Replacing the clutch, first time..

[Patton]

I'm going to undertake the challenge of replacing my clutch next week. This will be my first time. Hopefully all will go well. I plan to start next Tuesday, geting all my parts then. I'm excited to start the project but I am concerned that I'll get into trouble.

I have a 1976 915 trans (rebuilt with what I'm told 24K on it) with a 3.2 NA twinplug punched to a 3.4. (same miles) dropped into a 1987 930 body.

[Walt Fricke]

Are you pulling the tranny as well as the engine to do this? If you don't (I usually don't), getting the TOB release fork properly mated when you shove the engine back in can be tricky/frustrating/time consuming (I'm usually swearing). Piece of cake with engine and tranny both there on the floor where you can look in the tranny holes easily to see what's going on.

Got something to line up the clutch with the pilot bearing? If not, make one out of a broomstick or similar round piece of wood which just fits inside the clutch splines and is turned at the end to fit into the pilot.

You have heard that you want to remove the clutch release lever (the crosswise one underneath the tranny that the cable hooks to) before you pull the engine off the tranny? If not, you'll learn why soon enough.

Walt Fricke

[Neilk]

That's an odd combination of parts.

One tip....

Once you have tightened the 4 bolts holding the engine and transmission to the body, attach the clutch lever and cable and check for the smoth operation of the clutch pedal. It's better to do it now rather than AFTER reconnecting everything.

[Patton]

Thanks for the tips. I do plan to drop the engine and trans. Walt. I did purchase a alignment tool. Also purchased a flywheel lock and flywheel bolt socket tool. I plan to replace the flywheel as well.

If you can think of any other snags I may run into, I sure would appreciate the heads up.

Thanks again.

[Jim Sims]

Tall jack stands or a lift? Wheel chocks for the front wheels? Oil line wrenches? New gaskets for the inboard CV joints? New 8mm Schnorr type lock washers for the inboard CV joint screws that are loosened? New flywheel screws? New heater box to heater valve hoses? Disconnect the battery ground. Don't forget to loosen the shift coupler and speedometer wires, transmission to body ground strap, starter power cable, clutch cable retaining strap, clutch cable, throttle linkage and hoses from heater boxes to heater valves (mounted to body) before lowering engine and transmission. Big cheater bar or assistant to help when removing and reinstalling flywheel screws? Torque wrench for reinstalling flywheel screws? Loosen and re-tighten gradually (make circles around the plate) the pressure plate mounting screws; if you fully loosen or tighten one side first you can warp the diaphragm spring fingers. Make notes of the way all the shims, washers, retaining rings, etc. associated with the release bearing mount. Clean and re-lube the fork release shaft bushings. Put a "very small" amount of grease on the tip of the input shaft where it engages the pilot bearing. Don't lose the pilot bearing if you're not replacing it. "Very lightly" grease the guide tube the release bearing runs on. Don't forget to reinstall the starter gear on the new flywheel. Don't force the engine/transmission back together. Be sure you have the correct washers under the starter stud barrel nuts so you can remove them in the future (otherwise you may be unable to seat the hex bit or key).

[Patton]

Here is my check list. I have:
New Flywheel
New Flywheel Bolts
Clutch Kit
Jack Stands
New Pilot bearing
Clutch alignment tool
Flywheel socket
Flywheel lock
Red Stick Threadlock
Propane torch (to heat the flywheel bolts before removal
Torgue wrench
Wheel chocks for the front wheels
Oil line wrenches
Oil (oil filter ordered will be here Wednesday)

I think I have most of the bases covered assuming my parts get her on Tuesday. I think that I'll put her up on the jack stands today and start.

[cashflyer]

I changed out my clutch this past June, by myself, and with nothing more than Waynes "101 projects" book as guidance. (engine drop only)
It was a snap.

"rcecale" did a trans overhaul last year, and his thread here on Pelican has very good, very detailed instructions on how to drop the engine & trans together - including the hard to find wires that have to be disconnected.

EDIT: HERE is that thread.

[sammyg2]

I always pull the starter off so I can look through the hole. It makes it much easier to line up/engage the clutch throw out arm.

[Walt Fricke]

I've never even come close to needing heat to remove flywheel bolts. I torque mine to 150 lbs/ft (6 bolt system) and use red loctite, and they come right off. Of course I use an air gun to bust them loose - the hammering acts like thread lockers weren't even there. So if you can use one (borrow a compressor and gun from a friend?), that makes the taking off part a lot easier. Still, I don't want to be heating the end of my crank up - the main seal is right there, and if it isn't leaking, I want to leave it alone.

Walt Fricke

[ThePointman]

Forgive my ignorance but what is a Twin Plug?

