Changing a clutch in a DSM, nothing new here!

TheBlackKnight · 06-18-2005

Welp, I suppose you could say it's going alright for my first clutch change in a DSM. :P Everything went ok last night, got all the "upper" stuff out, cables, brackets, etc. Used a lot of PB Blaster on the axle nut and lower suspension bolts. Sooooo, today Dave (95tsi) and I starting ripping into the suspension. Although we hoped to only take the axle nut off and disconnect the lower suspension, we weren't so lucky. The nut, well, it was basically welded onto the axle. So my father came home and busted out the trusted grinder and what do you know, skills that pay the bills. He actually managed to cut the top part of the nut off WITHOUT touching the axle threads and from there we got the nut off....of course after that we pounded on the axle trying to free it from the assembly and probably damaged it enough to not salvage it anymore. That and it didn't come free, so we took off the rest of the suspension (with the axle attached) and Monday we will be taking the whole thing to the machinist to press it out and also resurface the flywheel. And THEN we should be able to re-assembly the car on Monday/Tuesday night. (Shops not open on the weekend).

BTW, we manage to break one of the lower control arm bolts under the car, looks like we should be able to get what's left out, and also the bolt on the lower fork although we got that one out.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...b/f3a7dff5.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...7/f3a7dffa.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/f3a7dff3.jpg

A few new bolts, POSSIBLY a new axle (good thing Auto Value has one in stock for $53), a re-surfaced flywheel, and of course the Exedy clutch and we will be back in business.

All for this...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...0/f3a7dffc.jpg

Gotta love doing a clutch in the AWD DSM... :P

A little beer helped a bit too.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...1/f3a7e001.jpg

IndiEP · 06-18-2005

Wow not fun. For me the hard part was getting the tranny back in the car. If you're a beefcake you can just throw it up there. I had trouble w/it hitting everything which prevented it prom being slightly raised on blocks and going straight in.

If I were to do it again I'd try using an engine hoist to pull the engine up while manuvering it by hand.

-the links to the pics don't work either.

Alpine TSi · 06-18-2005

+1 To the hard part is putting the damn thing back in. I tried just about every small tranny jack I could find and had no luck. Eventually I just had my dad loop a strap under it get in the engine bay and hork the damn thing up there and I guided it into place.

Good luck though.

At-Least-It's-An-Evo · 06-18-2005

Did the axle need replacing in the first place? I made the same mistake of pulling the axles the first time I pulled my tranny. I mushroom'd the threads and had to sawzall it round again before it went through the hub. As for putting the tranny back in. It is a lot simpler as a two man job. What I like to do is, have someone holding the tranny up while someone gets under. The guy on the bottom just has to arch his back and bench it up while the top guy guides it and partcially holds it up. It goes in pretty easily that way.

**scheides** · 06-18-2005

Yea, I tried to do my first tranny by myself; Got it apart ok, but putting it back in was a beyotch! I just could get it roughly in place by myself, but I just could not get it to go all the way in. I go inside & bitch about it to Anna, and sure as shit she says 'fine, I'll just help you!' A few minutes later, with her guiding from above, the tranny slides onto the motor like butta. Gotta love girls like that!

TheBlackKnight · 06-18-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuyMySC300

Did the axle need replacing in the first place?

Well, not quite sure yet. Once we get it apart from the assembly we'll see. It did mushroom a bit when we were smacking it, althugh you could cut the end of it off and fit a nut back on there, there would then be no place for the cotter pin.

I suppose we'll find that out on monday.

TheBlackKnight · 06-18-2005

*UPDATE*

Got the tranny out today with no prob's, got the flywheel/clutch out, and basically now am ready to take the parts to the machine shop. Resurface flywheel, and press the axle out (of the suspension clump heheh).

Also, on a plus note, I got the busted lower control arm bolt out by use of these awesome sockets my father got for just that thing. They sure work good.

Good news is nothing was abnormal in the tranny/flywheel etc. The clutch in there was the original one with the car! Wasn't much meat left on that thing.

Will post up Tuesday which is more than likely when we will finish it up.

1slowdsm · 06-19-2005

Like some people, I had a hard time getting the tranny back in. I broke the reverse light sensor on the tranny trying to get it in. I hope you get it running right the first time. I had to take the tranny out and put it back right after I just got it in....fun, huh? Good luck man.

unreal808 · 06-19-2005

Doing a transmission in a DSM, is as easy as changing an air filter for me, but than again I have a hoist and a tranny jack and a lot of Snap-on tools, with an endless air supply. anyway Good luck.

