Quickest Way to Change Clutch
11-16-08 | 05:30 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
From: Elkland, PA
Quickest Way to Change Clutch
I need to change my clutch very soon as it is slipping worse and worse everyday. What is the quickest way to change it without using a lift. All i have is a standard floor jack and jack stands. I would like to have it done in less than 4 days as i want to drive it to where i used to live(400+ miles round trip) and show it to all the people i know there. I do have experience in changing the engine and clutch in a 90 subaru legacy fwd. I swapped the engine in that in under 12 hours. Indput is much appreciated
11-16-08 | 05:36 PM
#2
pull the driveshaft, and unbolt the transmission. it's very helpful to have a friend help dropping the transmission than using a jack by yourself.
I'm lazy, I pull the whole engine. It makes the hardest part, the alignment, easy.
I'm lazy, I pull the whole engine. It makes the hardest part, the alignment, easy.
11-16-08 | 05:39 PM
#3
Pull exhaust, driveshaft, heat shield. Unbolt trans and get under it and pull it out. Unbolt pressure plate and replace clutch disk. Install pressure plate and align clutch disk. Bench press trans back into car and bolt everything back in.
11-16-08 | 06:10 PM
#5
- Get the car securely in the air on four jack stands OR two jack stands and a set of ramps.
- Remove your oil filter (Hey, you can combine this with an oil change or simply replace the lost oil) so that you can easily access the slave cylinder bolts.
- Worm your way underneath your car with a can of PB (Assuming you were smart and purchased a can). Start soaking the heat shield bolts in it.
- While that's soaking, go ahead and disconnect your exhaust at the header. Depending on how clever and articulate you are, it may or may not be necessary to remove the Y-Pipe and mufflers as well...I've done it with the whole exhaust system still in the car..but that's another story.
- Remove the heat shields. Be careful with the 10mm heat shield bolts. This is why you had them soaking...they're brittle and pathetic and they'll **** themselves if you so much as look at them funny. Don't rush it and you won't break ANY of them.
- Get some duct tape or electrical tape (Hell, even aluminum tape will work) and tape your driveshaft to the tail shaft of the transmission. If you do not do this, and remove your driveshaft and attempt to remove the transmission you will lose your gear oil. You can make the decision to just change the gear oil...it's $10.00 for 4 quarts of the cheap coastal brand 80w-90. It'll work. If I were you I'd just freshen up your drivetrain by draining the fluid out of the transmission, remove the driveshaft separately and calling that situation taken care of.
- Remove your starter and disconnect all transmission associated wiring. There is a transmission ground on the passenger side firewall...remove this.
- Remove all transmission bolts. There are five.
- Have a helper support the transmission (Or simply use a jack with a transmission adapter) and unbolt the transmission crossmember from the car. Four bolts.
- Have a friend support the bellhousing of the transmission and you support the tail shaft. Wiggle and pull. Once the transmission is clear, drop it down and remove it from the car.
- This leaves you with the pressure plate and the clutch. Let me just tell you that if you're replacing the clutch, go ahead and replace the pilot bearing + dust seal and throw out bearing. This will cost you a total of $30.00 from advance auto...why have to go through all of this again just for $30.00 in parts? Do it now. If you bought a clutch kit, it will have come with a new clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing...this runs about $170.00 from Advance Auto. So essentially, for about $210.00 you'll have a well reliable, long lasting, worry free 150,000 miles of motoring.
- There are six bolts and washers holding the pressure plate and the clutch to the flywheel. Remove these. Two of these bolts have smooth shoulders on them (you'll see what I'm talking about). Note the location of these bolts and maybe mark them for future reinstallation.
- Assuming you bought the pilot bearing and seal.... go ahead and remove the old one. The ideal situation is to find a friend of a friend of a friend who has the Pilot Bearing Puller that Mazdatrix sells (That Mazda makes and uses for this application). It will never be known to you just how important THAT SPECIFIC PULLER is until you've had to try and remove a Pilot Bearing without one. *IF* you cannot locate one, run up to your local AUTOZONE and rent the Pilot Bearing Puller 'Attachment' and the Slide Hammer it attaches to. It may be necessary to grind down and modify the teeth on the puller so it notches in behind the pilot bearing and pulls it out.
