15 replies to this topic

[Lund]

Hi

My Mini has been stood garaged for about 8 years now...I think!

I left the handbrake off so that it ok (Good old bricks!)

But the clutch has stuck :sad:

And the brakes have rusted the car to a standstill!

I want to get the Mini unstuck and out of the garage to have a good look at what needs doing, how can i unstick the... everything!?

Soak in WD40? :wink:

I am concidering pulling it out with the Landy and a bit of rope...but then i wouldnt be able to slide it back in... Hmmm its a hard one


What should i do?

[cooper_shaz]

A big ass hammer and smack the wheels, the jolt is normally enough to free the brakes off..

You could take off each wheel and pull the calipers back (if it has them, not sure how old it is)

I got an old clubby estate that had stood for years and used the hammer method and then poured a decent amount of duck oil (wd40) down each bore and left it over night..

then poured oil down each bore and towed it and this freed everything up..
used the gears to slow the car to get the engine nice and free..

Worked a treat..

A bit evil and harsh but did the trick..

[dklawson]

Once you get the brakes free as described above it's on to the clutch.

First, get the engine operating and make sure the clutch hydraulics are working and properly adjusted. The trick is to put excessive load on the clutch with the pedal held against the floor. To do this take the car to a location where you have no obstructions and can drive several hundred feet in a straight line (with a slight upward hill if you can manage it). Start the car in neutral and allow it to idle up to operating temperature. Switch the engine off and put the car in second gear. Push the clutch pedal to the floor and restart the car. Since the clutch is stuck the car will begin surging forward on the starter until the engine catches. Once the engine starts you'll be off. KEEP THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN and give the car gobs of gas. As you accelerate there will be more and more torque on the clutch. All of a sudden there will be a loud "bang" indicating the clutch has broken free. The engine will start to race so be prepared after the bang to take your foot off the gas and put it back on the brakes.

On cars with cable operated clutches you can put a board or other wedge against the pedal to hold it to the floor while the car's in storage. This prevents the friction disk from bonding to the flywheel over time. On cars with hydraulic clutches it isn't possible to do anything like this as the hydraulics will leak down over time. However, you could possibly wedge the throw-out arm in the released position while in storage. If you do... be sure and put a tag on the dash or steering wheel so you'll remember to remove the wedge when going to restart the car.

[Lund]

Thats very interesting.

The car is 1979 Mini City 850cc Drum brakes all round on 10", the car is completely standard.

[benno75]

hehe, can someone find me an old seized up mini cause I'd really like to try that technique! Sounds like like what we call bushman mechanics back home (oz). There's just something about GOBS of gas and a big BANG that send tingles down my spine!!! :cheese:

[dklawson]

I have a VW Rabbit (Mk1 Golf to you?) and sadly, it has a habit of getting its clutch seized like that. The separation technique was told to me by a professional mechanic friend. I was afraid to try it but have used it several times now. Subsequently, on another message board I frequent someone mentioned using the wedge on the clutch pedal to keep the friction plate off the flywheel. It has worked like a charm.

[chairchild]

or another possibility for the clutch, is that the arm has seized where it pivots on the clevis pin - another suitably brutal method can be used to free this up.

Remove the wok, and place it on a hard floor (arm/etc, facing upwards)

Place one foot either side of the arm - arm facing away from you.

Spray with liberal amounts of WD40, and smack the end of the arm with a big hammer until it cannot go down any further - raise the arm using a crowbar, then repeat beatings and oilling, until free :wink:




used this a couple of times, and it's worked every time!

[Lund]

Looks like i'm going to have some fun!

Thanks

[Geehawk]

I once drove 12 miles in 2nd gear before the clutch freed itself. :saywhat: :gasp: :cheese:

[Lund]

I once drove 12 miles in 2nd gear before the clutch freed itself. :saywhat: :gasp: :cheese:

Oh God!

[neil_g]

WD40 is NOT a release oil. you want plus gas or similar.

[Geehawk]

WD40 is NOT a release oil.

Its manufacturers would beg to differ I should think.

[dklawson]

I'm not picking sides here on the WD-40 issue. WD-40 is better than motor oil as a penetrant and is OK if that's all you have available. However, there are other products that are better at wicking into corrosion and softening it. You guys in the U.K. will have different products to pick from than I will.

[Lund]

I have WD to hand so i'll give it a try
:tongue:

[Add_Gee]

Drums all round should be easy to free, just take the wheels off and hammer all the way round the drum until the can spin it. Use a piece of wood between the hammer and drum if you dont want to mark them.

my mates stood for 4 years, took couple of mins to free one rear drum and that was it, everything else was fine, lol....