Last minute clutch and flywheel replacement tips?

[ShadowGT]

Long story short:
I'm about to replace the clutch and flywheel on my BK. There's an Exedy replacement clutch kit and lightweight flywheel that will be here on the 30th.

Right now, my car is sitting on 4 same sized ramps. Don't know how it got that way, my father in law did that while I was at work. It's secured, it's not going anywhere.

This I know:
Starter comes out. Slave cylinder comes off. Car needs to be in neutral, E-brake on. Drain transaxle. Disconnect: battery, rear O2, speedometer cable, reverse light, neutral safety switch. Remove center exhaust from the headers and muffler connector pipe. Remove the pitch stop. Disconnect drive shaft from rear of transmission. Also before I forget, remove the shifter selector lever from the side of the transaxle.

Now what and what to expect?
I have a Haynes book. Two problems: I accidentally spilled oil on it exactly on the clutch chapter so I can't read a lot of what's there. Second: It reads like a goddamn chose your own adventure book. "Turn to chapter 7 for this. Turn to chapter 8 for that. Look at picture 3 for this. Pray to deity of your choice."

Clutch and flywheel replacement looks cut and dry. Wrestling the transaxle out of my car does not.

So I'm looking for any advice on that part. I have every tool imaginable, an engine hoist and 3 two ton hydraulic floor jacks at my disposal.

Thanks in advance.

[chuckthefuk]

1st things 1st!! Download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) from the Literature section on SLi.

-Use a torque wrench if you want to do this properly and follow the torque specs in the FSM.
-Transmission jacks are very helpful when working with a hoist.
-A second set of hands makes the job safer and sane-er


Things you missed in your break down
-remove transmission cross member brace w/ bushings
-unbolt top transmission mount
-If you have a EJ25D then most likely you have the stupid airbox above the transmission. There are two brackets that attach to the transmission and then to the air box. They will get in the way if you do not remove them.


Things you should replace:
-Release bearing if one did not come with the new clutch
-Rear main seal since you got the trans out might aswell do some preventative maintance. (search SLi for the newer revision seperation plate) there is a full DIY somewhere.

Things that may help you:
-Depending on the age of your car its easier and less of head-ache to remove the entire exhaust system since the flanges start to seize/rust over time.
-when removing the shifter there is a snap ring that tends to break or go missing during the re-and-re. you will need snap ring pliers and some patients.

Thats all I can remember now i am sure a few other members will give more pointers.
-Chuck

[Bookem]

Resurface flywheel and get a clutch alignment tool

[ShadowGT]

Resurface flywheel and get a clutch alignment tool

I have a whole new lightened 12 pound flywheel coming with the clutch kit. I might have the old one resurfaced later just to have as a spare or something to barter with around here. Clutch kit comes with an alignment tool.


1st things 1st!! Download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) from the Literature section on SLi.

-Use a torque wrench if you want to do this properly and follow the torque specs in the FSM.
-Transmission jacks are very helpful when working with a hoist.
-A second set of hands makes the job safer and sane-er


Things you missed in your break down
-remove transmission cross member brace w/ bushings
-unbolt top transmission mount
-If you have a EJ25D then most likely you have the stupid airbox above the transmission. There are two brackets that attach to the transmission and then to the air box. They will get in the way if you do not remove them.


Things you should replace:
-Release bearing if one did not come with the new clutch
-Rear main seal since you got the trans out might aswell do some preventative maintance. (search SLi for the newer revision seperation plate) there is a full DIY somewhere.

Things that may help you:
-Depending on the age of your car its easier and less of head-ache to remove the entire exhaust system since the flanges start to seize/rust over time.
-when removing the shifter there is a snap ring that tends to break or go missing during the re-and-re. you will need snap ring pliers and some patients.

Thats all I can remember now i am sure a few other members will give more pointers.
-Chuck

Very good information there Chuck, thanks.
I'll get the FSM. I don't have a copy.
I'm definitely going to have some spare hands. I have to spread the fun around and share my frustrations.
I think I'm going to get a transmission cradle from Harbor Freight, an attachment for a floor jack.

I don't have that airbox. It's gone. I have a SRI instead.
I do need to take a look at the rear main and cam seals while I'm back there.

Oh yeah, a new release bearing comes with the Exedy clutch kit too.

Thanks for your advice so far though.

[Kiwi GT]

Chuck - Remove the shifter?? Huh?? I couldn't count how many Subaru clutches I've done now, and I've never had to remove the shifter. I just disconnect the shift rod and leave it hanging.

[ShadowGT]

Chuck - Remove the shifter?? Huh?? I couldn't count how many Subaru clutches I've done now, and I've never had to remove the shifter. I just disconnect the shift rod and leave it hanging.

I figured to disconnect the shift-rod but I wasn't going argue with people who have more experience in this department.

