georgesauto

I am still prepping my 20 year old storage 84 vette, and I thought
I have reached the stage of moving the car under power through
my crowded garage. In front of me is a wall, behind me is my 68 C3
parked transversely.
Pulled the c3 out of the way with my tractor and thought I would put safety blocks
behind the rear tires of the C4. to prevent me from flying across the garage.

I remembered that a few weeks ago the clutch pedal was
stiff as he## and I stepped hard and went really free. I had some
difficulty finding reverse. Thought it was in ,pushed the clutch in and started
car. Let idle 10 min till got 800 RPM and let the clutch out.
NOTHING. ! think something in the leakage let go.
The pedal has some spring back but I don't remember such
a loose pedal.
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED ??

Tomorrow I am hoping to be able to pull the c4 out of its
parking position in neutral.with my quad. If it rolls I will put
the vette in gear and see if I get resistance.
I am hoping I can get it out of the garage and back
to the other side where I have my BENDPAC.lift.

Any help ??

383vett

Not sure what went on with the clutch, either hydraulic or mechanical, but in the future, you don't want to start a car stored 20 years with the clutch down and idle for 10 minutes. The thrust bearing must have been pretty dry and you don't want the pressure plate pushing on that thing during a 20 year dry startup. If you had started it before, disregard my comment.

confab

Check your linkage.. If nothing there, I have seen long term storage vehicles actually rust the clutch up to the point it won't disengage without breaking something.

The surface area of the disk is large enough that it doesn't take as much rust as you think to stick it there.

Ironically, if you don't bend the fingers up mashing on it, you can carefully dissassemble the clutch and break it all loose, reassemble and it is usually fine.

WARNING: If the clutch isn't coming off and you manage to start the car with the trans in gear regardless, it may sling you across the garage into something.. Like your other Vette!

confab

PS: If you do need to take it apart, you can (carefully) test the clutch hat action in a press.. Watch for bent or broken fingers while you do this.

georgesauto

Yes I have been starting the car with clutch pedal up and gear shift in the
center (neutral) position. It was only when the car was warmed up I depressed
what I thought was a non working pedal and slid the gear shift (but I don't think it
went all the way into gear). With the car off it seemed I could move the shift into 2 up and
2 down a lot further.. But I could not seem to find up and left.

I also think there is a lock out that prevents starting the car in gear. It may be the
pedal position. So I never ran the clutch throw out bearing for any length of time.
That is why I want to shift gears while pushing the car. If I can only engage
a gear (lock the wheels) and return to neutral I suspect something in linkage.
With a helper pushing the pedal down with the car in gear an me pulling with the quad
and it doesn't release the trans I would also suspect a broken linkage.

georgesauto

I do not know if the vette is a lever or hydraulic.

But the snapping of whatever broke was not under a tremendous pressure.

I don't think I can find out till I get the
car on a lift.

If I had a frozen pressure plate would I be able to feel the shifter
trans gears select different gear with motor off?

question
How do you push a vette from the rear with say a quad?

confab

Hydraulic, I believe..

Yes..

I dunno? Ideally, you would pull it if you had to move it.