able to GRIND the car into reverse. I pulled back and when I went to put the car into first same thing I had to grind the car into gear and after that it was Grind into all preceding gears.



When I got to where I was going I stopped and got out of the car to return shortly. Upon getting into the car I was suprised that the Clutch Pedal was almosc completely to the floor..maybe 1" off the floor board....I was able to freely move it by hand up and down....



Decided that since I had left the car parked in 2" gear I would try to limp home if need be in 2nd gear Only...I proceeded down the street and after about 2 blocks the CLUTCH PEDAL returned to normal and I had full function of the transmission being able to shift thru all gears including reverse as usual.







I now have the car home and everything appears to be working properly?





Any thoughts on what HAPPENED?? Kinda concerned that It might happen again when I'm unable to limp it home..





54 WASP with 3 speed and OVERDRIVE





THANKS



TOM

Unknown

I'd be willing to bet that you had a partial collapse of the pressure plate; or the linkage somehow jammed up.

Geoff

The clutch somehow got overheated, which caused the corks to swell, hence the pedal disappearing to the floor. Had you been crawling through traffic, perhaps slipping the clutch? Is your car fitted originally with overdrive, or was it a later add-on? Some cars have had the o/d added on later, and not changed to a 10" clutch, which overloads the original unit considerably. I would flush it out and change the fluid, and put it down to experience.

Geoff.

bobbydamit

Hey Tom, sorry you had the problem with our usually trouble free clutch. It has been my experience that the cork plugs in the clutch plate can fracture or fall out if dry or burned, and a piece can become jammed in between the original face of the clutch and the pressure plate. This causes the clutch to drag on the pressure plate and make it impossible for the syncromesh gear to stop enough for smooth shifting, thus the grind.

It is also possible that this broken piece fell off the face and was sent to the outside by the centrifugal force and fluid movement, thus the smooth operation returning.

I would suggest you Drain the clutch fluid and look for small cork pieces in the drained fluid, or the smell of burned cork in the fluid. If none, Fill back up with the correct 6 oz. of Hudsonite clutch fluid or ATF, and continue to run, only if no cork or burned smell is found. If it is detected, you may need a new clutch. And if it ever gets stuck again, you can shift into second or even third with the car shut off. Depress the clutch and start the car and slowly let the clutch out with low RPM enough to keep from killing the engine, to get going back to home.

Good luck, Bobby