Has anyone changed their clutch themselves?

I am thinking about fixing my slipping clutch myself, with the act/wrx lwfw combo.

 

 

How difficult is it to pull the tranny without a lift. I know a lift would help a ton, but the locals I will have over to assist on this job drive f-bodies and mustangs so a rwd set up isnt a big deal.

 

Please post any pointers.

 

The local dealer's tech told me to pop the ball joints, and leave the axlesin the tranny. He said he can have it out in less than 90 minutes.

 

I am in no hurry, and wont rush the job if and when we do it. I plan to take up to 3 days.

 

Thanks in advanced

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I did it on a friend of mine. He is right about the ball joints. You just take out the bolt on the lower control arm and tap the arm down to separate. Just make sure the DP is not connected or touching the tranny when you try to separate tranny from the motor. It may not look like it but it will keep it from coming apart. If you have a engine hoist it will be alot easier. You can disconnect the tranny pull it back. Then pull the engine forward once you disconnect the engine mounts. I did it with just jacks and jack stands. The hardest part is getting the engine and tranny apart the rest is pretty easy. The DP really held us up. You should be able to do it in a day.

move the engine forward? how much? does it incl. removing any of the wiring, piping, pitch stop connected to the engine?

move the engine forward? how much? does it incl. removing any of the wiring, piping, pitch stop connected to the engine?

 

Good question.

So much easier to remove gearbox from under the car.

 

I did it in 1 hour on 1995 Legacy (remove/disconnect wires) remove front CVs & tailshaft and bolts then the transmission was out. All done in 3 hours.

Cheers

AP

I did it on a friend of mine. He is right about the ball joints. You just take out the bolt on the lower control arm and tap the arm down to separate. Just make sure the DP is not connected or touching the tranny when you try to separate tranny from the motor. It may not look like it but it will keep it from coming apart. If you have a engine hoist it will be alot easier. You can disconnect the tranny pull it back. Then pull the engine forward once you disconnect the engine mounts. I did it with just jacks and jack stands. The hardest part is getting the engine and tranny apart the rest is pretty easy. The DP really held us up. You should be able to do it in a day.

That was a fun day. However not slide the engine forward but tilt the engine towards the fire wall downward after loosening the motor mounts. This can be done with multiple helpers however would be alot easier with a hoist, we learned the hard way.

My transmission tech does it that way via ball joints.

will you have a lift?

if not, pull the engine instead. It's just my opinion, but I dislike doing the transmissions anymore (especially 6 speeds!)

It's not that difficult of a job either way, just time consuming your first few times while you figure out the best ways to disassemble/reassemble everything

 

Pull radiator and coolant lines

set aside A/C and P/S

D/C Downpipe + Intercooler,

Disconnect engine from tranny and undo engine mounts from crossmember

disconnect electricals and fuel

pull

replace clutch

 

repeat backwards lol

This might be a stupid question, but I searched the forum and couldn't find the answer, thought I'd ask here. I want to freshen the clutch fluid in my car, but don't know where to look for the drain plug on the clutch case. Where should I be looking. I see the tranny case plug.

^ The clutch slave cylinder is on top of the transmission, underneath the TMIC.

Ok, so I was flushing the cooling system today and was looking at the clutch slave cylinder. Can I just use my brake bleeder on the bleeder screw and suck the fluid out?

Ok, so I was flushing the cooling system today and was looking at the clutch slave cylinder. Can I just use my brake bleeder on the bleeder screw and suck the fluid out?

 

Yes. http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63261&highlight=clutch

I have had my clutch in an out of my car more times than I care to explain. All times, we used a engine lift and simply pulled the engine forward and away from the tranny.

 

1. Remove the battery and air box.

 

2. Remove the radiator from the car, drain plug is a little plastic plug on the passenger side. 2 bolts and brackets on the top, and upper and lower hoses. Coolant will continue to drain from the lower hose.

 

3. Remove the intercooler and put a paper towel in the turbo opening (remember to remove this when you reinstall the intercooler).

 

4. Disconnect the main engine electrical connection. This connector is opposite of how you think it would work. Use a flat head screw driver to release the lever and pull it up. Then pull the connector that is farthest from the engine. Then use the screw driver to release the engine side connector from the bracket.

 

5. Remove the lower engine mount nuts, 2 total. You do not have to remove the lower cover, but it is highly suggested to get the O2 sensor out.

 

6. Remove the front 02 sensor from the header. (To avoid bumping it when you are wrestling the engine out).

 

7. Remove the Down Pipe and heat shield if needed.

 

8. Remove the dog-bone, just the bolt on the firewall.

 

9. Remove the alternator.

 

10. Remove the A/C compressor and then remove the bracket from it and reinstall it on the engine block, you need it for the engine lift. Fold hoses and all over to where the battery was. Secure with a bungee cord if needed.

 

11. Remove all 3 fuel lines and make sure you are ready for the fuel that will come out. Also, make sure you mark or note the location of each connection.

 

12. Attached the engine lift to the back engine lift point, it's under the where the intercooler was, and attach it to the A/C bracket. Balance front to back and side to side is important.

 

13. Slightly lift the engine and remove the bolts from the transmission top to bottom. 6 total bolts, remember that the 2 lower ones are the long ones.

 

14. You will probably have to use a putty knife to break the tranny from the engine. You will have to wiggle the engine back and forth to pull it off the tranny.

 

Once you have the engine pulled away from the tranny, you will have about 6 inches to work in.

 

Reverse the steps to put it back together. It can be a challenge to get the tranny back on the engine. It's suggested that you get it on the studs first, then use the long bolts on the top bolt location to help pull the tranny to the engine.

 

That is the basic steps, I suggest you do not attempt this alone. You will need help.

 

I can complete a full clutch replacement in about 3 hours.

My dad and i pulled the engine forward as well. All worked pretty good except we had one hell of a time seperating the engine from the tranny. We didnt have an engine lift so we balanced the engine on the floor jack, a little wobbly...

My dad and i pulled the engine forward as well. All worked pretty good except we had one hell of a time seperating the engine from the tranny. We didnt have an engine lift so we balanced the engine on the floor jack, a little wobbly...

 

Wow, that had to have been a pain.....

 

Engine lift is so much easier, but the tranny is always a bear to get off and back on.

13. Slightly lift the engine and remove the bolts from the transmission top to bottom. 6 total bolts, remember that the 2 lower ones are the long ones.

 

Incorrect. The TOP two are the long ones.

Does the TMIC have to come out to remove the Transmission?

yes

Woohoo! lol. This weekend is going to be interesting My clutch is done... just ordered a replacement setup

Does the TMIC have to come out to remove the Transmission?

 

 

No, when I had my clutch done we just put it on the lift and took the DP off.

 

But every thing that I read said you had to.

I'm wondering if I should just pay the dealer to replace my clutch I don't want to attempt this with my dad because he just likes taking shortcuts and does what looks right and not what is right.

No, when I had my clutch done we just put it on the lift and took the DP off.

 

But every thing that I read said you had to.

 

Hm, you dropped the Trans out right?

will you have a lift?

if not, pull the engine instead. It's just my opinion, but I dislike doing the transmissions anymore (especially 6 speeds!)

It's not that difficult of a job either way, just time consuming your first few times while you figure out the best ways to disassemble/reassemble everything

 

Pull radiator and coolant lines

set aside A/C and P/S

D/C Downpipe + Intercooler,

Disconnect engine from tranny and undo engine mounts from crossmember

disconnect electricals and fuel

pull

replace clutch

 

repeat backwards lol

 

 

 

That is the WORST way to do it.