DIY Clutch Replacement Video

[Boostin1657615274]

Can a mod move this to how-tos?

[SBT]

Can a mod move this to how-tos?

 

I just stickied it in the transmission forum.

[FrozenNorthLGT]

I just stickied it in the transmission forum.

 

 

About time...lol......this will be such a help to people looking to DIY this.

[Ridgeracer]

Reallly nice video..!!! Will be doing this myself in the summer. Thx

[AndrewZ]

Hey Scruit,

 

Thanks for the video. I was going to buy a repair manual but I feel confident having watched you do it.

[Max Capacity]

Great job, make sure you do videos of anything else you do.

[teK--]

1) Just to keep the motor level, yes.

2) It spills from the propshaft , mostly after you tilt it down to remove it

3) I did not. I didn't plan on removing the axles so I didn't have the seals to hand. Also I figure that getting to the axles is a 20mins/side job that I can do *if* they leak. They haven't.

4) I swapped out the mbike jack for two trolley jacks for reinstallation. My cheap tranny jack didn't have the correct tilt adjustment (it tilts side/side not front/back??) A proper tranny jack is the way to go.

 

 

Thankyou Scruit for taking the time to put all this info together, it is very clear and informative, I find it also quite timely as I am learning as much as I can in advance of needing to have my clutch/flywheel replaced.

 

Although I will get a shop to do it due to my lack of facilities, I always like to know what will need to be done so I can ask the right questions for peace of mind.

 

Regarding Point 2, how much fluid is lost; is it a case that it only spills out as the transmission is tilted? In which case is there a seal on the propshaft which needs/should be replaced at the same time? I will likely get my front driveshaft seals replaced at the same time since there is a slight weep in one of them anyway.

[AndrewZ]

Removing the axles isn't necessary, I did it without. Twice. (forgot to install a pilot bearing in the new flywheel)

 

I believe you leak fluid from the tail even without it tilted. It comes out in slow drips, you might not even notice it's leaking until there's a puddle and the smell of 90 weight. BTW, if you haven't yet experienced there isn't really a smell worse that can come from a car than burnt gear lube. And if you have an attached garage it can stink up the whole house if it's left sitting out.

 

I let mine drip for a few days and maybe a quarter quart of fluid at most left the transmission.

[teK--]

Thanks Andrew. As part of the parts I will supply to the shop are:

 

- New clutch kit inc. new solid flywheel to replace the dual mass one

- Spigot ("Pivot") bearing

- Tranquil TSK1 kit (I have a 2.5i so don't use the TSK3)

- Front driveshaft seals

- 1 quart of gearbox oil as topup.

 

Is there anything else I have missed?

[iNVAR]

heads up for some of you guys... the tranny on my 05 LGT was almost impossible to separate from the engine. all bolts holding the bell housing to the engine were removed. we had the car on a lift, and were basically rocking the transmission like CRAZY, and it simply would NOT come out. it took a LOT of work to even get a tiny crack of space in there using a screwdriver and hammer, and then we were able to jam progressively larger screw drivers in, and finally a pry bar.

 

after breaking the transmission apart from the engine, we realized that replacing everything without removing the left and right drive axles really isn't possible.

 

i'm not sure how you would suggest going about it, but really, the tranny simply doesn't back up that far without removing the axles.

[SBT]

^ Yes - that's a common issue due to the precision with which the two surfaces (engine and transmission) mate-up, coupled with the typical corrosion around the steel dowel pins (aluminum and steel don't play well together over the long term). Anti-seize, or even just good lithium or molybdenum grease on those pins (on re-install) will help a lot IF you have to crack that seam for any reason in the future.

 

To your other point, something else must be causing you NOT to be able to get the clutch out as you can see in the video and from other's comments, it is possible to do this with the axles still attached.

[AndrewZ]

i'm not sure how you would suggest going about it, but really, the tranny simply doesn't back up that far without removing the axles.

 

You should be able to get the transmission rear enough so that the front lip of the bellhousing can rest on the edge of the rear lip of the engine subframe, for reference to how far back you can go with the axles on. You may want to lower the front of the transmission so the input shaft on the transmission isn't in the way of your clutch alignment tool

 

I had the same problem separating the engine and transmission

Edited January 15, 2010 by AndrewZ

[instantfury]

sub

[instantfury]

is a tranny jack one of the "tools" i can rent from an autozone type place?

[AndrewZ]

autozone doesn't rent them, but a lot of tool rental companies do. A big and a small variant from my experience, and we want the small

[PAPXJ]

Scruit

 

Thanks so much for this video. I plan to replace my wife's TOB on her 2005 LGT in the next couple weeks.

 

I noticed you didn't replace the flywheel. Did you have any issues with the new clutch and your old flywheel? Could you have resurfaced it? I have heard that you cannot resurface the flywheels off the turbo models. Do you know anything about that?

