Clutch swap tomorrow....any advice?

[MoD_Scotty]

Besides "pay someone to do it!"

I'm going to attempt to swap the clutch in my '99 tomorrow, at the auto shop on base. That means I'll have access to a lift, tranny jack, and all kinds of tools (manual and air). So hopefully I can get it done in the 6 hours I'll have before they close. I went with an Exedy (aka "value" clutch from Finish Line), plus Redline MT90, and a new OEM rear main seal.

[Beastinthebushes]

Don't install it drunk, now go, for the wise man has spoken

[nickt93]

Are you doing it by yourself? It could take more than 6 hours if this is your first time - just a warning. Here are a few tips:

1) Make sure you have a clutch alignment tool. Getting your tranny out and finding out you don't have one has delayed more than one clutch job.

2) Get some universal joints and extensions of various sizes. Some of the transmission bolts are hard to get to, and the flexibility of a u joint will help out a ton.

3) Label the transmission bolts as they come out - a few are different than the others, and you don't want to get them mixed up.

4) Do you have a tranny jack or something to support the transmission when you remove it? If not, have a plan for how you'll get it out of the car. It's really light, so a strong feller like yourself can probably just bench press it (will be easier with a helper though).


Good luck! It's not that tough, just a bit time consuming.

[MoD_Scotty]

Won't be drunk beforehand...I'll be heading to the shop right after work!

It's the first Miata clutch swap I've done. However, I've done clutch swaps on S13s, my Mirage, and on a Subaru Legacy. So I've been around a little ;)

The shop has a couple tranny jacks, they're crappy, but they let me drop the tank on my Mirage a while back with ease.

I have the alignment tool (as well as throwout and pilot bearings).

I don't have u-joints, but I'm 90% positive the auto shop will have them (this place is stocked to the teeth...makes me miss living on base....almost)

I'll have some help for the first 2 hours or so...and if I need it, I'll convince one of the shop employees to help me get the tranny back onto the car.

Keep it coming! I need to cover all the bases so I can get this thing knocked out!

[FlipKing]

the Universal joint is a MUST. I jsut did my clutch and the bolts on top are pretty difficult to get to. Also might want to take off your header too, mine got in the way and it took longer to get the transmission out because it kept getting caught up. Umm....Mark your drive shaft so you can install it in the same holes you took it out from. All I got for now

[mustangtomiata]

PB blast everything tonight. never hurts.

[Flash13783]

Be patient with putting splining the trans to the motor has seemed to be the most difficult part for me, getting them together and flush. (splining is easy, getting the tranny and motor flush = pain in the a$$.)

[MoD_Scotty]

Well that totally sucked. Due to the ghettoness of my EGR pipe, my header wasn't really removable with the tranny in the car. So I attempted to drop the tranny with it the header unbolted, but still on the car. THAT SUCKED. But I got the tranny out. I'll be modifying the header tomorrow so that it will be out of the car when the tranny goes back in.

Is there a trick to getting the PPF off the rear diff? I removed those two huge bolts, but the thing just wouldn't come free. I could rotate it a little around the forward bolt hole, but otherwise, that thing wouldn't budge.

[kcbhiw]

Is there a trick to getting the PPF off the rear diff? I removed those two huge bolts, but the thing just wouldn't come free. I could rotate it a little around the forward bolt hole, but otherwise, that thing wouldn't budge.

There's a slug of metal pressed in between the PPF and the diff housing. It looks like a big washer under the forward bolt. It's a ***** to remove, but it will come out. If you look along the edge where it sits against the PPF, you'll find a pair of "divots" 180* apart that a flat head screw driver or pry bar will fit into. Just take your time going back and forth on those to divots and it'll eventually work free. Get that out of there and the PPF will come free.

[FlipKing]

I left mine in honestly

[mustangtomiata]

yeah i always do, no need to take it out.

[MoD_Scotty]

Yeah, I got the tranny back in there without having to remove the PPF, so no worries.

I only could work on it from 3-6 today (couldn't leave work early and the shop on base was tryin to close up early). SO...I still have a few things left. Gotta bolt in the starter, bolt up the slave cylinder, tighten up the driveshaft, tighten the upper tranny bolts, install the midpipe, then install the header. That last one is going to be a COMPLETE pain in the ***. It's gonna take a lot of swearing, about a ton of elbow grease, and a ******* gigantic prybar. Then I'll be back in business!

On a sad note, neither the throwout bearing, the pilot bearing, nor the clutch itself were in that of shape. The bearings were a little worn, but the clutch was definitely not original. It had plenty of life left. The rear main seal wasn't too bad either. But now all that stuff is brand new. Plus I'll be putting in Redline MT90. So hopefully the tranny will sound a little healthier!

[Spark!Plug]

breaking the clutch in right is the most important part. sure replacing a clutch is, dare i say, easy... at least with a lift and tranny jack. i did mine with the car 1.5ft off the ground. i also slid the tranny out on my chest which hurt a couple ribs..

dont ever let it slip... being new it'll want to slip if you ride the clutch, once that starts... new clutch is the only fix. take it easy for 500-1500 miles... the length of an oil change interval.