Clutch job woes.

[Dan_Gyoba]

Okay, so the clutch started slipping. It happens. Ordered a new one from Driftmotion. No problems so far...

Well, then I looked at the garage. No room. At all, and no reasonable way to make room.

Then, the post office goes on strike, so the parts get delayed in arriving. Well, they got here eventually, at least, and in good shape, but in the meantime, some crook decides to help himself to my tool box. Frustrating.

Anyway, one thing after another, and currently my car is up on jackstands with the transmission held in by the mostly loosened top starter bolt. I can't seem to get a wrench on the **** nut to get the bolt the rest of the way off.

Anyone know a good way to do that without taking the intake manifold off? I'm at the point where I'll do it if that's what it takes, but really, I'd rather not.

I'm pretty sure that replacing the clutch itself won't be much of a problem once the transmission hits the ground, though I'm not looking forward to putting the starter back in. (Or those top 2 bellhousing bolts, but I did manage to get those out!)

 

[hvyman]

Get a short wrench and get you hand up in there and hold and when you loosent he other side it should wedge the wrench against the starter. Thats how i do it.

 

[TweeT91109]

pull the motor, just kidding, I have done what hvyman suggested but, it kinda worked. Other then that removing the upper intake manifold, look like the only solution, and it will be a lot easier to get both the starter and top bell-housing bolts back on.

 

[hvyman]

Some people have had luck with lots of extensions or a really long one and a swivel or 2 and going under the intake and having a ratchet kinda by the battery. Was hard for me when i tried it so i found an alternative way that worked better for me.

 

[TweeT91109]

Some people have had luck with lots of extensions or a really long one and a swivel or 2 and going under the intake and having a ratchet kinda by the battery. Was hard for me when i tried it so i found an alternative way that worked better for me.

True that, I had this issue kind of, when removing the trans from my NA, come to find out the entire thing slides out with the pressure plate and everything on the impute shaft on the trans. It sat for about 2 weeks before I just manned up and tried pulling it off. Then bam, it cam apart lol.

 

[hvyman]

Ya w58 slides out without taking off the pp.

 

[kueves87]

you probably have a bunch of tension on that one nut if its the last one. try putting the other top bolt in and tightening it down to take the tension off of that top starter bolt. that way as long as you can get your hand up there you can break it loose with a long extension under the intake, then just spin the nut off since there wont be a bunch of weight on it from the transmission. i always take the starter out first since its such a pita, then work everything else off. dont get frustrated, just take your time with it and it'll go quicker than you think..

 

[OfnaRcR4]

It takes patience and it just kills your brain sometimes. If that happens just walk away and give it some time, preferably a day to cool off hah. You don't need to take off the intake mani. I believe I somehow weasled my hand down there with a special bent cressent wrench IIRC. Hand came out all bruised and slightly cut but I got it finally.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

Took me freakin' HOURS, but I got it. Not good for the ego to be stymied by one little nut for days.

It seems to be a bad idea to take that lower starter bolt out first, because once the starter can move, it's hard to keep the socket on the bolt.

Being capable of dislocating your wrist seems like it would be very helpful

Seriously though, why use a nut/bolt combo for that. It would have been so much better to have the starter threaded.

So the car's current condition:

Transmission out. Exhaust off. Wiring harness to the ABS speed sensor and reverse lights torn at the connector (I only have half of that connector anyway, it's been broken before apparently.)

I have the clutch hub assembly and throwout bearing on the new pressure plate.

I need to remove/replace the pilot bearing. (I guess I need to get a puller for that, or else SST 09303-35011) For installation, I'm sure that I can find a suitable replacement for the SST.

I want to replace the flywheel bolts, too, but that's not a high priority at all. I'd like to clean the rather heavy accumulation of clutch material off of the flywheel as well, and replace the flywheel bolts.

 

[digihonk82]

some parts stores can resurface flywheels for a fairly resonable price.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

It was dark when I finally got the transmission off, so I didn't get a really good look at the flywheel, but it looks to be fine, just lots of clutch dust on it. The surface feels good. I will consider resurfacing anyway, of course, and I do know of a couple of places that can do it at a reasonable cost.

I'm NOT looking forward to putting the starter back in... Maybe I'll just push start it and take it to a shop.

 

[adampecush]

For the $12 cost of an intake manifold gasket (partsource), I'd personally remove the manifold...

 

[Flateric]

Dan, you need a hand let me know. Your local for me.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

Well the flywheel has cracks in it, so it looks like I need a 7M-GTE/R154 flywheel in useable condition.

 

[Flateric]

Well, I can offer you 2 possible solutions for that issue, a stock one, or a never installed or previously used fidanza one.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

I picked up a used flywheel, had it resurfaced, and it's bolted in, using the ARP flywheel bolts I bought at the same time as the clutch kit. didn't add much expense to the project.

Bought a pilot bearing puller... Which completely failed to remove the pilot bearing. It seems that it was easier for the jaws of the puller to bend than to remove the bearing. I've got a bad feeling about this...

Still, the pilot bearing is all that needs to be replaced, and everything is ready for reassembly. I don't expect it to take as long as disassembly, but I'm not holding my breath on that starter bolt! If need be though I'll drive the car away with one bolt holding in the starter, and take it somewhere to have the other installed!

 

[bioskyline]

for the starter nut, one its out. jb weld or epoxy the nut to the tranny. getting it off is easy, putting it back on it a whole nother story.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

Well, I'd rather put the nut on the starter side, and have the bolt come from the back (where I can get to it.) If the nut is on the transmission side, then I still need to get a socket or a wrench to the starter side, and that was the whole problem. I'm going to look at that. Maybe weld the nut onto the starter base, or if that starter base is aluminum, I have some stuff that's supposed to be able to make threads...

 

[bioskyline]

if the nut is jb welded or epoxied to the trans, it shouldnt turn anymore.

or i just never bothered re-installing the top bolt. i just ran mine with the bottom only. ghetto but it held.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

My point being, however that it's a lot easier to get to the transmission (bellhousing) side of that combination than it is to get to the starter side. As such, it's not to the bellhousing that I'd want to JB weld the nut, it's the starter side.