Clutch mystery

[CJ51965]

Greetings. I purchased a very nice original 65 CJ5 last fall. My first CJ5. Ran fine when put into the garage for the winter. Fired it up today for the first time since then, and cannot engage the Transmission . Clutch pedal appears to operate fine...it pushes down to the floor board and returns to original position. When viewed from underneath, the linkage all appears to be moving correctly. Yet I am unable to engage the transmission when the pedal is pushed down. Any ideas. suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks!

 

[IOPort51]

can you put it in gear with the engine off??

 

[jasonmark1993]

I think IO is about to tell you the clutch disc is frozen onto the pressure plate/flywheel.

 

[CJ51965]

Yes, it will go into gear with the engine off.

 

[CJ]

I think IO is about to tell you the clutch disc is frozen onto the pressure plate/flywheel.

Yep! The disk is stuck to the fly wheel... Many ways to fix this. Easiest way is to put it into reverse with engine off (or 1st if yo are backed into the garage), block the wheels ans start the Jeep. The Jeep will try and move until the blocks stop it. This should break the disc loose. The safest way is to pull the access cover from the bell housing and while someone is pushing on the clutch pedal (with the engine OFF) gently pry on the disc until it separates from the flywheel or the pressure plate.

 

[CJ51965]

Thanks for the suggestions. Tried the block-the-rear wheels option. Unfortunately this did not help release the clutch. Is the access cover on the bell housing the portion of the cover which extends below the engine block? I've removed these on other vehicles, but not yet on my Jeep.

 

[mtnwhlr]

Yes

 

[IOPort51]

whether you can actually reach the clutch plate from the front of the flywheel or not is a very interesting question.

I have known this to happen with "wet" clutches , like motorcycles , but not a dry one. I guess it could happen but I think you need to spend some quality time on your back under this CJ and see if it is a linkage problem.

that is, of course , if you have not already done so.

I remember my old triumph motorcycle would do this regularly and every time it sat for a week or so it would take some work to get it freed up. In the spring time I could count on driving around the block 3 or 4 times with no clutch before it would free up.

Thanks for the suggestions. Tried the block-the-rear wheels option. Unfortunately this did not help release the clutch. Is the access cover on the bell housing the portion of the cover which extends below the engine block? I've removed these on other vehicles, but not yet on my Jeep.

 

[hagar]

happens to Jeeps that sit
put the Jeep in front of a tree
use the frame horn/end rail portion at the bumper
don't use the middle of the bumper.....
depress clutch pedal, and with contact against the tree, just bump the starter
it will pop loose, may take one or two attempts