Make sure you mark the timing marks on the starter to the flywheel so that they line up, so the electric field of the ignition pulse fires on the right cylinders in sync with the starter.

J/K :-)

1slowdsm · 06-20-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by unreal808

Doing a transmission in a DSM, is as easy as changing an air filter for me, but than again I have a hoist and a tranny jack and a lot of Snap-on tools, with an endless air supply. anyway Good luck.

Bastard. I wish I had tools like that! All I had to use was a hydraulic car jack, some two wrenches and some sockets that go along with it and a bar to use as a breaker bar. And that was about it...Had the car sitting for a month.

TheBlackKnight · 06-20-2005

OH, the saga continues...Power Components (St.Cloud) resurfaced the flywheel, and since I had them do that figured they could try to press the axle out....nope.

So I took the whole spindle/axle to another shop with a small hope that THEY will be able to get it out. IF not, well, looks like I will be buying another spindle/hub and the axle (Of course planned on the axle already).

That, and I go to get the 3 bolts we broke from the suspension and Fastenal doesn't stock metric size....biotches. UGH.

Gotta loooooovvvveeee these cars.

TheBlackKnight · 06-21-2005

Well low and F'n behold the shop got the axle pressed out!

Of course after the all the heating and force the wheel bearing/hub isn't exactly in the best shape, so chalk up another $100 to the final bill.

So, a new axle ($60 w/tax) and hub/wheelbearing ($100 w/tax) are ready to go back on the car with the rest of the suspension tonight and we *should* have it done tonight! I hope the old hub assembly comes out alright. :cross fingers:

TheBlackKnight · 06-22-2005

*UPDATE*

Change clutch= FINISHED

Poured the Pennzoil Synchromesh in today, bled the slave cylinder (Wow, there was some nasty fluid in there), adjusted the pedal, cranked the car over and TaDA!!! The bitch shifts like SILK. All gears grab nicely, and no problems.

Man does it feel good to get done. Now to baby it for 500 or so miles..ehh.

Cost rundown:

1 Exedy clutch from ebay shipped= $109
1 New Axle= $60
1 New Hub/Bearing assembly= $100
3 quarts Pennzoil Synchromesh= $19
1 quart Mobil 1 Gear Oil (Transfer case) $8
1 tube of Loc-tite= $5
Pressing the axle out= $35
Resurface the flywheel= $27
Brake Fluid (already had it) =$0

Total Cost= $363

unreal808 · 06-22-2005

Good job, now in a year when you burn out that clutch you will have the experience to put in a ACT or South Bend.J/K

TheBlackKnight · 06-23-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by unreal808

Good job, now in a year when you burn out that clutch you will have the experience to put in a ACT or South Bend.J/K

IF I was going to go with a higher performance clutch, it wouldn't be ACT man.

To many horror stories with those. But the way I figure, I won't be racing this car more than 3-4 times this year, and HP probably won't go over 275, so for now this will do just fine. After all, the STOCK clutch went 145k on spirited driving untill now heheh. :P

95tsi · 06-23-2005

Good job!!!!

unreal808 · 06-23-2005

How would you rate the viscosity of the Pennzoil Synchromesh?
Is it more like gear lube or thinner like ATF? I ask because I’m not a fan of some of the other lubes on the market available for our transmissions.

TheBlackKnight · 06-23-2005

A big props to 95TSi for the assistance through the ordeal, he was good help.

And concerning the viscosity of the Synchromesh, ijt appeared to be a little thicker than the mobil one I used. I have heard nothing but good things about it, and even after like 25 miles, I can tell it shifts better.

dsm95gsxer · 06-23-2005

I had the same problem with one of my axel shafts getting stuck in the wheel bearing. My roomate saved the day and he brought home a tool that puts pressure on the tip of the axel and is secured to the wheel bearing via lug nuts, it worked pretty slick. I'm going to be starting on my clutch soon and I can't wait to go through some of the same stuff you have. Props on the clutch.

Wizard · 06-23-2005

Just to let the info out, Shep recc. Penzoil Synchromesh not BG. And it's cheaper and available locally at AutoZone.

Wiz