My 33 Chrysler CQ 8 with a recent engine-transmission rebuild has sat for 2 winters since last operation. the clutch pedal will not depress suggesting the clutch is rusted to the flywheel.
Any suggestions on how to free up the clutch short of removing the transmission?
Martin Lum

Marty....I am somewhat amazed that the pedal will not depress as the leverage applied to the fingers on the pressure plate by even light pressure of your foot is great. Get a couple of your friends and try rocking the car back and forth while trying to depress the clutch. By the way, did the clutch work OK after the rebuild? I am not familiar with '33 Chryslers; however, there might be a removable inspection plate under the floor board or on the side of the bell housing that will allow you access to the pressure plate and clutch.

Have run into this before. Usually you can push the clutch pedal down but the clutch does not release because the clutch plate is stuck to the flywheel.

Can you get access to the clutch? If there is an inspection plate on the bottom of the bellhousing you are in business.

Turn the flywheel until you can get at the clutch plate. Prop the pedal down with a stick between the dash and the pedal. Slide a knife blade or putty knife between the clutch plate and flywheel. In stubborn cases you may need to rotate the engine and pry it loose all the way around. But usually they come right off.

Have also heard that spraying Brake Kleen on the clutch will free it off.

thanks guys. the clutch worked fine 2 years ago when I last drove this car on it's maiden voyage of 250 miles. Not so with the cooling sysstem-Had overheating problems and haven't had time to trouble shoot it till this Spring. Hope my heating problem doesn't involve water getting into the bellhousing area.I think there's a bottom bell housing access plate.
Marty Lum

Are you saying the clutch pedal is frozen and cannot be pushed down? That is a different problem probably to do with rusted up clutch pedal pivot or jammed linkage. Never saw that happen before.

I can't floorboard the clutch pedal-it only travels the amount of freeplay on the linkage. I'm guessing it is probably a rusted clutch plate. The question is why did it happen in such a short time? It was rusted a year after the last driving operation.
Martin Lum

This is very unusual. What sometimes happens is the clutch plate gets stuck to the flywheel and the clutch operates normally but does not release. What you describe suggests the pressure plate mechanism is seized solid and not operating at all.

Have you looked under the car, inspected the linkage and into the bellhousing? It is possible something is jamming the clutch linkage or the pressure plate is rusted up.

A careful examination should reveal exactly where the trouble lies.

It could be in the linkage, but if it is in the pressure plate the transmission and clutch may have to come out.

This may seem too simple, but have you looked at your linkage to see if a bolt or pin may have come loose and jammed the pedal linkage to where it won't move?

Larry

could be the thow out bearing stuck on something