Re: stuck Alfetta clutch--alfa-digest V7 #857

[Colin Cobb <cobmeister@domain.elided>]

In re his '79 Alfetta GTV  David Nolen wrote < I have bled the lines
multiple times, but can not seem to get the clutch to disengage.  The is
some noticeable movement at the clutch fork, but not enough. >

Hey David,

I know from nothin' about Alfas but the problem you describe is common
enough in British cars being taken out of extended storage. In my
experience the most common ways to break the clutch loose--hopefully
without breaking anything else, though there is certainly that
possibility--are these (in order of least to greatest possibility for
damaging other components of the car or driver):

1. With the clutch pedal depressed, start the car in gear. 1st or
reverse being the preferred gears depending on which way the car is
pointed in reference to the garage door. Preferred position for the
garage door is "open."  Several tries are in order before proceeding to
number two.

2. Start the car in second gear, clutch pedal depressed, and drive
around and around and around and around the block until the clutch frees
up or the driver is forced to surrender due to cramps in left leg or
floating kidneys. After giving up, proceed to number three.

3. Tow the car in gear, engine switched off, clutch pedal depressed. 2nd
or 3rd gear preferred. Both tow-er and tow-ee should be pointed the same
general direction and the tow rope (strap) should be at least 25 feet
long, much loooonger if the tow-ee has questionable brakes or the tow-er
is a wo-man. If number three does not do the job, think long and hard
before proceeding to number four.

4. Choose one or more Burley Pushers. Lubricate pusher(s) liberally with
preferred malt beverage(s). On a dirt or grass surface (NOT on concrete
or blacktop), jack the car up so the driving tires are about 2" off the
surface. (NOTE: if the car is not posi-trac one wheel off the ground is
enough.) Do NOT use Burley Pusher(s) to jack up car, let them save their
strength and huevos for later. Do not use jack stands to support the
car. Use stack(s) of short-cut 2 X 4's piled up under the diff parallel
to axles so the car is VERY un-secure. Do NOT get under car!  Not even
for a quick look-see! With wheels elevated, gingerly climb in and start
the engine with the car in gear and clutch pedal depressed. It is VERY
important that you select a gear such that if the car were to move under
its own power it would move AWAY from the Burley Pusher(s). 1st gear is
the preferred gear. With engine running and clutch pedal depressed, put
tach on 3000 revs and hold there long enough to say a short but
heartfelt prayer, then shout to the Burley Pusher(s) that you'll give
'em another preferred malt beverage if they give the car a bit of a push
to shove it off the blocks... It is VERY important that Burley
Pusher(s), dogs, cats, small children, even skateboards and other
potential missiles stay well clear of the driving wheels whilst
exercising this maneuver. Freed from the supporting blocks, the car will
pounce back to earth, dig a furrow or two in the grass or dirt surface,
liberally coat the Burley Pusher(s) in grass or dirt, and hopefully the
clutch will spring free as it realizes it must either give up or face
step five...

5. No, I dare not share the fifth possible cure...

While I know nothing about Alfas, I have used numbers 1 and 2 on several
occasions to free up recalcitrant sports car clutches and testify that
there is little chance of doing harm with them, due caution being
exercised. Thirty-eight years ago, at age 16, I was involved as tow-ee
in freeing up the clutch on a huge old Sheppard 3-cylinder diesel
tractor through method 3, an experience neither me nor my old
gray-haired uncle, the tow-er, is likely to ever forget. (That old
tractor HAD to be put to use and the technical advisor on that project
was my Dad who was stuck 500 miles from home and "helping" via long
distance phone calls, all of which started, "Did you try...") I also
confess that I, back in the days when my preferred malt beverage was
Budwiser Tall-boys, was the designated Burley Pusher on a number 4
project. In each case the clutch freed up and in each case the "pucker
factor" was huge... each time I said, "Geez! There's gotta be a better
way!"

Good luck!

Cheers 'n Ciao!

Colin Cobb, Las Cruces, NM, USA
'89 Alfa Spider, '67 Sunbeam Alpine, '66 Morgan Plus 4, '65 Sunbeam
Tiger, '98 SooBaaRoo Folesta

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