Ford 650 clutch won't engage. (Really. Engage.)

Hi. I hope I haven't missed an existing thread, searched with just "ford clutch" thru 200 posts, and can't find this one, all the great info I soaked up notwithstanding.

I've had the clutch stick for awhile now, and successfully used the inertia of the 6" mower to pop it loose at startup. Last time didn't work. Tried other things. Really stuck. Then I killed it and restarted, but there's now no power to the trans, and no PTO. Rear hydraulics work tho. No noises. Gears still look good inside when shifting around.

Thru the 2x4 inch inspection hole underneath, the release bearing looks good, slides, pushes the plate fingers (and gets spring pressure). Clutch plate housing looks good as I crank it around. Clutch disc never turns, tho. Appears to be about against the flywheel. Disc 'grab' springs look ok. It's tough to see much of the disc -what shows looks ok, haven't found any loose chunks.

I am so clueless. What's goin on?? Somethin lodged holding the plate open a smidgin? How could that be?

Do you have any freeplay in your clutch pedal? If not, adjust the freeplay with the stop bolt until you have about an inch of play in the pedal. If you can't get any play, then the clutch is blown.

If you have plenty of play and the clutch won't engage, I don't know what your problem is. You'll almost certainly need to split the tractor to find out.

Sounds like the center is twisted out of your clutch disc.

My dime is on showcrop, and a torn out clutch hub...

Both a bulls-eye. The disc hub sheared from the lining. I've got it back together now, nearly ready for start-up. New issue is, I had abt a gal of Cenex Indol Prem AW bronze-friendly iso 32 hydr fluid, poured it in, grabbed the new Cenex jug I'd bought to top it off, and started to pour. Stopped right away, cause it was green, but some got in. Turned out to be their universal tractor fluid. Not what I asked for, but it was the right color jug, and I just took for granted that he got it right. 68, and I haven't learned better.

So, I'm caught on the horns of a holiday with no recourse at the co-op. Need to mow badly, month late to recover the prime pasture from chamomile that exploded everywhere.

To mix, or not to mix. Studied their msds's. Both have zinc, so that's good. Both demulsifiers, just can't tell if they're both acid rust additive. Acid/base mix will generate particulate and gunk.

I like the UTF specs a lot, includes 134, but this is a 600 series, orig book says straight hyfluid -separate compartments. I know, today's stuff is way ahead of early tech. (I also know this part is for other threads, sorry. But every time I think I've got a handle, those threads make another loop. Run into acid there, too, sometimes. N that's base. But here's an excellent link for the oil mixtures gospel, if ...) http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/235/mixing-lubricating-oils

I'll probably drain and refill with the UTF. It's got a 'meets or exceeds' list like your arm. And some here have sworn by 134 for everything. (others swore the opposite -makes you wanna swear)

So, I guess the various routines for releasing a stuck clutch should be measured. My lining looked good, just wasn't connected to the hub. Fly was good, milled it for light rust, changed the ring, too. Little extra-tapered teeth at 10 and 4 oclock. Could've just rotated it 90 deg, but, it's buried. Plate was just rusty-dusty. Bearing was fine. Probably would highly recommend drilling that hole in the bell and dosing the whole assembly with solvent-then-cleaner, ..would've saved me.

But it's good to have the o-haul, too. Just wish I'd caught that I was buying a reman before it was buried. I just took for granted th ... oh, never mind. ;>)

Thanks all,
Lee
Industrial chemists view of mixing oils