- Install the new pilot bearing by selecting a socket that it the SAME SIZE as the outer race of the pilot bearing. Using a small three or so inch extension aids this. LIGHTLY tap it into place. You want to tape it in flush with the base of the flare end on the eccentric shaft and then maybe 1/4" more for the dust seal (Using the same socket).
- Use about a pinky's worth of grease and work it into the new pilot bearing.
- Following the instructions that came with your clutch, bolt up the new disc and pressure plate. But first, you may want to examine your flywheel for cracks. It may be necessary to lightly sand the flywheel first. No cracks? No problem. Shoot it down with a good bath of brake cleaner.
- Take this time to replace your throw out bearing. It's easy...just remove the old one by hand actuating the clutch fork just far enough for it to pop off the little pivot points...and slide the new one on.
- Clean and VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY lightly grease the input shaft on the transmission.
- Installation is the reverse of removal. I'd really suggest replacing the gear oil and the bearings mentioned above...it'll really save you the heartbreak of repeating all of this over cheap *** parts. You may even want to give the tranny a good scrub down with some engine brite!
- Remove your oil filter (Hey, you can combine this with an oil change or simply replace the lost oil) so that you can easily access the slave cylinder bolts.
- Worm your way underneath your car with a can of PB (Assuming you were smart and purchased a can). Start soaking the heat shield bolts in it.
- While that's soaking, go ahead and disconnect your exhaust at the header. Depending on how clever and articulate you are, it may or may not be necessary to remove the Y-Pipe and mufflers as well...I've done it with the whole exhaust system still in the car..but that's another story.
- Remove the heat shields. Be careful with the 10mm heat shield bolts. This is why you had them soaking...they're brittle and pathetic and they'll **** themselves if you so much as look at them funny. Don't rush it and you won't break ANY of them.
- Get some duct tape or electrical tape (Hell, even aluminum tape will work) and tape your driveshaft to the tail shaft of the transmission. If you do not do this, and remove your driveshaft and attempt to remove the transmission you will lose your gear oil. You can make the decision to just change the gear oil...it's $10.00 for 4 quarts of the cheap coastal brand 80w-90. It'll work. If I were you I'd just freshen up your drivetrain by draining the fluid out of the transmission, remove the driveshaft separately and calling that situation taken care of.
- Remove your starter and disconnect all transmission associated wiring. There is a transmission ground on the passenger side firewall...remove this.
- Remove all transmission bolts. There are five.
- Have a helper support the transmission (Or simply use a jack with a transmission adapter) and unbolt the transmission crossmember from the car. Four bolts.
- Have a friend support the bellhousing of the transmission and you support the tail shaft. Wiggle and pull. Once the transmission is clear, drop it down and remove it from the car.
- This leaves you with the pressure plate and the clutch. Let me just tell you that if you're replacing the clutch, go ahead and replace the pilot bearing + dust seal and throw out bearing. This will cost you a total of $30.00 from advance auto...why have to go through all of this again just for $30.00 in parts? Do it now. If you bought a clutch kit, it will have come with a new clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing...this runs about $170.00 from Advance Auto. So essentially, for about $210.00 you'll have a well reliable, long lasting, worry free 150,000 miles of motoring.
- There are six bolts and washers holding the pressure plate and the clutch to the flywheel. Remove these. Two of these bolts have smooth shoulders on them (you'll see what I'm talking about). Note the location of these bolts and maybe mark them for future reinstallation.
- Assuming you bought the pilot bearing and seal.... go ahead and remove the old one. The ideal situation is to find a friend of a friend of a friend who has the Pilot Bearing Puller that Mazdatrix sells (That Mazda makes and uses for this application). It will never be known to you just how important THAT SPECIFIC PULLER is until you've had to try and remove a Pilot Bearing without one. *IF* you cannot locate one, run up to your local AUTOZONE and rent the Pilot Bearing Puller 'Attachment' and the Slide Hammer it attaches to. It may be necessary to grind down and modify the teeth on the puller so it notches in behind the pilot bearing and pulls it out.