[Patton]

Thanks again Walt. I was told by a someone that because of the red locktite that I might have to heat the flywheel bolts. I do have a compressor and an air gun; although, I was concerned about stripping the bolt heads. using it. I do like that option. I have delayed pulling evering thing due to getting everthing in order. I'm somewhat embarrashed to say that currently, this is my only ride. I live in the sticks so I'm trying to not be bitten by Murphy's law . I have a back-up plan in case I'm down longer than this coming weekend, currently on vacation.

Concerning the main seal. I didn't order one. I have a small engine oil leak that I'm hoping to find the source. Should I hurry one (main seal) in just in case?

[Patton]

A Twin Plugged engine has two spark plugs per cylinder and two distributors.

[Jim Sims]

"I do have a compressor and an air gun; although, I was concerned about stripping the bolt heads. using it."

Keep the bit seated with all the upper body force you can muster or you can strip the screw heads.

[Walt Fricke]

I've never stripped one of these bolts. I have damaged the 12 point (sometimes called tripple square) bit when I was using a Pep Boys bit and a regular socket wrench setup. Using a good one solved that, but I was always able to make do with the not so good tools. You can grind some off the end if it gets rounded. Yes, these are shallow headed bolts with not much tool engagement, so you want to be pushing in right in line with the bolt.

Having a new seal on hand is a good idea. Replacing the seal is one of those "should I" questions to me. Yes, now is a great time to do it. But this seal is not all that easy to install once you have pried the old one out. There it a tool to make sure it is pressed in straight, but just about no one has that as it is expensive. I put a dab of gasket cement on one edge of the seal and the housing where it is to go, and use that to help keep the seal straight as I tap around its edge with a plastic headed hammer (this is a "press down on one side and the other wants to pop up" exercise). Anyway, if the seal is not leaking (you should be able to tell from the back side of your flywheel - nothing much else can get back there other than oil past the seal), you might consider leaving it alone.

Me, on my cars if I replace the clutch I usually just do that - leave the pressure plate and especially the flywheel alone (most of my flywheel experience involves either changing to a lightened one or pulling the engine apart and reassembling). Not messing with the flywheel makes the job a lot easier.

Now shops generally want to replace the flywheel and the PP. That is at least partly because they don't want a disgruntled customer. But this is your car and your sweat, so you can decide if things aren't all that bad, just normal wear to go along with the normal wear in the clutch disk that you want to replace before is stops holding - or maybe it has started slipping. Then if you guess wrong you can onlycuss yourself. Anyway, I don't think it is automatically necessary to replace the flywheel whenever changing clutch disks.

Walt Fricke

[cashflyer]

Originally posted by Walt Fricke
... the main seal is right there, and if it isn't leaking, I want to leave it alone.

When I replaced my clutch, I chose to replace the seal in the process. That seal is cheap and easy to install. If you don't change it now, you'll kick yourself if it decides in 6 months to start leaking.

Originally posted by Patton
...I was told by a someone that because of the red locktite that I might have to heat the flywheel bolts...

The official info from Loctite says that if you cannot remove the fastener with a hand tool, then to apply heat. However as Walt said, you'll never even know it was on there if you're using an impact gun.

Regarding RED Loctite products
These products are intended for products that do not require disassembly. If disassembly is required, use localized heat and hand tools.

Q: How can I remove a fastener that is "permanently" locked in?
A: The application of heat is needed to remove a fastener that can't be removed with a hand tool. ... A heat gun or propane torch is commonly used to do this process, and careful disassembly should occur while parts are still hot...

Keep in mind that the threads of the bolt and the threads in the crank need to be CLEAN for Loctite to bond properly.

[Patton]

The main reason I ordered a new flywheel is from the day I purchased the car from the PO it had a real ruff (vibrating) initial start in first gear unless I reved to 2-3K. Down shifting had the same feel. Po said it had a tubo clutch but I don't think that's possible in a 915 tranny. I could very well be wrong as I'm certainly no expert. Some reading I have done mentioned that a warped flywheel would produce this effect.

I'm ordering the main seal now so I'll have it in two days. Thanks again all for your help. The clock starts now. I'm going in

[Patton]

I'm concerned about having some condensate in my oil breather tube? Is this normal? There as little frothing about an inch into the tube where it forks off where the oil fill cap is. When I drained my oil it was fine, no signs of condensate from the oil tank or engine sump.

[Jim Sims]

Merely a sign of water build up in the oil; it is helpful to get the engine and oil system hot to drive off this moisture. This happens more in colder weather and in short interval driving.

[Patton]

Well, it did take longer than I expected but it went well. I did have a scary moment as it tried to shift forward, didn't want to think about bending the shift tube. I'm hoping that the clutch doesn't put up too much of a fight. I'm pretty sure I found my oil leak, metal oil tube fitting on top of the heat exchanger. Might be a bear to get a wrench on. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads6/Picture+0241133898337.jpg[/img]

[Patton]

From Waynes Technical Artical it states that torgue for the flywheel as " 150 N-m for the 911s through 1977, and 90 N-m for the 1978-89 911s". What does N-m mean?