Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I am taking a flathead out of a 34 truck. Everything is disconnected, I have done this many times before , however this time is will not release. The steady rods are disconnected all the bolts are out ect. I have inserted screwdrivers between the block and trans and it has come away about a quarter inch. I can pry on them and the gap will open up another 1/4 of an inch or so but flexes right back. I am thinking the input shaft is rusted to the clutch disk and that is where the flex is coming from? Maybe I can get my torch in there through the inspection hole and warm things up. Anyone else have this happen?

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Are you prying from at least two opposite sides at the same time?

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Push the clutch pedal and see if it moves out any more.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Happened to me once; spigot bearing was frozen on spigot. I managed to undo the six pressure plate bolts through the inspection 'window'[with some difficulty], and levered the engine forward, pulling the spigot bearing out of the flywheel. Good luck!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

You didn't say, but if its been sitting a long time the input shaft may be rusted to the clutch dick splines.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Rodger, I have a bunch of die bars and does sound like the clutch plate is stuck to the shaft. Can you spray a bit of PB blaster in on it. If you need a hand I can shoot over whit the bars

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Roy, that's not an uncommon problem with cars that have sat for many years. Though it needs to come straight back to avoid binding, a bunch of wiggling back and for and up and down while pulling can often help scrape the rust off the front of the shaft. I hope the clutch lining isn't rusted to the flywheel. Also common. If so and you have to remove the pressure plate bolts to pull it out, it won't. Then the real fun begins. There's something to be said for a few ounces of C-4.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Hi Guys, Yes, the engine has been sitting for 20 years or so and is stuck hard so that doesn't help things. I have shot some PB Blaster in through the inspection plate so I will let it sit for a while. I have pry bars at three different points with pressure on them so If I have any luck it will come loose. Thank you all for your suggestions !! (I may take you up on your offer John, We will see how it goes this week.)

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Wire the clutch pedal down to the floor and keep it that way for a few days while you keep it soaked with penetrant.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Isn't it a wonderful thing to have problem with something back when Harry was in the White House would never happen.

Enjoy it!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

get yer two screwdrivers in there, and put the trans in high gear, then get some big guys and rock the truck back and forth. i would use a skidsteer if you have that, but just some shock with pressure from the drivers may do it

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Roger, I'm sorry I called you Roy in my last post. I had another fellow on my mind and my brain fell out on the floor.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

well, my brain must be on the floor too, thinking some more got the brain past the bad syncro and in to gear, if you are trying to pull the trans, that means you have the drive line disconnected, or maybe even have the motor and trans out, whatever, i am going to stick with my story and say it needs violence ! so, back to my plan, get your screwdrivers in and rock the trans output shaft back and forth with a socket on a long breaker bar. its 1 1/16, i think, that fits the shaft after the U joint is off. back and forth and then POP i think is what you'll get

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Thank you! It looks like the clutch disk is rusted at the splines and does not want to slide off. I am going to give it a few days and then use some heat!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Be careful!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Hey Roger,
In addition to copious application of rust removers, I'd rig something between the two surfaces, on BOTH SIDES , to keep pressure on. If you can rig up devices that you can increase such pressure slightly each day, if rust will be overcome as it dissolves . Good luck :)

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Hardwood wedges at 4 or more points. Bang bang bang bang, wait, let soak, repeat. Worked for me last year.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I would suggest pulling the engine and transmission out of the truck and set it down on the garage floor. I think this will make it less complicated to work on and get these apart. The last one I had stuck like this, no amount of penetrating oil, rust remover, or prying between the bell housings would get these apart. Rather than break a casting, I found a way to get a socket with extension and ratchet on the pressure plate bolts, and take those out. After the transmission separated from engine, I had to deal with getting the splined clutch disk off the trans input shaft. After cleaning the rust build up off the splined input shaft, I was able to remove the clutch disk and pressure plate.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Yes guys , I did set up my pry bars so there is constant pressure ! I would try to reach the presure plate bolts however the engine is seized tight, If I am lucky , i might get two of them as that is all I can reach through the inspection hole. I will keep trying. It is a shame as the engine is a standard bore 59A with the factory relief in the valve areas.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

