I think my clutch broke

[f85gtron]

During driving, came to a stop sign, pushed in clutch and heard a whining sound and clutch didn't disengage completely (probably why it was making a whining sound).  I shut the car off, put it in first, started it back up in gear and drive home, floating gear shifts.
Clutch movement feels mostly normal, instead of at the end of range (floor), where it feels stiffer than normal.
No chatter, just the disk whining from partial engagement.
Any advise, other than the obvious "You're screwed".  I've got that part figured out already.

[Roger]

Too many moving parts there to diagnose the problem without looking:
1 support of the clutch fork bent/broke
1 side of fork to throwout bearing bent/broke
throwout bearing separation
compression spring on clutch broken (doubtful since you didn't mention terrible noise)

[Raydar]

I'm thinking a release bearing, or possibly the sleeve that it slides on, might have broken.
(The broken sleeve seems to usually be a Getrag thing, but I suppose it could happen to a Muncie as well.)

[pgackerman]

How many miles on the clutch?

[f85gtron]

I think about 20k. If I'm cracking housings, it's going to get replaced anyways...even if it looks good. I'll use it as a ballistics grade frisby or something.

[Roger]

From my old school and experience...

If a motor or tranny mount is bad the t/o bearing will bear on the sleeve (as Raydar said) and it will crack the sleeve.  This occurs on Muncies (it happened on my Saginaw and Muncie).  I am not sure about others.

[Fierofool]

The throwout bearing moves with the transmission.  There would have to be a problem with the release fork or the fork shaft in order for the bearing to exert side force onto the input shaft sleeve. 

[f85gtron]

I'll document what i find. Following phone call advice from Fierofool, I'll bleed the line to confirm no air first, then,  I'll follow Billy Idol's advice and "drop the cradle of love"....or something like that. He says how "easy it is to do, yeah yeah yeah, uh huh uh huh". 
I've got great advise, harbor freight tools.....what could go wrong?!  Right?

[Fierofool]

Roger I love your signature but I had a thought about it.  You can repair or reprogram artificial intelligence but you can't fix stupid.

[f85gtron]

I was Very surprised to find the release bearing in good shape. The problem is one of the springs on the clutch took a dump and was kind enough to wedge itself behind some of the throwout fingers. Depending on how the swap goes, i might keep the Muncie.

[Roger]

Don't forget that it's best to use new bolts.

[f85gtron]

Don't forget that it's best to use new bolts.

Already got em.  Took your advice. Good call!

[Karidan]

This is precisely how mine failed when I parked it two years ago. Had to get mine home the same way too. Spring came out of the clutch disk and prevented proper disengagement. Unlike you though I was just 'certain' my new clutch hadn't failed. Wrong.    Bought clutch master, slave, FS steel clutch petal and a Rodney adjustable clutch banjo and it still wouldn't disengage. Felt fine all the way to the floor but just wouldn't let go. Throw out bearing rattled some but still together. Good call on pulling the motor and getting to the root of it.

The clutch that failed for me was a Luk, I'm bought a Valeo one this time. Like you I have the 3.4, beginning to wonder if I should have went with a stage 1 instead of stock replacement for the 2.8. In all fairness though I did push it quite a bit.

[f85gtron]

My clutch is sachs and it failed on the 2.8.  I'm not sure what the replacement is. I forgot to look.

[Fierofool]

I've been running Luk for years and I give 'em hell 5 or 6 times a year in the mountains.  I've never had one break. 

I have had a pressure plate that had 4, 5, or 6 metal fingers that the bearing pressed against, to break one of the fingers.  Made a kind of growling noise and the pedal pulsated.