QuestionQUESTION: Hello, I have a 1962 ford falcon with original 6 cylinder, and 3 speed manual trans. I went to start it up, because its been sitting for quite a while, and when I pushed the clutch in, about the 4th, or 5th push on the clutch pedal, it stayed in to the floor. It feels like something became disconnected. I looked at the clutch rod going to the transmission, or the pressure plate, and nothing is disconnected on the outside anywhere. Something happened on the inside of where the clutch is. It feels like the pressure plate is not being activated somehow. Would you know what could have happened?
ANSWER: Dennis, this answer is based strictly on past experience. The spring that returns the clutch pedal to the up position is mounted up under the dash and is what is called an over center application. Meaning that from about half way down to the bottom of the travel the spring helps you push the clutch down against the pressure plate. When releasing the clutch the pressure plate pushed the clutch pedal up to about half way then the return spring goes over center and helps bring the clutch pedal back up. I think that what has happened is that you have broken a weld on the clutch linkage cross shaft that runs from the frame/body of the vehicle to the side of the bell housing or engine block. This was a common occurrence when these cars were on the road. Then the pedal dropped to the floor helped by the over center spring. That being said does not mean that there might not be a problem inside the clutch assembly like the throwout bearing being stuck to the transmission sleeve or the pressure plate rusted up. Check the welds on the levers attached to the cross shaft. Good Luck.
Brad
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QUESTION: Hello, I found the problem! First of all, this is a car that has been sitting for about 2, or 3 years, waiting to be restored. The problem was that the arm that goes through the firewall, had come out of its connection. I think it's the part that you can also adjust the clutch by turning the nuts further up the rod, or lower on the arm. I found it had only one nut on it though... No nut on the bottom side of the rod though. Should the rod that goes through the firewall, have two nuts on it, or just one? Does the pressure from the pressure plate, keep the rod in place? The upper nut, was so low on the rod, that it left the rod slip out of the square attaching point that the rod goes into. The area I am talking about is the area that you would adjust for clutch slippage etc.. Thank You!
ANSWER: If my old gray matter serves me right there should be a nut on each side of the square block and that is indeed the clutch adjusting device. There should be a light spring under the car on the clutch fork that holds all of the linkage together as when the clutch is properly adjusted the throwout bearing is not touching the pressure plate fingers. The big spring under the dash is the pedal return but it is an over center design and will hold the clutch pedal on the floor if the linkage is disconnected and not seeing pressure plate tension or the small spring tension.
Brad
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QUESTION: Hello Brad, and thank you for your help on this.
My clutch pedal (since I purchased the car, and it has been sitting for about 3 years) has never come back up all the way. When I went to put the rod back on, in the square block, I had to pry that arm, with a bar. Let me clarify myself... The square block that the rod for the clutch pedal goes into, is connected to an arm, that is welded to a pipe of a sort. The pipe goes towards the engine block, and has an arm that goes down for the clutch rod to the pressure plate. Now, this pipe with the arms, does not move freely. I cannot see how it is connected at the steering box side, as it is under it. I assume it has dirt, or rust at the area of the steering box, and thus needs to be cleaned, and or greased up a bit. That whole pipe like piece, should move freely... am I correct? How is it connected at the steering box? Do I need to take the steering off, to get to that side of the pipe arm, to clean it up, and grease it? I hope you understand what I mean!! Thanks Again... Dennis
AnswerThat original e cross shaft that I referred to in the original answer. It rotates on two balls, one connected to the frame of the vehicle under the steering box, and can be seen and reached from under the car. The other ball is or pivot is threaded into the side of the engine block. When you are under the car disconnect the small spring from the end of the clutch fork, the part that goes into the bell housing, and you should be able to disconnect the rod that comes from the cross shaft. Then with the rod that comes down from the clutch pedal disconnected the cross shaft should then turn freely. If it does not, remove it and service it. If it does then it is ok. There should be two nuts on the threaded rod coming down from the clutch pedal. Also you should be able to get your toe under the clutch pedal and bring it up. When it gets about half way up it should snap up the rest of the way. If the pedal does not come all the way up with the linkage disconnected there may be something in the way under the dash or the pivot up under the dash is sticking. Hope this might make the mud puddle a little clearer to see in.
Brad
