Clutch won't disengage on my Oliver

I have an 1800 Oliver and the clutch won't disengage when I press in the pedal. I think my pressure plate is seized to the fly wheel. I had this problem over the summer a few times, but popping the pedal in and out seemed to work then, but it doesn't work now.

The tractor is sitting in a shed with a snow blower attached to the back. I can't really pull it out into the yard to try another method because the soil here is so saturated, that I will put ruts everywhere and probably get stuck in the mud..

I read some where that you can jack up one wheel and block the other and then start the tractor in high gear. Once started , you can try hitting the brake to free the clutch. Has anyone tried this method and had success, or know of another method I can try?

That idea seems OK I would be sure to use wooden cribbing under the axle in a robust and solid stack. Blocking both wheels, and in road gear , then bumping the starter might also break it free. Jim

Well, you need to think that thru a bit more. With just one wheel jacked up and spinning, you will need to sharply apply the brake on the elevated wheel to try freeing the clutch, and that will put power to the wheel on the ground, and make the tractor move. Better to jack both wheels up if that is what you are going to try.
Loren

I've been following your adventures, sounds like you are having a he double l of a time of it. So the tractor is in a shed with the snowblower attached, correct? It's so muddy you can't back it out of the shed?? You have several good replys to your other posts that usually work. Look under the fuel tank on top of the bell housing. There should be a small cover bolted onto the top. Take the cover off and look inside, you should be able to see the clutch. Take an old butter knife and work it in between the pressure plate and the clutch disc. Keep turning the motor over until you have been all the way around the clutch. Does the tractor have good brakes? If so, you should be able to start it in reverse and stand on both brakes and bust it loose. Did you check the bottom of the bell housing for a drain hole? If you can't find one, you will have to drill a hole to let the water out. One of my 1850's didn't have a drain and I had to drill a 5/16 hole in the bell housing so it can drain. You need to get it backed out of the shed, remove the blower, chain it to a large tree or immovable object and stand on the brakes while it's in gear. Chris

The tractor is in the shed facing forward with about 2 feet from another tractor sitting perpendicular. The snow blower is on the three point facing the door. I have good access to that plate on the bell housing because it doesn't have hydra-power. I will try that suggestion this week with the butter knife.

Yes the tract has good brakes .

Yes there is a drain hole in the bottom of the bell housing and it is open.

I can't get it out of the shed easily because of the ground being so soft. If I try that, I know I will be stuck in the mud and put ruts everywhere.

It sounds like you need to cut yourself a wooden block to hold the clutch pedal down when you aren't using it.
Loren

There are 4 things that can cause this. First is the clutch pedal free play properly adjusted? If not the clutch will not fully release. Other scenerios are. The disc is stuck to the flywheel, the disc is stuck to the pressure plate or the clutch disc is stuck to the transmission splined shaft. If it's stuck to the shaft this will not let the disc pull away from the flywheel. If you've been having trouble with this recently before now it would vote that it is stuck to the shaft. I've seen this quite a few times more than sticking to the flywheel. If you can squirt some penetrating oil on the shaft. Some may not agree with that because they'll say it will fling out onto the disc lining. But I've never had that problem. Let us know what you find.

Another failure mode is for the center to fail in the disc, jamming between the center and the flywheel. Saw this recently on an 1800A, none of the suggested solutions worked, had to tear it down and replace the clutch.

Rich

I had a john deere 1010 years ago with a frozen clutch. The tractor was left on the property when I moved in. To unstick the clutch I hooked a heavy duty tow strap from the tractor to a large stump, then I started it in 1st gear and held the clutch down. When it reached the end of the tow strap with the clutch pedal down it broke the clutch disc free. The clutch was always sticky here or there but it worked for the most part.

If it stuck really bad, try acetone & atf mixture. Plug drain hole and fill. Its better than brute force!
HTH
Led

(quoted from post at 04:28:06 11/19/18) If it stuck really bad, try acetone & atf mixture. Plug drain hole and fill. Its better than brute force!
HTH
Led

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What ratio of acetone to atf? Automatic Trans Fluid ..... won't this damage the clutch plate and make it slip?

50-50 Mix.
Led

(quoted from post at 00:29:21 11/19/18) Look under the fuel tank on top of the bell housing. There should be a small cover bolted onto the top. Take the cover off and look inside, you should be able to see the clutch. Take an old butter knife and work it in between the pressure plate and the clutch disc. Keep turning the motor over until you have been all the way around the clutch. Does the tractor have good brakes?

Click to expand...

Just replying to say I tried this method to release my clutch plate from the flywheel and it work perfectly . The first time I inserted my knife, the whole plate broke free and now I can use the tractor again.

As per recommendations, I have put a piece of wood between the seat and clutch pedal to hold the clutch disengaged when not in use so this will not happen again. Thanks to everyone here for the help.