Ok so today i started the dreaded clutch replacement. Snapped a few shots of my progress so far...


heres my clutch disc.. its the AC Delco clutch kit..


started off by disconnecting the battery, removing the center console, shifter, etc..


next i jacked the the car up on some cinder blocks, loosened up the trailing arm, removed all trans/cross braces, unplugged all sensors,etc.. in the pic you can see i removed the slave cylinder and zip tied it up to the car so it didnt just hang

and if all of that wasnt fun enough...now came the REAL fun part

loosen all 8 bolts on the trans (the top 2 aren't that bad as long as you have about 2 feet of socket extension). then drop the trans and slide her out


if you try to do this without a tranny jack.. don't


o ya.. and leave the driveshaft tail in :nod:


That's all i got for today.. tomorrow i'll hopefully get the bell housing, pressure plate, flywheel, etc all off and get the flywheel out to the machine shop.

 

I have had my trans out 3 times (97ss). I used these tricks...

Angled the engine to the rear (with block under frt hub damper) to allow easy mate of trans.

I have always had misalignment @ assy (bell dowels/ main shaft/ clutch spline). So, I get the mainshaft close, then assemble the clutch fork and hyd clutch actuator. Then press lightly with your hand on the clutch pedal. This releases the clutch in alignment, while pulling the trans forward to positive engagement. Makes it very simple, but, not in the books. A real time saver in my opinion.

I use my rolling jack with a special MM6 trans wood fixture (I built it) to allow the trans to move alone the body center-line @ the correct engagement angle.

Good luck. HTH. B.

 

A few comments here. The car up on cinder blocks is dangerous cause they can crumble and come crashing down. Although the chances are rather low, it aint worth the risk. Put some ramps under the front tires and play it safe.

The tranny jack is not really a must have.
If one wants to avoid the investment in the tranny jack, you can still use a floor jack. I made a small wooden cradle that screws to the round plate on the jack and it hugs the tranny perfectly and cost nothing to build.


Some other tips to help you out.
1. Locktite the flywheel bolts and the PP bolts.
2. Replace the pilot bushing.
3. When re-inserting the tranny, insert the draiveshaft and rotate it to help align the input shaft into the disk. This will make it much easier to get back together. Dont force it.
4. Refill the fluid in the opening where the shifter goes.

 

thanks for the concern on the blocks but i should be alrite.. i got jack stands under the front and rear as well..

Ya those wood fixures would work nice.. i was about to build something similar until my buddy showed up with his..

Thanks for the tips too guys! should help reinstall be a breeze.

Anyone ever use the AC Delco clutch kit before???

 

heres an update for today...

got evvverrything removed.. lots of oil everywhere. im thinking maybe i should put a new rear main seal in while im here..


clutch wasn't half as bad as i had imagined.. it's the original from 93 and it's been through some hell.. i thought i would be pulling out a thin wafer of clutch the way it drove

flywheel's off at the machine shop.. anyone think i should do the rear main while im here??

 

Yeah you should. It's easy now and hard later.

 

I'm removing my clutch today and plan to change the rear main and what ever else might be leaking.

 

update..

back of engine all cleaned up..
after new rear main seal and pilot bearing came..

freshly machined flywheel

clutch..

finished up the night by getting the pressure plate and the cleanest bellhousing i've ever seen bolted back in..
hopefully get trans all cleaned up and maybe get it all back together by the weekend

 

Great pics! I think I'm going to do my clutch install while I wait for my new bilstein shocks to show up.

Would you recommend draining the transmission fluid? When you said to leave the drive shaft in I'm assuming into the back of the trans.

I thought I would be taking out the trans and bell housing all together, I guess that would be quite a bit of extra weight and unneccessary strain!

 

You're pilot bearing looks all smashed up. Did you damage it, or is it just the photo?

 

lbrowne- ya i would recommend changing the fluid while your there... cheap insurance.. when you go to fill it back up fill it through the top where the shifter bolts in.. and ya i meant leave the ds in the back of the trans

Kevin Blown 95 TA- ya the pilot bearing was a PITA to get out for me... i had to chissel it out in pieces..