If you had the engine and transmission out of the truck, you could probably turn the transmission around enough to remove all the pressure plate bolts, even with the engine seized, and separate the trans from the engine.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

That's a great idea, John. I gave an engine away that had been on a big military looking welder. The guy pulled the heads and factory relief. I know better these days.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I have a few stuck engine/trans to take apart. I don’t understand how turning the trans helps get to the pressure plate bolts if the flywheel isn’t turning?......especially on a 59 style engine?.....Maybe it’s the cold weather numbing my brain?!?!.....Mark

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I cant turn the engine so that the pressure plate bolts would line up with the inspection plate cover access hole, is what I meant. The 59A bell housing hangs over and back so that from the outside it is very hard to put a socket or wrench on the bolts with the trans still on. Its still soaking!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Acetone and auto trans fluid 50/50 mix works good also and cheap

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Rodger , I have a nice complete standard bore 59ab I can bring over and relieve you of your issue and take that 34 truck and stuck motor off your hands:D....
I do like the wood wedges and you will not damage the surfaces either

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I'm not talking about turning the transmission gears with the engine seized. What I'm saying is the compete transmission can be rotated about the back of the engine, once the transmission to bell housing bolts have been removed, and the transmission housing is pryed ~ 1/4" away from the engine bell, or enough to clear the two alignment pins. You can access all the the pressure plate bolts through the opening in the transmission bell where the inspection plate is fastened, but you need to rotate the complete transmission so that opening aligns with the bolts that need to be removed. The transmission gears should be in their neutral position to do this.
If the engine was free to turn, you would not have to rotate the transmission to do this. Plus, if the engine and transmission are still mounted in the truck, you can't do what I'm discribing.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I once had a similar experience trying to rescue a trans in a scrapyard. The clutch plate was stuck on the splines. I was able to reach through the inspection hole and slowly tap the hub with a blunt chisel until it moved along and off the shaft. Not great if you want to reuse all the parts, that that wasn't what was happening in this case.

Mart.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Ok JM 35 sedan, now I know what you mean. I havn't taken the assembly out of the chassis yet, but when I do I can spin the whole trans around to gat to the bolts. Thank you!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Mart, my plan was to put a long extension down in there like you said and see if some well placed hits will help loosen the clutch plate. maybe tonight!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Hey John, I think I will work on it a bit before I take you up on the offer :) !

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

marts idea above, may work with a good piece of hard wood too, and not wreck the shaft.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Edit: just realised I was probably not the John you were referring to here :D :D

Yeah, by all means Bulligen, try everything suggested, or any other ideas you come up with. There's always more than one way to skin a cat. I just wanted to make it clear how I got one apart. I tried many different approches before finally getting the transmission separated from the engine. Then after getting them apart it was still somewhat of a challenge to get the clutch disk off the splined input shaft, but eventually it all came apart without ruining anything except the clutch disk. If I had kept prying between the engine bell housing and the front bell on the transmission, I'm pretty sure I would have broken the transmission housing.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

I didn’t mean to Butt in on thread but, thank you for your explanation! I understand what you did now. Thanks again.....Mark

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

You should remove the engine and transmission from the vehicle and you will have lots of room around it to work on it. Like others have stated, trying to take it apart in the vehicle could result in something getting broken

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Well Boys and Girls I got it out tonight! Just as we thought it was just the clutch rusted to the splines. PB blaster and time did the job! Thank you for all your ideas !! Rog

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

X2 what JM 35 Sedan John said. If engine/tranny isn't out of the truck yet pull them together an put on your garage floor for several reasons. Safer for banging around without injury & especially when / if you apply heat also Easier to get to PP bolts.

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

mouse nest in there? those lil buggers can really wreck stuff

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No Mice , just sitting outside for 30 years !

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Good to hear you used PB Blaster. If that were WD40, you would still be at square one!

Re: Pulling flathead away from Trans
 

Don't know if any of you have tried this or not. Talking about mice getting into stored cars and chewing on wires and crappping all over. A farmer in the Tx. panhandle told me to use Bounce dryer sheets to keep them out of your cars. He used them in his tractors and combines I've used them ever since. They don't like the smell. Al