twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Alright, My pilot or throwout bearing is bad. I'm getting a ton of chatter when I press the clutch in. I'm going to replace both the pilot bearing and throwout bearing. I've never dropped the tranny before. How long do you guys usually get this task done? I need my car back up in two days, its my daily driver.

djessence

If you have everything you need, dont **** up and are moderatly competent mechanically I think you should be able to easily do it in a day.

Biggest thing will be the tools to get the pilot bearing out and back in.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Ok, Just wondering. I'm pretty good with cars. I know I can do the job, just need to finish it before friday. I'm jsut not familiar with the task at hand.

Mods can move to non technical, sorry about that.

djessence

also familiarize yourself with tranny removal procedures BEFORE you start. Look it over, ask questions if ur not sure, maybe even crawl under and take a look.

Otherwise ur gonna get halfway through and be like uhh wtf. Just cuz its Murphy's Law

impulsive-rx7

iTrader: (2)

Make sure you drain the tranny fluid beforehand. Other wise you will get covered in it. Ask me how I know.

djessence

ah good call, that **** does not come out of anything either.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Take off the fill bolt first. If you cant get it off then yeah...

djessence

Its also recommended you replace front and rear seal kit on the tranny, but idno how many people actually do that

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

I knew about the tranny fluid, thanks guys. I'm going to start dropping the tranny tonight. Wish me luck! haha

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

cover the tailshaft end with 2 sheets of grocery plastic bags and secure it. that shouldnt leak and if there is, it will be minimal.

OR

Do what I do. Use an old driveshaft but just the section that goes to the input shaft. then just tie it to the tailshaft.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, an old yoke from a dead driveshaft makes a great butt plug. I once had a tranny slip off a jack and the u-joint part of the yoke took the full force saving the output shaft and housing from damage. It keeps the oil in too.

blackdeath647

iTrader: (2)

just did this....last week :P, yes like they said drain it or plug it before hand or else you'll end up like me, and trust me out of all the fluids i think transmission fluid is the worst to have a bath in. it stinks so bad. it was my first time taking off the tranny, i did it myself with a jack, took about 2.5 hrs, i was alone so most of it being careful not to get burnt since i'd just ran the car, but it was almost dark outside lol. and also searching for sockets. anyways....2.5 hrs and alone, and first time, so i took my time of learning how everything went to make it easier when reinstalling it. Now the pilot bearing, get a tool for it, it'll save you lots of time, and head banging. also when reinstalling, get atleast 1 more person to help you, trust me, it's a lot easier. unless you got a nice shop with lifts and all that great stuff then blah you'll blow right through it :P.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Well, I'm past the driveshaft part and I'm still dry , but my white shirt is black now haha. Which are some ways to install the pilot bearing without special tools, what do you guys do to install it?

mxd

iTrader: (1)

Hello,
Here is my advice. Loosen the mounts on the engine a bit, support the engines oilpan on the part closest to the trans with a jack and a proper sized block, so you can lower and raise the back of the block at will. Make sure you remove the shifter, big help in clearance. It can be a total pita to separate the trans from the block of course and putting it back on, if you have help best, or a skateboard to aid you in moving it back and back onto.

When putting the heatsheilding back on, if you get it off with its bolts, anti-seize them for next time you need to tinker under their.

The job is not difficult at all, and the car is designed well for working on, rust and oil sludge is the main stumbles. Do a few trans swaps and you will be doing it in 45mins not including prep and cleanup. But I sincerly hope you only have to fix it 1 time.
gl2ya

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

You can rent a pilot bearing puller from autozone or wherever. It will probably not fit exactly but if you file down the nubs on the end to round them just a bit to fit then you can slide it into the old bearing and yank it out. Use the new bearing to guage if the tool fits or not and how much you have to modify it to make it work. Installation is easy just slide the bearing in as long as its nice and smooth and clean in the eccentric shaft hole for the beating. Then tap the pilot bearing seal on and its ready for the tranny.

If your by yourself and have smooth floor, its pretty easy to put the tranny back in by yourself using a rolling floor jack. Theres a balance point on the tranny just forward of the drain plug. Put the tranny on the jack and play around until it balances on the jack. Mark the spot and then slide the tranny under the car. Pull in the jack, roll the tranny over up onto the jack where you can balance it. Then just roll the whole mess forward and jack it up till it can mate with the block. Also helps as someone said to have the block on a scissors jack that you can adjust as your doing this. I had no problem putting the tranny back in by myself. In fact I thinks its the easiest car I've ever done this on. Good luck.

blackdeath647

iTrader: (2)

Taking out the bearing is a pita, i haven't done this in a rotary, but i'm sure it's the same with other cars, i've spent hrs chisseling and dremel'ing them things off. If you get a tool it'll be much faster, but that's up to your wallet. Installing the pilot bearing is the easy part. all you need is to put the bearing in the freezer for a while (idk why that works, but it does lol, i'm guessing it packs and shrinks it just a tiny bit and makes it that much easier) then after that you'll need a 14mm socket and preferably a rubber mallet, and just gently tap it in there, of course after you've greased up all the needles and all that. there's a pilot bearing seal off mazdatrix that'll keep all the grease in the bearing longer not needed, but it's a great thing to have in there it'll last a lot longer.

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

a pilot bearing is not needed when you have a miata tranny

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

So why can the miata tranny get away with no pilot bearing? Better constructed front bearing on the tranny? Can you just cut off the part of the input shaft from a 7 tranny that sticks in the pilot hole and not use a pilot bearing? Would it be stable? Lots of questions.

Whizbang

that is interesting ^^^^^^


i think the biggest pain in the *** is the exhaust. Then if you have a FC vert, the subframe frame and smaller easily removed brace.

i usually drain the fluid to make the transmission lighter.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for the advice everybody, I'll let you guys know how everything goes. New bearings should be in tomorrow.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Well, every bolt is out and tranny is still attached to the engine. Driveshaft, tranny mount and all are off. How do you get the tranny out?? lol

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

That's a very disturbing picture, wacky.

/me shudders

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

the input shaft is still there but it doesnt go all way.

bliffle

Actually detaching the tran from the engine can be a bit of a hassle, especially if the PB is stuck and it's tight there. You can try prying around the bellhousing but be careful. Usually it takes a lot of shaking and pushing back and forth on the trans. Sometimes a little up-down on the trans jack (hard to get the job done without a trans jack, tho many have done it).

Be sure you have a clutch centering tool for later when you put things back together.

peachykeenwight

Wiggle it around while pulling. It'll come out. Just be careful you don't pull it out really fast and drop it if you're by yourself.