has the Hillman Hunted its last??

HI Guys, Happy New Year. I was wondering if any one can help me out Just tried to start my fathers

1971 Hillman Hunter 1725cc after not being used since september it started fine with a charged battery, however when i tried to select a gear with the engine running i cant its ok switched off i tryed ppumpming the clutch pedal it feels normal enough there is no sign of a fluid leak si i dont want to star stripping the system any way i can test if its the clutch itself?? it had a new clutch in 1984 a new slave cylinder in 1990 and the master was rebulit in about 1992 it has covered under 70,000 from new and know looks like a shed but runs so well dad wants to get rid of it but i think it has years left how ever if it is the clutch it may have hunted its last. If any one has any ideas answers on a post card please (or on the group will do!!) Many Thanks George
Reply to
George Weatherley
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Sound like the clutch is sticking due to lack of use. Everyone seems to have their favourite method of unsticking one. Mine is to jack up the back of the car and place it on axle stands with the wheels free to rotate. Start the engine with the car in gear so that the wheels revolve. Put your foot on the clutch and hit the brakes. The engine will either stall or the clutch will free itself.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Thanks for that i will have to get the car on the flat first as i live on a steep hill, thats the first time we i have ever had that with a car i thought that if that was the case the pedal would feeel odd?? I will have to tow it with my a60 down to the flat and give it a go. Thanks very much. George

Reply to
George Weatherley

No, the diaphragm will still be acting as normal and giving the pedal the same springy feel. It's only the actual plate that's stuck.

Dodgy suggestion coming up, to be tried at your peril: Does the steep hill go up or down? If up and free from traffic, you may be able to start the car in first gear (warm it up first) and drive it onto the hill with your foot on the clutch. A bit of revving and braking and it'll probably free itself. Just make sure you're prepared for what to do if it doesn't!

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

My favourite method of freeing a stuck clutch is to start the car in first and drive away with the clutch pedal pressed down, then accelerate and decellerate as hard as you can, usually it will free in just a few jerks. Don't forget that you have to keep the clutch pedal pressed while accelerating and decelerating, you can even stamp on the brake pedal. This method always works, although once I had to drive about half a mile like this before it freed, on a land rover, and of course there was a police car watching !!!

MrCheerful

Reply to
MrCheerful

Unlike me a few years ago with a TR7 V8. Seized clutch: stuck it in reverse on a short incline and used the starter (hey - I was an expert, I'd done this loads of times!) The bastard thing fired up first time *from cold*, avoided stalling by torqueing its way past the capabilities of the handbrake, and demolished a garden wall before I had chance to haul the ignition key out. Idiot :( Good job it was my own garden wall ;-)

Just taught me one simple lesson: never leave a car lying too long without either (or both) exercising the clutch or using a wedge to keep the clutch pedal down (few days on fews days off) - though thinking about it, this latter action could strain fluid seals, cables and the clutch diaphragm?

-- Ken Davidson DocDelete

Reply to
DocDelete

Have to confess I did something similar with my old Vanden Plas 4LR once. It had been sitting in my parent's yard for a month or so when I started it up and popped it into reverse quite forgetting that I'd removed a brake hose and drained the fluid. Ten yards to accelerate, ten to realise that the brakes don't work, another ten to frantically wrestle the auto box out of gear, exit one pig-sty wall. Fifteen years on and I still feel guilty about treating the old girl so badly!

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

in message

start my

september it started

a gear with

the clutch

leak si i dont

clutch itself??

the master

and know looks

i think it has

its last.

on the group

car in first

accelerate and

few jerks.

while

pedal. This

mile like

a police car

That method always worked with my old Escort van. Used to kangeroo it up and down the T/E car park, untill it freed. Was only used occasionally, but clutch would stick if left for only a week. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

Lightweight Landie with a V8 conversion.

We had a tug of war (on tarmac) with my Rangie. Lots of noise and tyre smoke, but we got the clutch unstuck 8-)

Reply to
Andy Dingley

When it happened to me I just started it in first gear and drove around a bit with the pedal pressed until it unstuck. I was too lazy to jack it up or anything.

Reply to
Dan Buchan

I freed up my stuck Seven clutch by driving it round and round the block in first, with the clutch held in and heel-and-toeing on and off as hard as I could. It busted loose after 4 or 5 circuits.

Reply to
Dan Drake

Done all the usual the others said and yep it works. Another method is to wedge the clutch pedal down with a piece of wood or bar and leave for a week or so. Bit safer than driving through walls.

I had an old A series breakdown truck that had stood for 3 years. Decided to clear it and sell it but it wouldn't start. Finally got it started but brakes seized on as well as clutch. Wedged clutch down and left it for a week bingo free clutch. Started engine engaged gear and rocked back and forth and eventually brakes freed. Sold on ebay last I saw of it was disappearing down the road in a cloud of smoke on its way to Hampshire rust holes in floor and all. I heard it made it !!!!

Andy

Reply to
Splashlube

Thanks for all your tips guys, i live on a steep hill in a road thats jamed with cars and lot of traffic so have decide to charge the battery up as much as i can then get my mate to tow me down on the flat to a dead end road a few roads away then give it merry hell useing the tips u suggest, after hearing what can happen on the group i want as much space as poss as if its going to happen it will to me, also several yaers ago i was working on my A60 on the hill and had not chocked the wheel properly it took off down the hill me trying to stop then smashed ointo a friend car causeing £500.00 worth of damage, had enough of heart stopping things like that so will play it safe. I will let you all know what happens. Thanks very much. George

Reply to
George Weatherley

Hi, Thought you might like to know that the Hillman clutch has freed i got the engine nice and warm then swtitch it off and a couple of us rocked it about in gear we felt something give then when we switched back on the pro was gone its been for a nice run up and down the road and is working and all is well (fingers crossed!!) so the Hillman Lives to Hunt another day!! Thanks George

Reply to
George Weatherley

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