FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Hey guys,i've got a 3 on the tree mech clutch in my HT Panno,it hasn't been driven ,just moved in and out the driveway up until 6weeks ago,it previously sat since 86 under a carport.I fire it up today and there's no clutch,i checked the adj,there's only minor travel in the fork,so it must have seized together.I've never had this problem as all car's I've had were hydraulic.Any help much appreciated,Gaz! :-\

Try rocking the car in top gear

Normally when a clutch sticks it is the clutch plate stuck to the flywheel even though the pressure plate fingers lift the pressure plate off the clutch plate . What I'm trying to say is that its unusual that the clutch fork has reduced movement[the travel should still be the same] . A stuck clutch can sometimes be released by rocking the car back and forth in gear but in extreme cases I have driven an old International AL 130 farm truck for weeks before the clutch released . I'm just guessing but your clutch problem seems more like a linkage problem [ like the cable with the ball that hooks to your pedal ] .Should be simple enough if you get someone to watch the linkages while you press the clutch pedal . Brings back memories of driving my Mums HG wagon home many times without a clutch [broken linkage cable] .Good luck Haydn 

I did try rocking in gear[nothing]tried starting in gear,it jumps forward but still nothing.I double checked all linkages and the clutch cable and all is ok. ???

Fink,

I'd be inclined to go with starting the car in gear with the clutch pedal depressed.  You sometimes have to be quite cruel with it to make the clutch release - once the car's rolling in first, floor it, then back off, floor it again, as many times as needed, with the clutch pedal depressed.

I had to do this once with an HR wagon I was thinking of buying.  I thought I was going to break the engine mounts before the clutch unstuck.

Rob

Still don't think a stuck clutch plate will effect the travel of the clutch fork . The clutch fork may have dropped off the pivot ball inside the bellhousing or the linkage may be loose or not adjusted .Haydn

Note to self:  read the bloody thread (all of it) before posting.
Haydn, you're right.  The clutch fork travel will need to be sorted first.

Rob

Ok , my best guess is [providing the linkages a still working correctly ] that the throw out bearing has somehow stuck on the front yoke and the clutch fork has come off the pivot ball [or it may have bent the fork] . From memory these clutch forks are longer than the early Holdens . There was a time up here in Qld. we were not allowed to run red motors in our old Holden's and engineers would say " You can put a red in there ,only if you don't exceed the maximum bore and stroke of the original engine and don't change the original mounts". So I ran a 138 red motor over a carefully modified EH frontend with a Pilipino gearbox and a LC LJ torana  tailshaft . The bellhousing was drilled to take the side mounts and because it was in an EK auto it also ran a rear mount . I also moved the gear stick by cutting the selector box and tube and rewelding it further forward to clear the bench seat .It was a great little commuter but wouldn't pull a sailor off your sister . The reason I remember is because I would make a plate to move the clutch selector fork pivot ball to the other side of the bellhousing to run the existing slave cylinder and when I eventually sold the car a very small women kept sliding up the bench seat when she tried to push the clutch pedal down ,so I had to use the longer HT HG fork and remount the bottom slave cylinder bolt out on the side mount plate giving a softer pedal . Anyway ,good luck ,Haydn

about 3 months ago i encountered the lack of clutch fork movement.
although it was a hydraulic clutch on an aussie 4 speed.
after replacing master cylinder thinkin it was that,
 i replaced the clutch........
lots of time and money later,
oh,
the fork is bent....
i figure maybe it bent cause i was running a one tonner clutch,
so smashed it back into place with a lump hammer and it cracked cause they are cast
 so i boxed it and welded some extra metal on the weak points,
has been workin sweet since
 and its a daily driver.
perhaps not the problem but i thought it was worth telling

if it hasnt been driven for ages the throw out bearing seems likely ,a big screwy 'll fix that hahaha

or/and a big hammer possibly......

I did everything today as I did on Friday,with the clutch in and in top gear and ignition on it started without moving forward,i changed into first without a problem and it drove forward and in reverse as it always did.Bloody confusing ::)It's all good now,thanks guys for all the advice,when I get the front panels on i'll take it for a good run and let you know how it goes, Gaz!

great you got it goin!
do you think just stuck throwout bearing from surface rust?

Honestly Waynos I'm not sure,but I'm haapishit that it all ok now  :)

as long as it 's workin dont matter anymore  hey?nice. have fun drivin it mate

Well,it's all been good since the last post,1st and 2nd are a little noisy but clutch is fine and it changes no probs,took it for a roady and I'm now on club reg,thanks again for the advice,CNHDIWY, Gaz! ;D