RE: Urgent Clutch assistance needed !!!

["Mark Battley" <M.Battley@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry Steve, this is probably too late for you....

<I'm in a bit of a dilema, I'm scheduled to drive my GTV6 in a two day Track
<Time drivers school Tomorrow and Friday at Road America.

<The problem is, I've just finished a load of repairs, upgrades etc.  After
<literally weeks of intense work, I got into the car and the clutch won't
<disengage.  If started in neutral, can't shift into any gears, if started
<in gear (on stands) can't get out of gear.

If a car is left for a while (weeks, months), particularly in a slightly damp 
environment it's not uncommon for the clutch plate to stick to the flywheel, 
giving the symptoms you mention. I've had it happen at least 3 times on 
different cars.

Always been able to break it free by being brutal: never had a problem with the 
clutch subsequently:

1. Start car in neutral, let it warm up a bit. Then put in gear (choose right 
gear to suit layout of garage!) and start the car while in gear: it should shake 
and buck and hopefully the clutch will free as it starts to move.

2. If this doesn't work, try to drive away with the car still in gear (perhaps 
stop and start again in second gear). Keep foot on clutch while you accelerate 
and brake vigorously: be brutal and hopefully it will release: watch the revs if 
it lets go while you are accelerating!

Only had to resort to #2 once. Hopefully you'll be lucky.

Mark Battley
Auckland, New Zealand.

1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce
(Slightly prefer stepless, but all versions are beautiful...)

105/115 series GT/GTV/GTJnr home page and register at:
      http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/1806/105GTV.HTML

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