- Install the new pilot bearing by selecting a socket that it the SAME SIZE as the outer race of the pilot bearing. Using a small three or so inch extension aids this. LIGHTLY tap it into place. You want to tape it in flush with the base of the flare end on the eccentric shaft and then maybe 1/4" more for the dust seal (Using the same socket).
- Use about a pinky's worth of grease and work it into the new pilot bearing.
- Following the instructions that came with your clutch, bolt up the new disc and pressure plate. But first, you may want to examine your flywheel for cracks. It may be necessary to lightly sand the flywheel first. No cracks? No problem. Shoot it down with a good bath of brake cleaner.
- Take this time to replace your throw out bearing. It's easy...just remove the old one by hand actuating the clutch fork just far enough for it to pop off the little pivot points...and slide the new one on.
- Clean and VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY lightly grease the input shaft on the transmission.
- Installation is the reverse of removal. I'd really suggest replacing the gear oil and the bearings mentioned above...it'll really save you the heartbreak of repeating all of this over cheap *** parts. You may even want to give the tranny a good scrub down with some engine brite!
11-16-08 | 06:24 PM
#7
Heh. I have a few friends to thank for my experience and knowledge... Plus I'm in the middle of a transmission conversion from automatic to manual, so I've literally just gone through this process.
Replacing your clutch as described above can be done in ONE afternoon with a friend. It's really not hard at all...just takes a little time.
Good luck!
Replacing your clutch as described above can be done in ONE afternoon with a friend. It's really not hard at all...just takes a little time.
Good luck!
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11-16-08 | 06:47 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
From: Elkland, PA
thanks for the info. now just waiting for the clutch and the thursday when i can start the job. Working solo unless it gets really hard then i will grab a buddy
only problem is finding the pilot bearing tool as the only one i can rent has to be checked before a refund is given
only problem is finding the pilot bearing tool as the only one i can rent has to be checked before a refund is given
Last edited by jake1191; 11-16-08 at 06:50 PM.
11-16-08 | 06:54 PM
#9
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 719
Likes: 0
From: Kingston Ontario
- Get the car securely in the air on four jack stands OR two jack stands and a set of ramps.
- Remove your oil filter (Hey, you can combine this with an oil change or simply replace the lost oil) so that you can easily access the slave cylinder bolts.
- Worm your way underneath your car with a can of PB (Assuming you were smart and purchased a can). Start soaking the heat shield bolts in it.
- While that's soaking, go ahead and disconnect your exhaust at the header. Depending on how clever and articulate you are, it may or may not be necessary to remove the Y-Pipe and mufflers as well...I've done it with the whole exhaust system still in the car..but that's another story.
- Remove the heat shields. Be careful with the 10mm heat shield bolts. This is why you had them soaking...they're brittle and pathetic and they'll **** themselves if you so much as look at them funny. Don't rush it and you won't break ANY of them.
- Get some duct tape or electrical tape (Hell, even aluminum tape will work) and tape your driveshaft to the tail shaft of the transmission. If you do not do this, and remove your driveshaft and attempt to remove the transmission you will lose your gear oil. You can make the decision to just change the gear oil...it's $10.00 for 4 quarts of the cheap coastal brand 80w-90. It'll work. If I were you I'd just freshen up your drivetrain by draining the fluid out of the transmission, remove the driveshaft separately and calling that situation taken care of.
- Remove your starter and disconnect all transmission associated wiring. There is a transmission ground on the passenger side firewall...remove this.
- Remove all transmission bolts. There are five.
- Have a helper support the transmission (Or simply use a jack with a transmission adapter) and unbolt the transmission crossmember from the car. Four bolts.
- Have a friend support the bellhousing of the transmission and you support the tail shaft. Wiggle and pull. Once the transmission is clear, drop it down and remove it from the car.
- This leaves you with the pressure plate and the clutch. Let me just tell you that if you're replacing the clutch, go ahead and replace the pilot bearing + dust seal and throw out bearing. This will cost you a total of $30.00 from advance auto...why have to go through all of this again just for $30.00 in parts? Do it now. If you bought a clutch kit, it will have come with a new clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing...this runs about $170.00 from Advance Auto. So essentially, for about $210.00 you'll have a well reliable, long lasting, worry free 150,000 miles of motoring.
