Changed a clutch on a Camry this weekend

[Head416]

There's nothing too exciting in this post, I just feel like recording my experience for posterity.
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I'm not one of those guys on here who rebuilds engines and restores 911s to their former glory. I change my 911's oil. I've installed larger sway bars, done tune ups, replaced calipers, replaced the alternator, stuff like that. Over the last few years, I've become semi-competent doing all this stuff.

My BIL's clutch went out on his '02 Camry last Saturday night. Trying to be a nice guy (and paying forward that my brother had replaced an Accord clutch for me a few years ago) I offered to help him out. Money is tight for him, and I knew he didn't have the cash to take it to a shop.

I knew this was a big step for me - definitely stretching my abilities. I was fairly worried, but figured I'd work through it like I've worked through a few things in the past, and tried to just be condifent and go for it.

Well, it was a bit of a b@#$&. For some of you it wouldn't be a big deal, but this was the biggest thing I'd ever done, and my brother (more experienced) wasn't there to bail me out - though, he did get a few phone calls along the way.

We started on 7/5 since I had the day off work, hoping to get it done in one day. Unfortunately the axle nuts requried a 30mm DEEP 12pt socket, and I couldn't find one ANYWHERE. We had to call it, order one for $40 including rush shipping, and continue this weekend. I have two jobs, so couldn't get to it until Sat. night. I bought a few more tools along the way, deep sockets and such. Also, all my 1/2-inch drive sockets are 12pt. I figured that would be better so if a bolt was 6 or 12, I'd be covered either way. Well, I didn't realize how easily a 12 can destroy an already damaged bolt head. There were several bolts I was worried about along the way. We had to remove the tie rod ends and ball joints, some trans mounts, obviously unbolt the trans from the engine, remove the radiator, lot's of other little tidbits. Many times during this I felt like a particular bolt was never going to come off. The trans fill plug got ugly for a while. I think I prayed that one off.

After buying some 6pts and using some Liquid Wrench I was able to get them off... except one. There was a 14mm bolt on a transmission mount that was just destroyed by the 12pt. It was way over-tightened, so I couldn't get it when I put my 6pt 3/8 drive on it. I even bought a Craftsman kit for removing damaged bolts, but in the end it just shaved off more metal. We had to cut it off, and just leave the shaft sticking out a couple mm. It bugs me that we failed on that one, but I'm not worried about it holding, that bracket seems plenty secure, and supports the weight of the trans, so they're really just holding it in place, not supporting weight.

Anyway, in the end we got it done. His clutch had crumbled and blown apart on the pressure plate side. That's why it failed all of a sudden and he didn't feel it coming on. So I feel like a little bit better mechanic now. It wasn't pretty, and that one bolt got me, but I had at least 10 different times in this project where I was afraid we were gonna fail, and in the end I got through them all and completed the job. Big confidence builder for me.

He called to tell me his speedo isn't working and he has a CEL, but I'm not worried about either of those. The speedo is probably a loose connector (he was putting those things back together, so I don't have to take the blame for that!), and I'll get the code for the CEL when I see him next weekend.

Anyway, if anybody made it this far, thanks for reading. This is my biggest automotive accomplishment to date, and will help me move on to bigger and better things in the future!

[scotricker]

Good Job! Now you are a real man! It's never easy, well, at least for me, too.

[LakeCleElum]

Good for you for working thru all those issues. It sure was easier in the old days with rear wheel drive.

One tip on difficult bolts/nuts: HEAT - Even a small propane torch if you don't have an ox/accel setup......If a nut, heat it to expand. If a bolt, heat the surrounding area to expand......

[Head416]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Good for you for working thru all those issues. It sure was easier in the old days with rear wheel drive.

One tip on difficult bolts/nuts: HEAT - Even a small propane torch if you don't have an ox/accel setup......If a nut, heat it to expand. If a bolt, heat the surrounding area to expand......

I know I've heard that a lot on here, but since I've never used a torch I've been nervous about going that route. I'll have to just do it one of these days to get the experience.

[Rick Lee]

Any photos?

[VincentVega]

Nice work. Why can I drop mine off?

[Head416]

Of course not! That would require forsight and planning. I did think of it, but too late.

I just took this one with my phone to show my brother that I finally got it out:

"Installation is the reverse of the removal."


Notice the complete destruction of the clutch lining on this side.

My wife took a pic when I went in for a drink to show how filthy I got in the process. It's nice to have support. I'll get that from her later.

[Head416]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

Nice work. Why can I drop mine off?

Nice try.

[legion]

I'm in much the same boat as you mechanically.

I've never done a clutch either. I hate working on FWD cars.

Congrats on a job well done!

I am doing a starter on a Grand Marquis in a hospital parking lot tomorrow though...

[Head416]

Nice. I replaced the starter on my Focus a while ago, and it was very hard to get to, almost impossible to see. On this Camry, it was right on top and no problem at all. Two bolts, two electrical connections.

[Head416]

Yeah, the thing with the FWD cars I've worked on is you have to disassemble the whole front suspension to get to anything else!

[fastfredracing]

Good job, consider yourself lucky, the newer Camry's require engine removal to replace the clutch. The new subframe is all one piece, and you cannot remove the trans from under the car.
It is not a hard job, just time consuming for a fwd clutch job.
I love fwd drive clutch jobs, they pay well, and I can usually blast them out pretty quick.

[pete3799]

Good for you.
These front engine sideways mounted motors are a real PIA to work on.
I had to replace the fan belts on our Toyota Highlander V6 this weekend.
Figured i'd be done in a couple of hours.........Wrong.
I think i could have pulled the motor and done them easier.
Took me most of the day to do it.

[Head416]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Good job, consider yourself lucky, the newer Camry's require engine removal to replace the clutch. The new subframe is all one piece, and you cannot remove the trans from under the car.
It is not a hard job, just time consuming for a fwd clutch job.
I love fwd drive clutch jobs, they pay well, and I can usually blast them out pretty quick.

This Camry requires subframe removal to drop the trans too, which means removing all the engine mounts, control arms, etc.

But fortunately I looked online and some people pointed out that you don't have to drop the trans to replace the clutch - you just need to separate the engine and trans enough to be able to work in there. Blew my mind at first, because it was so obvious but I never thought of it. I was just plugging along doing what Haynes said to do.

So we just slid the trans over towards the wheel well and it saved us a TON of work!

[daepp]

I don't know about the sideways trans, but I think the pay-it-forward part is pretty cool!

[Head416]

Originally Posted by DAEpperson

I don't know about the sideways trans, but I think the pay-it-forward part is pretty cool!

Yeah, that's what it was all about. Otherwise I don't know if I would have volunteered to put myself through that. It also helped to focus on that when frustrated and seemingly "stuck" and just remind myself I'm trying to help him out, doing a good thing for him, etc. Hopelessness was creeping in a few times when I just didn't think a certain bolt would ever come off without being mangled, or that we'd never get the whole subframe removed.