It won't move!

[miniandy]

Hi,

Since my Mini has been sitting for a few weeks I tried to get it to move today but it won't budge. I made sure I didn't keep the handbrake on while it was parked, but left it in gear instead. Now what i think has happened is (schoolboy error!) the clutch has bound to the flywheel and won't shift, also i seem to have bent the clutch pedal trying to get it to move!

So basically im looking for a fix that won't cost a fortune. I'm selling it when the weather's better, and really only want to keep it good, rather than throw money at it. Could i just wd-40 it, or is it an engine out job?

cheers

[miniman]

Have you tried starting it? Making sure there's a good clear area in front of you, of course - then try to start the engine. Might free it up?

[miniandy]

good plan. the battery is dead so it will be a bit of a hassle trying to jump start it, might have to borrow a charger and take it out. there is a kerb about a foot in front of the wheels - do you reckon just cranking it will help, or will i break something? lastly, how do you straighten a bent clutch pedal?!

cheers

[guru_1071]

christ! you must have a strong leg to bend a clutch pedal!!

are you sure the pedal isnt just stuck down?? this is fairly common on later verto clutched cars (the ones with the short clutch arm). the shaft that the arm slides in seizes up in the alloy bell housing. this will either jam the clutch on or off. you can normally get away with a bit of wd40 and a blowlamp and pump the clutch for a while to free it up.

if the pedal is bent i think you will struggle to bend it back as it is quite thick. to swop the pedal really needs the pedal box removing - a few hour challange!!!. its not possible to swop the pedal in situ - there is a very strong spring that will refuse to go back into position!

in the past i have managed to do exactley what you have done. the clutch was seized on some old rat that i had bought, in desperation i put both feet on the clutch pedal and shoved and bent it!!! i managed to tug it back something like but it would always bend sideways again. i ended up having to swop it. i also had to take the bellhousing off and hammer the sliding shaft out and put a new one, and a new arm in.

[oldboyracer64]

i had that proplem we used a tin of wd40 on the arm and shaft than got it up on axle stands started up and let it run till warm then press the brakes and clutch till it was free we did this with a mini that had stood for to years and the clutch was ok after hope this is a help david