Cheap fixes while doing the clutch
 

Okay, as many of you know I am currently unemployed and ahve a very limited budget. I am about to put a clutch and pressure plate (second hand!) in my '86 na. I already have a helper spring, clutch cable, circlips, Swepco and linkage. What else will I need and is there anything else I can do while I'm in there? I only have about $100 to spend on other stuff - so I can't do a new pressure sending unit but I can do the gasket.

Hi Eric.

I would take the clutch, and presure plate to a clutch place and get them to test the components. It would be very frustrating to install the new bits and find they had problems.

Bill '79SC.

While doing the clutch, check your main seal.
Also, replace the oil pressure switch (less than $20)
Good time to pull the cover off the top of the oil cooler to make sure that junk has not collect on top.
Be sure to replace the flywheel bolts with new ones (you will need a 12 point allen to remove the bolts)

OK. I'll have to check to see which is leaking - the switch or the sender. I know my sender has failed (the guage jumps all over the place).

As far as the clutch goes, it's a new clutch and the pressure plate has about 5K miles on it. I'm buying them from SCCA_ITA on this board so I feel pretty confident that they are functional.

I'm assuming I should get all the other bits from the 'Super Clutch Kit'.' Is there anything else I should look for while I've got the engine out?

Hey Eric,

I'm sorry to hear about your job loss and subsequent budget constraints.

You can actually replace the sender with the engine in the car. It's a bit of a pain in the...but it is doable by doing the partial enginge drop, not a big deal. Also, that sender at the rear of the engine (towards the front of the car) is only for the idiot light, not the gage. It is not the cause of your bouncing gage.

I would definitely replace the o-ring for the engine themostat. It is about a two dollar part and I have found it more likely to leak than the oil pressure sender that everyone tells you to replace when your engine is out. You might also want to replace the oval-shaped paper gasket that goes under the oil breather thing (right next to the thermostat.

Jess

Don't forget to use new flywheel bolts (these bolts plastically yield when tightened to the specified torque and shouldn't be reused) and have the right socket bit on hand to loosen and tighten them. Also, a big enough torque wrench to reach the specified torque. Jim:D

If you're trying to save money and the rear main seal is not leaking, leave it alone and save the cost of nine new flywheel bolts. Be sure to replace the oil thermostat o-ring. I failed to do this and great quantities of oil leak out.

Oil cooler seals are cheap and prone to leaking as well. As long as engine is out, might want to look at those.

BTW, I have a leftover S-hose (connects oil cooler to oil tank) that you can have if you'd like it. Ordered two by mistake last year so I put a new one on and you can have the 1 yr. old/like new one.

the oil light sender leaks all the time. replace it for sure, as well as the thermostat o ring, and check the condition of the breather hose where it attaches to the breather. they get either very porous, or rock hard so the clamp does no good. the flywheel seals are usually bone dry, so unless there's oil coming out from between the flywheel and the case, forget about it, unless the flywheel is in need of resurfacing and has to come off anyway. if you had clutch chatter, the flywheel should be resurfaced.

Somebody (maybe the Panorama guy) suggested to put a tiny bead of RTV around the crimp (between the plastic and metal) on the oil light switch because that's where they always leak- even when new sometimes, I believe. Don't know if it'll do much but it's no work at all to do it. Sure can't hurt anything.

The breather hose is a great suggestion as well. Mine was super hard and caused a good bit of leakage down the back of the motor when I didn't put the clamp back on the hose in its original place. Hose is like $15-$20 I think?

Hello

OK. I'll have to check to see which is leaking - the switch or the sender. I know my sender has failed (the guage jumps all over the place).


This sounds more like a bad connector or a interruption in the wire.

Oil pressure sensors can be replaced later.

Grüsse