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Clutch Install page 2 of 2

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At this point, the BGB says "REMOVE TRANSAXLE". Meaning, remove the transmission from the engine block. To do this, you have to unbolt many bolts all the way around the tranny, top/bottom/sides. Below are many pics of a tranny out of the car to give you an idea of where the bolts are. I removed the them in a clockwise order, and then used a marker to write down numbers on the bolt heads. This made reinstall very easy. I suggest you do some sort of organization with the bolts, otherwise you'll be doing what I've seen happen twice, guessing at which bolts go where. Since some of these bolts take a lot of stress, you want to be sure to put them in their proper places. SUPPORT THE TRANSMISSION WITH A JACK AND 2X4 or 2X6. YOU NEED A FRIEND TO HELP AT THIS POINT. Your helper will sit on the drivers side of the car with the jack and 2x4 under the tranny. They will raise and lower the jack to help you get the tranny out, as well as help balance the transmission. Sometimes it will be necessary to lower the engine down to get the tranny off. You should already have a jackstand and 2x4 under the oil pan. Use another jack to lower the engine. When you are lowering the tranny, you may find wires/groundstraps/hoses/etc still connected, just disconnect them and write them down on a piece of paper to reinstall when you put it back in. It can actually take some time to separate the tranny from the block. Just keep checking for bolts you may have missed. You can use flathead screwdrivers to help pry the tranny off. Be very careful on this step. The transmission is very heavy, so absolutely make sure you are ready at all times, and have a friend backing you up.



Here you can see how some of the connect to the block.


Notice the "peg" in this picture. There are a few of them in between the block and tranny, and they help position the tranny on install. They also make it a pain to seperate the tranny and block sometimes. Be aware of them.









Here are some about to be removed.


This what the BGB shows you.


Once you get that badboy off and out of the way, you'll have something like this sticking to the engine (ok, hopefully not this damaged!). Remove this clutch cover and then the clutch disc (14ft lbs on reinstall). There are multiple bolts connecting it to the flywheel. Note which way the clutch is facing. There is a right way and a wrong way, the center section sticks out on one side, and not on the other.


Remove the 8 bolts on the flywheel. Note this is a resufaced flywheel, your old one won't look quite so nice.


Here's a new stock clutch on the left next to an old stock one on the right.


Aftermarket on the left.


Old clutch cover.


Here's the flywheel after being "turned". In order to maximize the life and biting power of the new clutch, you will want to take your old flywheel to a machine shop to have it turned. Definitely do this!


Another resurfaced flywheel.


Reinstall the newly resurfaced flywheel. Put a drop of locktite or threadlocker on each of the bolts, and torque them down to 72ft lbs in a criss cross pattern, do one pass at 20ft lbs, another at 40, another at 60, then 72.






Clean the hell out of the flywheel and clutch cover with brake cleaner.



FYI: You want to clean the flywheel after it's on the car otherwise it will get dirty from the install.


Install the clutch cover with the clutch in between the cover and flywheel, facing the correct way.




Use the tool that comes with most clutches to center the clutch disc. Just use your best guess, it can still be adjusted later.



I can't stress this cleaning and greasing part enough, do this well or you will have a squeaky clutch in neutral. Remove old throwout bearing and release fork, clean them with Brake Cleaner as well. Grease the inside of the new throwout bearing, and the mating surfaces where it meets the the realease fork. Also grease the end of the realease fork where the slave cylinder pushrod connects. I used some lithium grease for this entire section. Be sure that you do a good job on the cleaning, and when greasing, don't get any large gobs anywhere otherwise some could get on the clutch surfaces and ruin it.


Reinstall tranny. Here we've got the tranny and engine on jacks, (normally the balance point of the tranny is closer towards the drivers side, but once you've got it on, you can move the jack around as shown in this pic) and raised the tranny up, and slid it over onto the engine. You can see a hand at the top starting one of the first bolts. If you are having trouble mounting the tranny on, try to get one of the larger bolts started, but don't strip it out. Once you get one started, you can move on to the other bolts that are near it. You also have to line up the splines with the clutch disc otherwise the tranny will not slide all the way on, and this can take a few tries. Then you have to get the tranny mated to the block. Just start trying to get the large bolts started. Once you get one or two going, tighten them down a bit, and try the others. Remember the pegs sticking out of the block. These have to be centered first before you can start any of the bolts. Have a friend help raise and lower the tranny and engine to line them up while you try to start some of the bolts.


Note: Be careful when putting the passenger axle back in to not damage the outer seal by putting it in at an angle otherwise you'll have a tranny fluid leak there. I think we were crossing our fingers in this pic because it's tough getting those new seals in there correctly :)


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