- There are six bolts and washers holding the pressure plate and the clutch to the flywheel. Remove these. Two of these bolts have smooth shoulders on them (you'll see what I'm talking about). Note the location of these bolts and maybe mark them for future reinstallation.
- Assuming you bought the pilot bearing and seal.... go ahead and remove the old one. The ideal situation is to find a friend of a friend of a friend who has the Pilot Bearing Puller that Mazdatrix sells (That Mazda makes and uses for this application). It will never be known to you just how important THAT SPECIFIC PULLER is until you've had to try and remove a Pilot Bearing without one. *IF* you cannot locate one, run up to your local AUTOZONE and rent the Pilot Bearing Puller 'Attachment' and the Slide Hammer it attaches to. It may be necessary to grind down and modify the teeth on the puller so it notches in behind the pilot bearing and pulls it out.
- Install the new pilot bearing by selecting a socket that it the SAME SIZE as the outer race of the pilot bearing. Using a small three or so inch extension aids this. LIGHTLY tap it into place. You want to tape it in flush with the base of the flare end on the eccentric shaft and then maybe 1/4" more for the dust seal (Using the same socket).
- Use about a pinky's worth of grease and work it into the new pilot bearing.
- Following the instructions that came with your clutch, bolt up the new disc and pressure plate. But first, you may want to examine your flywheel for cracks. It may be necessary to lightly sand the flywheel first. No cracks? No problem. Shoot it down with a good bath of brake cleaner.
- Take this time to replace your throw out bearing. It's easy...just remove the old one by hand actuating the clutch fork just far enough for it to pop off the little pivot points...and slide the new one on.
- Clean and VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY lightly grease the input shaft on the transmission.
- Installation is the reverse of removal. I'd really suggest replacing the gear oil and the bearings mentioned above...it'll really save you the heartbreak of repeating all of this over cheap *** parts. You may even want to give the tranny a good scrub down with some engine brite!
- Remove your oil filter (Hey, you can combine this with an oil change or simply replace the lost oil) so that you can easily access the slave cylinder bolts.
- Worm your way underneath your car with a can of PB (Assuming you were smart and purchased a can). Start soaking the heat shield bolts in it.
- While that's soaking, go ahead and disconnect your exhaust at the header. Depending on how clever and articulate you are, it may or may not be necessary to remove the Y-Pipe and mufflers as well...I've done it with the whole exhaust system still in the car..but that's another story.
- Remove the heat shields. Be careful with the 10mm heat shield bolts. This is why you had them soaking...they're brittle and pathetic and they'll **** themselves if you so much as look at them funny. Don't rush it and you won't break ANY of them.
- Get some duct tape or electrical tape (Hell, even aluminum tape will work) and tape your driveshaft to the tail shaft of the transmission. If you do not do this, and remove your driveshaft and attempt to remove the transmission you will lose your gear oil. You can make the decision to just change the gear oil...it's $10.00 for 4 quarts of the cheap coastal brand 80w-90. It'll work. If I were you I'd just freshen up your drivetrain by draining the fluid out of the transmission, remove the driveshaft separately and calling that situation taken care of.
- Remove your starter and disconnect all transmission associated wiring. There is a transmission ground on the passenger side firewall...remove this.
- Remove all transmission bolts. There are five.
- Have a helper support the transmission (Or simply use a jack with a transmission adapter) and unbolt the transmission crossmember from the car. Four bolts.
- Have a friend support the bellhousing of the transmission and you support the tail shaft. Wiggle and pull. Once the transmission is clear, drop it down and remove it from the car.
- This leaves you with the pressure plate and the clutch. Let me just tell you that if you're replacing the clutch, go ahead and replace the pilot bearing + dust seal and throw out bearing. This will cost you a total of $30.00 from advance auto...why have to go through all of this again just for $30.00 in parts? Do it now. If you bought a clutch kit, it will have come with a new clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing...this runs about $170.00 from Advance Auto. So essentially, for about $210.00 you'll have a well reliable, long lasting, worry free 150,000 miles of motoring.
