Stuck Clutch?

[Andyinchville]

HI All,

I have a problem with my old 1981 Dodge D250 (gas) truck. The truck has been sitting for awhile (about a month and a half) and when I went to push the clutch in to start it the truck creeped forward....I tried to take the trans out of granny low (with the clutch pushed in) but the shift lever would not move out of gear....I bumped the starter again and the truck inched forward....The truck is in my fairly steep driveway and will not roll back into the driveway when I pushed in the clutch...I don't want to keep creeping forward ( I did try repeated bumps in the hope of freeing it up) otherwise I will be on the sidewalk and soon the street...Is the clutch somehow stuck and not releasing?....I have never had this happen before....how would I free it up this time...A friend suggested WD 40 to free up the rust and possible the sticking but I think that oil or oil based products would tend to screw up the clutch friction surfaces. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated (the truck is a d250 with a 360 engine and 4 sp trans (has granny low plus 3 sp)...The clutch was replaced about a year ago and has plenty of life left in it so I would prefer not to totally destroy it trying to fix this).....
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[muddstopper]

I would guess that the clutch has rusted to the flywheel and pressure plate. Jack the rear of the truck up and set the axle on blocks. Crank engine with transmission in gear. While wheels are turning, mash in the clutch pedal and slam on the brakes hard. You might have to repeat this a couple of times to get the clutch free. Just be sure the truck cant slip off the blocks, otherwise you might go for a joy ride. After the clutch frees up. Hold the brake pedal and with engine running, slowly let out the clutch pedal just enought that the clutch slips, but not enought that it will catch and kill the engine. This will clean off the rust on the pressure plate and flywheel surface. You dont have to hold it until it starts to smell burnt, it wont take more than a few seconds to clear the rust off.

One other thing it might also be. Some of those old dodges had hydraulic clutches, check to make sure it isnt low on fluid and that the clutch arm is actually moving when you depress the pedal. Dodge used to have a little plastic line that ran from the clutch master cylinder to the clutch slave cylinder. This line was bad to melt or burst so check for fluid spraying when you depress the clutch pedal.

[grass_cuttin_fool]

I go along with stopper, Ive had a clutch stick like that on a ford before, most of the time soon as the engine starts they will free up, if its a case of just sitting for a while with out being used.


wayne

[lawnmaniac883]

Does the pedal feel softer or harder than normal?

[notoriousDUG]

Itis not likely that the disc has rusted to the flywheel.

More likely what is happening is that the pilot have siezed in the bearing.

you are correct that oil will destroy the clutch, NEVER put oil on to a clutch disc.

the biggest reason you are having this issue is with the trans in granny low it is so easy to move it the wieght opf the truck isn ot enough to overcome the friction in the pilot hole. Put the truck in a higher gear, chock the tires and crank it over, it shoudl free up. You may have to jack up the drive wheels to unlead the trans to get it to come out of gear. You can also jack it up and crank wiht your foot on the brake and in gear if you like.