seized clutch

[Jimbo]

hi everyone,
other than driving the car everyday, how can you prevent a clutch seizing on?( friction plate seized to flywheel).
i left my car stashed away for the winter and even though i thought i had covered everything in storing a car i didn't give the clutch a thought, until i tried to get the car out on Tuesday and couldn't because the clutch had seized.
i have since freed it off but how do i stop it happening again?

i laid the car up since last august and wont use it in wet weather especially winter time to preserve it as best possible hence the car being off the road for the last 7 months.

 

[grolls]

hi everyone,
other than driving the car everyday, how can you prevent a clutch seizing on?( friction plate seized to flywheel).
i left my car stashed away for the winter and even though i thought i had covered everything in storing a car i didn't give the clutch a thought, until i tried to get the car out on Tuesday and couldn't because the clutch had seized.
i have since freed it off but how do i stop it happening again?

i laid the car up since last august and wont use it in wet weather especially winter time to preserve it as best possible hence the car being off the road for the last 7 months.

As a rule of thumb the gearbox 1st motion shaft spline actually is the bit that gets seized to the clutch. A smear of copper slip on the shaft stops this from happening and also gives a nice smooth progressive feel when using the clutch. Obviously if you put loads on it could end up on the clutch and slip like hell, hence a smear only. You cannot stop the clutch fibre plate sticking to the flywheel and running for a few minutes would normally solve that problem anyway.

 

[Nigel Brook]

Put it in gear and start the engine. LEAVE PLENTY OF ROOM AROUND THE CAR!

 

[Jimbo]

cheers grolls that makes sense.

i did try doing that nigel brook but it was stuck solid so had to take it to a garage in the end to take it all apart and put it back together again.

i think i will just have to drive it more often

 

[uk66fastback]

When it is not being used jam a piece of wood on the clutch pedal so it is disengaged ...

 

[Jimbo]

When it is not being used jam a piece of wood on the clutch pedal so it is disengaged ...

thats a good idea, i was also thinking of putting a ratchet strap on the clutch release lever and attach it to the rear anti roll bar which would disengage the clutch saving the constant pressure on the hydro clutch.

 

[grolls]

Using that method , ie the wood will see the fluid slowly seep past the seals... what's more is that the entire system is not designed for constant pressure so something will fail early. A little coper slip will solve it.

 

[uk66fastback]

I think the real answer is just drive it more

 

[cosworth415]

Why not start it once a month and move it back and forth a foot or two using first and reverse.