Clutch stuck; 71' 3OTT

[Kidd-7]

71 - 307 - 3OTT. Went to pull her out the other day and the clutch won't release. Warmed her up then went to put her in gear and grinding, jerk, then stall. I can shift through the gears with the engine off. She starts in neutral. the clutch linkage moves as it should. The bar out the side of the tranny moves with the clutch pedal. The adjustment seems to be at its max. See pics. Any advice would be great, my wife and I are buying a house and I need to move the truck in about a month. Thanks.

[cleszkie]

I can't tell, but do you have the correct lower rod end on the end of the rod that engages the clutch fork? Its a tapered metal piece that just slides over the end of the rod and fits into the groove of the clutch fork. If you are missing this, the lower rod will be too short to push the clutch fork far enough to disengage the clutch, even with the rod adjusted all the way out like you have it. Another thing to check is if your clutch fork has come off its pivot ball-stud inside the bellhousing. If you can move the fork around like its loose in there, that may be the problem.

[LockDoc]

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How long had it been sitting? The clutch disk may be stuck to the flywheel.

LockDoc

[Kidd-7]

LockDoc, that's what I'm afraid of. It's been a few months probably and it's been most in this garage. The tapered piece is on there. I reached down with a long pry bar and can not push the fork freely. The clutch pedal moves freely and moves the fork. But still will not disengage.

[Mr Handy]

Don't worry. Take off the inspection plate and with a thin metal putty knife and someone or something holding the clutch in, carefully slide the knife between the flywheel and or pressure plate and clutch disks to work it loose. You may have to bump the starter to spin the assembly to get all the way around. You will know when it is free.
I have had to do this twice on a friends truck.

[Kidd-7]

That's good news there... Where is the inspection plate? I was under there last night and couldn't find it. There is a cross member on the frame that goes across the bell housing, if I remember correctly. It seemed like that was in the way of any access. Is the inspection plate on the bottom or a side?

[EARNHARDT#3]

Should be the whole tin piece on the bottom of the bell hosing in front of the crossmember.

[Ol Blue K20]

Try this quick trick, sometimes it works. Disconnect the coil wire, put trans in 3rd, depress clutch and hold the brake and bump the starter. Most of the the time the clutch will break free.

[PAWS 72]

Pressure plate may have a broke tooth on it too.

Had one to break on my Ford F250 with the six speed.

[Boog]

I once freed up a stuck clutch in a mustang by putting it on jack stands, starting it up, holding the clutch in with it in 4th gear. While the rear wheels were spinning I hit the brakes hard a couple of times. It shocked the clutch disc loose from the flywheel. It didnt' take much at all.