MTFCA Forum

I purchased my car last November, 1925 Runabout. It had been sitting on jack stands and had not run for over 10 years. This is the first Model T I've owned so have no experience. After a lot of cleaning, replacing the transmission bands, etc. I finally started the car this week. I was concerned about adjusting for a proper neutral so I have kept it up on jack stands and so far have not been able to get a good neutral.
I followed the adjustment procedure in The Engine book. Is it possible that after sitting for so long that the clutch plates have gotten stuck together and won't allow it to go into neutral? I have loosened all the bands and checked that the fingers on the clutch are loose but it's still not in neutral.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Ernie

Being the design is that of a "wet" clutch, it's a tall order to achieve a true neutral as you would with a conventional dry clutch BUT if all is adjusted correctly, the handbrake SHOULD hold the car from lurching forward - they have a tendency to "creep" anyway.

Carbon grim lint yes all snag up a clutch
As RajoRacer put it wet clutch and has drag
I suggest pulling a rear wheel see if you have cast iron shoes or lined aftermarket ones
I would add lined shoes make sure the hand brake locks rear wheels
Guys add turbo 400 clutch mixed feelings on them as I see alot of failed ones
Creeping can be stopped but lot factors in doing so

Change the oil, if you havent yet. Get the motor hot on the jack stands. Set the brake lever to neutral & apply the brake in a slow pump. Do the same with low. This will wash out the old sticky oil & replace with fresh in the clutch, un sticking the disks. You should have a reasonable neutral.
A little creep when starting cold is normal with stock steel clutch disks. Keep the parking brake down between drives. This will keep the disks from oil locking while parked.
If you still have a sticking clutch, you could have some of the disks hanging up on the internal drum shoes worn in notches. Alternating low & reverse can un-hang them temporarily. If the worn notches are bad enough, the solution is a transmission tear down to dress the notches or replace the drum.

ernieh247 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 24, 2023 10:01 am

Is it possible that after sitting for so long that the clutch plates have gotten stuck together and won't allow it to go into neutral?

Thanks,
Ernie

Yes, definitely. Do as John says, above.

Thanks everyone for the replies! As Nv Bob mentioned I have installed new lined brakes. I will try everything that John suggested and see how it works. I have changed the oil and figure I will change it again after I try to get the neutral working. There wasn't a filter and magnet in the transmission inspection plate. I installed both and have already cleaned it once. Bits of grit, very small metal shavings, etc in the screen and magnet.
Ernie

A lot of the fuzz you see is cylinder wall scrapings. As the rings go up and down, the file off minute particles of the walls.

Thanks Mark, good to know. I was a little concerned when I saw the metal shavings.