[94sportsedan]

Due to being a Dual Mass Flywheel, the center kind of floats on the entire assembly and the part you would need to resurface is riveted on. The center part rotates clockwise/counterclockwise to some degree enable it to absorb the clutch engagement, theoretically inducing slip without slipping the clutch. If you are goign to replace just the throw out bearing get the tsk sleeve kit from Fred Beans. Better safe than sorry.

[define]

My TOB has the death rattle. I'll be ordering up some parts and tackling this job soon. Can anyone else talk about the clearance issues with the turbo? Would it be easier to just remove the turbo?

 

Great videos, it really helps prepare me for what lays ahead. For everyone else, remember that torque specs are important so be sure to use the repair manual to appropriately torque things.

[PAPXJ]

I just replaced my TOB & clutch a couple weeks ago and had no issues with the turbo clearance. It is tight, but if you are careful you should be ok.

 

The best advice I would give is to get a transmission jack. This made it very easy to remove and reinstall the tranny by myself. I picked up the cheap harbor freight one for $69 and it worked great.

[dschultz]

Tip:

When replacing the clutch make sure to adjust the clutch pedal free play (master cylinder rod above the gas pedal). If you don't there's a chance you'll have some preload on the TOB and the clutch will never see full clamping force. This will lead to premature failure due to incorrect breakin. Bin there done that...

[ece_tim]

My TOB has the death rattle. I'll be ordering up some parts and tackling this job soon. Can anyone else talk about the clearance issues with the turbo? Would it be easier to just remove the turbo?

I changed my clutch with the help of a friend last weekend. Here are my suggestions:

 

Re:Turbo clearance

I don't know how much work there is in removing the turbo. I imagine the coolant and oil lines would make it difficult to even un-bolt the turbo to move it slightly out of the way. If you're doing it just by yourself, I would consider removing the turbo. We had a fair amount of trouble getting the transmission around it, going both in and out.

 

My buddy was the one who wiggled the trans past the turbo on the way out, but on the way back in here's how we did it. At the bottom of the bellhousing there are two LONG studs that stick out of the engine. We got these partially inserted into the trans first. We then positioned the trans jack towards the front of the trans and lowered it a bit. This allowed us to then use a regular jack to pump up the rear. While we were raising the rear, which was effectively tilting the top of the trans forward (where the turbo hits), I used my 2nd longest prybar between the turbo housing & trans (with a rag over the tip for a bit of cushion) to shift the engine forward enough to allow the trans to slip by. There is quite a bit of play in the engine mounts, so we felt it was a safe maneuver.

 

If you can buy or rent an engine crane (cherry picker) for cheap, that plus some ratcheting straps would help pull the engine out of the way slightly and make a one-man job much easier. I don't think you would need to disconnect the engine mounts, but you could for a little more movement. If you do though, don't pull the engine very far as everything else is still attached.

 

A few other points:

 

*We did not have to pull the CV axles, just like in the video. But, we encountered issues later (see below) that necessitated removing the trans entirely and I had to replace my pass side CV anyway. Since I needed to pull the pass side, we dropped that control arm (four bolts, easy) and pulled that axle out. This then allowed us to move the trans towards the pass side, giving enough room to pull the driver's CV out without dropping that control arm. This only worked since we had completely disconnected the trans of course. If your trans is still held on my the last 2 plugs, you can either drop the driver's control arm or just disconnect those plugs.

 

*Don't buy a simple bit insert for the Torx Plus 50, like the one here. The bit works fine, I have it, but of course it doesn't sit in the 5/16" socket perfectly. Also I didn't have a 1/2" drive 5/16" (or 8mm) socket, so I had to use a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter plus my cheap breaker bar. This added a good quarter turn of free play while trying to remove the Torx Plus bolts and complicated things further.

 

Buy a socket like this. I don't know if this socket is 3/8" drive or 1/2" drive, but if possible get a 1/2" drive. Edit: It is a 3/8" drive socket. I don't know if they make a TP50 1/2" drive, but if you have a quality adapter & breaker bar, you shouldn't have the loose play issues I had.

 

*The Torx Plus 50 bolts on my flywheel were REALLY on there (car has 70K on it). I mean as in two big guys were putting all their strength into a ~18-inch breaker bar to bust these loose. And then it happened: one of the bolts started to strip. We realized this quickly and proceeded very carefully. Despite hammering the bit into the bolt and trying to get the ideal angles for removal, we couldn't do it with the trans in the car. We were too concerned about stripping the bit and being effed. We actually broke two Craftsman 3/8 drive sockets trying to turn these bolts; hence, get the Torx Plus bit integrated into a socket.

 

So we removed the two remaining plugs off the top of the tranny and slide it as far back as possible, with the axles removed. (Unfortunately the car couldn't be jacked high enough to remove it altogether) We bought an impact 5/16" socket (part of a set only) and even got a 250 ft-lb electric impact gun just in case. The electric impact gun didn't touch *any* of the bolts, much less the stuck one that was starting to strip. This was with us trying to get it from directly behind the engine.

