Clutch plate stuck to flywheel

[Kinkell]

Hello everyone, debut post.

Just replaced the quaife gearbox in my mk1 escort after a rebuild and the clutch seems to be stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate. Pedal is normal and the fingers on the pressure plate can be seen compressed by release bearing from vantage point below car. Tried starting car in gear to no avail. Any ideas anyone before I remove the gearbox?

[stevieturbo]

Rotate the flywheel so you can see the friction plate via an access hole.

Depress the clutch, and use a small screwdriver to work that section of friction plate free from the flywheel

rotate flywheel and do the same for as much of it as possible.

It should have broken enough to release after that

[Kinkell]

Thanks. Will give it a go tomorrow. Its a single plate AP with the sliding gear teeth that can get gummed up but its only done about 25 race miles.

[GreenV8S]

Did you try driving around with the clutch down? That's reputedly a good way to get the clutch to unstick if it's just corroded on. Total waste of time of course if the clutch release mechanism isn't working properly.

[wildoliver]

Or the old favourite of trolley jack under rear diff housing (only works on cars with live rear axles, DO NOT JACK UNDER ALLOY DIFFS), clutch down, 3rd or 4th gear wind the engine up and drop trolley jack.

[GreenV8S]

wildoliver said:

Or the old favourite of trolley jack under rear diff housing (only works on cars with live rear axles, DO NOT JACK UNDER ALLOY DIFFS), clutch down, 3rd or 4th gear wind the engine up and drop trolley jack.

Wouldn't a hard stamp on the brakes have the same effect without the associated dangers? I would still prefer driving round with the clutch down and give it plenty of torque reversals, if that doesn't free it I think there's more to it than a sticking friction plate.

[wildoliver]

Not on my Midge no which is the only car which has this annoying habit! Some cars just seem prone to this issue don't know why, some you can leave for years and they just start and go, others hate standing.

[Steve_D]

Driving around with the clutch down has worked for me. Plenty of kangaroo type driving.

Steve

[Kinkell]

Tried all of the above except the "drop the trolley jack with rear wheels spinning" method. Got the box out and clutch off the flywheel. It had become sintered welded to the cover in three places. £400 to replace so I have just cleaned it up for the last race meeting of the season. Slipping this type of clutch is a no no off the line as it just melts them.
Thanks for the replies.