- There are six bolts and washers holding the pressure plate and the clutch to the flywheel. Remove these. Two of these bolts have smooth shoulders on them (you'll see what I'm talking about). Note the location of these bolts and maybe mark them for future reinstallation.
- Assuming you bought the pilot bearing and seal.... go ahead and remove the old one. The ideal situation is to find a friend of a friend of a friend who has the Pilot Bearing Puller that Mazdatrix sells (That Mazda makes and uses for this application). It will never be known to you just how important THAT SPECIFIC PULLER is until you've had to try and remove a Pilot Bearing without one. *IF* you cannot locate one, run up to your local AUTOZONE and rent the Pilot Bearing Puller 'Attachment' and the Slide Hammer it attaches to. It may be necessary to grind down and modify the teeth on the puller so it notches in behind the pilot bearing and pulls it out.
- Install the new pilot bearing by selecting a socket that it the SAME SIZE as the outer race of the pilot bearing. Using a small three or so inch extension aids this. LIGHTLY tap it into place. You want to tape it in flush with the base of the flare end on the eccentric shaft and then maybe 1/4" more for the dust seal (Using the same socket).
- Use about a pinky's worth of grease and work it into the new pilot bearing.
- Following the instructions that came with your clutch, bolt up the new disc and pressure plate. But first, you may want to examine your flywheel for cracks. It may be necessary to lightly sand the flywheel first. No cracks? No problem. Shoot it down with a good bath of brake cleaner.
- Take this time to replace your throw out bearing. It's easy...just remove the old one by hand actuating the clutch fork just far enough for it to pop off the little pivot points...and slide the new one on.
- Clean and VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY lightly grease the input shaft on the transmission.
- Installation is the reverse of removal. I'd really suggest replacing the gear oil and the bearings mentioned above...it'll really save you the heartbreak of repeating all of this over cheap *** parts. You may even want to give the tranny a good scrub down with some engine brite!
11-16-08 | 06:55 PM
#10
Put out an S.O.S. on your regional forum and see if anyone has the appropriate puller that you can borrow. Just trust me, no matter how bad the pilot bearing is jammed in there it'll come out like BUTTER!
11-16-08 | 06:59 PM
#11
Mother****ing Wow
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 0
From: NJ
great write-up there!
I just did mine a few weeks ago on jackstands and next time I'm just pulling the engine unless I have a lift. -but if your doing it on jack-stands have a friend with you for pulling out the trans and getting it back in.
Also tilt the engine back when bolting the tranny back in. Some people use a jack and piece of wood under the crank pulley. I used a racketing tie down and snaked it under the crank pulley from strut tower to strut tower and applied some pressure... worked great.
Also the upper most bolt *it is actually a nut* holding on the trans is a PITA to reach... I used a 24" 3/8 drive extension with a universal joint adapter and got at it from the trans tunnel.
Be sure to label and remember which wire goes where... it is not really very intuitive. The wires for the reverse lights on the trans are BOTH red with a red and red/black coming from the harness.
It is also suggested you mark the driveshaft when removing it from the rear and make sure it is bolted back up it the same orientation or you could get a vibration... I did not do this and am fine...maybe even lucky? Not sure if other people have had an issue with this or not.
have fun.
I just did mine a few weeks ago on jackstands and next time I'm just pulling the engine unless I have a lift. -but if your doing it on jack-stands have a friend with you for pulling out the trans and getting it back in.
Also tilt the engine back when bolting the tranny back in. Some people use a jack and piece of wood under the crank pulley. I used a racketing tie down and snaked it under the crank pulley from strut tower to strut tower and applied some pressure... worked great.
Also the upper most bolt *it is actually a nut* holding on the trans is a PITA to reach... I used a 24" 3/8 drive extension with a universal joint adapter and got at it from the trans tunnel.
Be sure to label and remember which wire goes where... it is not really very intuitive. The wires for the reverse lights on the trans are BOTH red with a red and red/black coming from the harness.