 

We hit the stuck bolt with PB Blaster and tightened it a bit. Only after all this, with very careful application of force & angles did it come out - THANKFULLY.

 

Moral of the story: be very careful removing the bolts, keep in mind you might need to drop the trans, get the bit+socket & a long breaker bar, and damn sure replace these with the newer hex bolts. DO NOT REUSE!

 

*If you haven't changed your trans fluid yet, do it now. Drain before you move the tranny to make things a bit easier. Also, consider pulling the drain plug twice. Before you move, and after. Since we moved the trans around a bunch and I forgot to replace the plug crush ring, I pulled the plug again once it was bolted up and was greeted by a good half a quart of fluid that must have shifted forward. So if you pull the plug after you reinstall the trans, have a pan in place! Also, refill the the trans before you reinstall the IC. You have a straight shot at the tube.

 

*I have a Cobb DP and custom 3" CBE. 70K miles (with 40K in Michigan) rusted the mid-pipe bolts and they broke upon removal. Also, the donut gasket fell apart a bit. If you're placing an order from a dealer place like FredBeans, consider getting a new donut gasket and prepare for a Lowes/HD trip for new grade 8 bolts.

 

*This is just a general working on cars tip, but you're removing a lot of bolts in this process. Get a box of plastic baggies, or a bunch of cheap plastic takeout containers or whatever, and place different bolts in individual containers. Label with a marker. I bought the bulk box of sandwich bags and it came in handy for this.

 

*If you've never done a clutch before, plan for 2 days of work. If you can run from early morning to late evening, then you could probably do it in 1 day even with hangups. We could only work till ~7pm the first day, otherwise we would've at least gotten real close to finishing.

 

*I think it's been mentioned elsewhere, but apply antiseize on every bolt that gives you any trouble. The DP to turbo bolts were in good shape, but the exhaust bolts, flywheel bolts, pressure plate bolts and every stud/bolt/dowel on the trans/engine mating surface damn sure need it.

 

That's all I can think of now. I'll update this post if I think of anything else. Also if I get the time soon I'll post all the relevant torque specs. Here are a bunch that help with exhaust & IC stuff.

Edited June 2, 2010 by ece_tim

[ece_tim]

Tip:

When replacing the clutch make sure to adjust the clutch pedal free play (master cylinder rod above the gas pedal). If you don't there's a chance you'll have some preload on the TOB and the clutch will never see full clamping force. This will lead to premature failure due to incorrect breakin. Bin there done that...

I'm doing this tonight. I saw your thread last night when I was searching for info on the pedal level. Mine engages pretty high up, which I know is supposed to improve with break in, but in the meantime I want to lower it. I may also bleed my clutch when I do my brake fluid soon.

[dschultz]

When adjusting the pedal free play it's more about not having any force on the release lever as opposed to engagement position in the pedal travel. A new clutch will most likely need near full travel for disengagement as all the surfaces are rough and it requires the PP to be pulled off the disc as much as possible. As the surfaces break in they smooth out and the disengagement point will move up in the pedal travel, again it has nothing to do with free play. That probably won't change. And when it does it's going to increase due to worn parts. That's when the pedal free play will need to be adjusted to "take up the slack".

In the manual it notes that the clevis pin that links the pedal to the master cylinder push rod should be loose when free play is correct.

12) Move the clevis pin to the left and then to the

right. It should move without resistance while it is

rattling. If resistance is felt, repeat adjustment pro-

cedures again from the beginning.

The pedal travel is adjusted by changing a combination of the push rod length and the clutch switch position. Once you have these set (free play and travel) there should still be some release lever free play. Again from the manual,

13) Push the release lever until operating cylinder

push rod retracts. Ensure that the clutch fluid level

in reservoir tank increases. If the clutch fluid level

increases, hydraulic clutch is properly adjusted

[define]

ece_tim, thanks for the great write-up with tips.

 

With all the trouble people have with turbo clearance, I wonder if using the temporary special service tool brace would prevent the engine from shifting during removal - keeping it in proper alignment for re-installation. EDIT: I've never used special tools in the past on other cars, so I'll likely just brace the engine with a jack and some blocks of wood to prevent engine pitching.

 

Also, how many of you replace the flywheel during this procedure? I was surprised that the original video author didn't - BUT, the damn thing is so expensive I don't blame him. I plan on doing an inspection before pulling the trigger on a new one.

Edited June 3, 2010 by #define

[dschultz]

Keeping the engine is definitely beneficial whether you use the SS tool or make up something of your own.

 

I would think that the whole package should be changed...just like brakes (rotors and pads) as it's a wear item. If you are on a budget at least pull the FW and have it inspected. Some shops can resurface the dual-mass FW while Subaru doesn't recommend that, it can be done. Like brake rotors these days the stock FW and PP are pretty much use once and replace. They are made with low thickness tolerance and machining them takes them to the limit. Then you are subject to warping due to heat that they can't get rid of. Again, it's up to your budget and power stage.