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: You'll have to do some detective work. If the clutch is disengaged and stuck that way, the car won't move when you put the transmission in first gear and try to crank the engine. If you haven't tried that, do it to find out.
If the car tries to move, then the clutch IS engaged, the problem is in the linkage somewhere. The only way to diagnose this further is to get under the car and watch what happens when a helper tries to move the clutch pedal up and down. If you see everything moving OK on the outside of the clutch housing, the problem is inside the clutch housing and the transmission is going to have to be removed to fix it anyway - so there is no point in doing anything else. Of course if the problem IS in the linkage outside the clutch housing, you should be able to see what is disconnected this way and fix it without having to go into the clutch housing.
If the car DOESN'T try to move when the engine spins and the transmission is in gear, the problem is inside the clutch housing.
Probably the throw-out bearing is stuck on the transmission input shaft, but there are many other possibilities. It really doesn't matter, the transmission will have to come out if you can't free up the throwout bearing by loosening the trans mounting bolts and wiggling the trans case. Have someone hold the clutch pedal to the floor while you try this - it may suddenly release and he'll feel the pressure against his foot. No matter what the cause, the trans will have to come out to fix it right.
Dick
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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!
AnswerHi, I'm glad you found the trouble without having to pull the transmission.
Yes, the rod is supposed to have two nuts on it - someone left one off and it probably vibrated to the point where the rod could fall out of the thing it is supposed to stay in contact with. The springs in the clutch should keep tension on the rod so it can't rattle around in there. Adjust the rod so that you have about 3/4 inch of free play at the pedal, then everything else should be OK.
Dick