It is also suggested you mark the driveshaft when removing it from the rear and make sure it is bolted back up it the same orientation or you could get a vibration... I did not do this and am fine...maybe even lucky? Not sure if other people have had an issue with this or not.
have fun.
Last edited by sunburn; 11-16-08 at 07:09 PM.
11-16-08 | 07:07 PM
#13
The reverse lights have no bias. Either which way you connect those two wires they'll work.
Thank you for mentioning tilting the engine back. I forgot about it. However, you don't HAVE to jack it up if you've got a friend with you....who can simply push on the throttle body to tilt the motor (Yes, it's that easy).
As far as the upper most bolt...it shouldn't be a nut? I've not come across one on an S4 or S5 car yet...and if you remove the oil filter it is EASILY accessed with a ratcheting wrench from the driver's side of the car. I've done it four times now.
Thank you for mentioning tilting the engine back. I forgot about it. However, you don't HAVE to jack it up if you've got a friend with you....who can simply push on the throttle body to tilt the motor (Yes, it's that easy).
As far as the upper most bolt...it shouldn't be a nut? I've not come across one on an S4 or S5 car yet...and if you remove the oil filter it is EASILY accessed with a ratcheting wrench from the driver's side of the car. I've done it four times now.
11-16-08 | 07:13 PM
#15
Mother****ing Wow
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 0
From: NJ
The reverse lights have no bias. Either which way you connect those two wires they'll work.
Thank you for mentioning tilting the engine back. I forgot about it. However, you don't HAVE to jack it up if you've got a friend with you....who can simply push on the throttle body to tilt the motor (Yes, it's that easy).
As far as the upper most bolt...it shouldn't be a nut? I've not come across one on an S4 or S5 car yet...and if you remove the oil filter it is EASILY accessed with a ratcheting wrench from the driver's side of the car. I've done it four times now.
Thank you for mentioning tilting the engine back. I forgot about it. However, you don't HAVE to jack it up if you've got a friend with you....who can simply push on the throttle body to tilt the motor (Yes, it's that easy).
As far as the upper most bolt...it shouldn't be a nut? I've not come across one on an S4 or S5 car yet...and if you remove the oil filter it is EASILY accessed with a ratcheting wrench from the driver's side of the car. I've done it four times now.
my car was BONE STOCK with 60,000 when I bought it this past July so I'm certain no one had the trans out.I should also mention removing the rusted stock exhaust was the hardest part of the whole install.
Last edited by sunburn; 11-16-08 at 07:16 PM.
11-16-08 | 07:27 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
From: Elkland, PA
^few problems
A. I'm not old enough to buy 6 pack (only 16)
B. Friends arent old enough to legally consume 6 pack
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
other than that i think i can do most of this alone and then just grab a buddy when i need him.
As far as raising a lowering the trans i can do that with the top down and a ratchet strap to the support beams in my garage through the shifter hole in the interior i think. Same goes for tipping the motor.
Def gonna change the trans fluid to royal purple. Should i get their gear lube or their manual trans fluid
A. I'm not old enough to buy 6 pack (only 16)
B. Friends arent old enough to legally consume 6 pack
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
other than that i think i can do most of this alone and then just grab a buddy when i need him.
As far as raising a lowering the trans i can do that with the top down and a ratchet strap to the support beams in my garage through the shifter hole in the interior i think. Same goes for tipping the motor.
Def gonna change the trans fluid to royal purple. Should i get their gear lube or their manual trans fluid
11-16-08 | 07:40 PM
#19
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Newnan, Ga
if you have an manual trans, see if you can get the fill plug out first, then drain your fluid first, I thought I could put a plastic bag on there fast enuff... NOPE!!! W90 is good for your car... and the greaser look went out in the 50's
make it a case 
11-17-08 | 11:25 AM
#23
Rotary Freak
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,779
Likes: 0
From: Peoria, IL
Also, to make reinstalling the tranny easier, buy two or three bolts of the same size as the tranny bolt, but a little longer. Cut off the heads, and cut a straight notch in them. Use them as "pilot" bolts when you put the tranny back on, it helps tremendously.