[chuckthefuk]

Every tranny I pulled was a snap because I did not fight the linkage. I just dropped the entire assembly with the linkage and shifter still attached. It just makes things a bit easier to deal with if you remove the shifter for the first time. To each their own. Everyone has their own way of removing parts.

[ShadowGT]

Are there some pictures of this operation? I can't find anything close to real life for my car besides drawings. I'm curious about having to pull my front half shafts out.

[subyfreak619]

Dont hassel with all that sheeit! pull the motor! not the tranny. simple... painless...
You already have the engine hoist/cherry picker. its not that hard to undo electrical clips and unbolt the headers. remove the radiator, intake and grounds also fuel lines , then the tranny to engine bolts and then motor mounts. FYI: When installing your clutch, "wedge" a bolt in between the flywheel teeth and case to stop it from spinning when your wrestling the flywheel bolts.
I would never muck around under the car, unless i had to pull the tranny for rebuilding purposes
I install a LW flywheel and exedy clutch in my BK in 2.5 hours, with my friend and a lot of breaks,
we were'nt working hard that's for sure, my pops always said, "work smart, NOT hard"
good luck with the install

[anothernord]

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t128163 ... orial.html (http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t128163-diy-clutch-replacement-pictorial.html)

Read that a couple times.

Getting the transmission back in requires a LEAST 2 people. Three would be ideal; two down below guiding the bell housing onto the studs as you jack it up, and one person above ready to put the top bolts in.

Also, make SURE you have a floor jack or transmission jack that can reach all the way up. I've wrestled a transmission into a newer Legacy with a jack that didn't raise the transmission high enough to reach the studs, and it was just about the scariest thing I've ever done while working on a car.

[ShadowGT]

Dont hassel with all that sheeit! pull the motor! not the tranny. simple... painless...
You already have the engine hoist/cherry picker. its not that hard to undo electrical clips and unbolt the headers. remove the radiator, intake and grounds also fuel lines , then the tranny to engine bolts and then motor mounts. FYI: When installing your clutch, "wedge" a bolt in between the flywheel teeth and case to stop it from spinning when your wrestling the flywheel bolts.
I would never muck around under the car, unless i had to pull the tranny for rebuilding purposes
I install a LW flywheel and exedy clutch in my BK in 2.5 hours, with my friend and a lot of breaks,
we were'nt working hard that's for sure, my pops always said, "work smart, NOT hard"
good luck with the install

Thank you for the luck and advice. I have considered pulling the motor (again.) Done it before, not exactly sure how long it took, didn't seem that long though. Getting it back was a bitch though trying to slide it down into transmission, getting the motor mounts to land and remembering where everything went to begin with. Two years ago.. why didn't I change the f*cking clutch when I did that? Too late now.

It looks like a trade off. Take several major steps and a few minor steps to pull the transmission, or take a bunch of minor steps and a few big ones to pull the engine.

[ShadowGT]

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t128163-diy-clutch-replacement-pictorial.html

Read that a couple times.

Getting the transmission back in requires a LEAST 2 people. Three would be ideal; two down below guiding the bell housing onto the studs as you jack it up, and one person above ready to put the top bolts in.

Also, make SURE you have a floor jack or transmission jack that can reach all the way up. I've wrestled a transmission into a newer Legacy with a jack that didn't raise the transmission high enough to reach the studs, and it was just about the scariest thing I've ever done while working on a car.

Sorry for the double post, this one popped in while I was typing the other. That's a really good write up. All I can say is.. wow!
That is so much better than the exploded drawings from the manuals I have. I book marked that link.

[subyfreak619]

"Getting it back was a bitch though trying to slide it down into transmission, getting the motor mounts to land and remembering where everything went to begin with. "

yeah its not as hard as it sounds. but i have wrestled a transmission on my back, and i can say i'll try to avoid it again, i guess i like working on things "in front of me" instead of lying on my back with a greazy tranny in my face. but tape/label every connection you undo, and it wont be so intimidating
during reassembly :smt023

[Kiwi GT]

And note where bolts come from. The top starter bolt is longer than the top bolt on the other side for instance.

[ShadowGT]

And note where bolts come from. The top starter bolt is longer than the top bolt on the other side for instance.

Lol, I did notice that before. I put them aside and when I came back to put the starter back in I was thinking.. "WTF?"

I remember why I didn't change the clutch when the motor was out. The previous owner told me to not worry about it, it was probably OK.
Yeah so I screwed up. Lesson learned. Of course if I knew everything that I know now back...

So the transmission weighs 125 pounds. I never knew that.

[ShadowGT]

In case you're wondering, this all goes down Monday through Wednesday. Parts come in on Monday, probably take me some time to do it all and get some stuff taken care of while I'm working around there.