Clutch replacement

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:53 pm

Anybody replace a clutch in a 85 4x4? Easy hard? Expensive cheap?

sacwac · Post by **sacwac** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 2:11 am

I just replaced the clutch in my 87 4x4. I also replaced the flywheel, and some other misc parts in there.

The parts themselves were cheap, just checkout prices on Advance Auto's website.

Replacing the actual clutch parts is VERY easy. Removing all the parts before that, like the axles, driveshaft, transmission, then putting them back in is VERY hard.

In other words, unless your wallet is razor thin, and you have LOTS of time to kill, take it to a mechanic...

Checkout the "Busted my axle?" posts in the repair questions. That was my diff that broke, and I had to drop the tranny to fix it. Replaced the clutch too. There are pics of the new clutch parts towards the end.

3A-C Power · Post by **3A-C Power** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 8:53 am

I have taken transmissions off, but haven't yet put one back on. I will be doing this job as soon as my clutch from Ebay arrives. It would really help to have a transmission jack as the transmission is heavy and awkward and would be hard to lift. I got a cheap one from ebay and you could probably find something similar.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:32 pm

Thanks! I'll pass on this project!

2wagons · Post by **2wagons** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:15 am

Hello All,
Well IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll need to replace my clutch this fall

. My wallet is way too thin to pay someone to do it. I had a mechanic replace a bad transmission on the old 83 wagon in the early 1990Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s and I remember watching two guys horse the tranny up into the car when it was up on the rack. I do not relish trying to bring the tanny out from under the car when it is on jackstands <_< . So after internet research and reading the manual, it looks like pulling the engine only is not too big a job-just time consuming. My question is, if I pull the engine only, can I replace the clutch with the transaxle still in the car? By the way, I replaced the valve seal the other weekend, car runs a lot better!

Guest_arbskynxnex · Post by **Guest_arbskynxnex** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:46 am

Yes you can, that is how I did mine. In fact I think it is easier that way, since the flywheel and clutch itself will be out of the car and in a wide open space to work on. Just watch for hidden bolts holding the trans and engine together.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:04 pm

I did my clutch when I replaced my engine. If I had to replace just the clutch, I think I'd pull the engine rather than try to drop the transmission. It's way easier to do that kind of heavy work above the car instead of underneath. Pulling the engine out of these cars is a piece of cake. Just rent an engine hoist from an equipment rental place.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:36 pm

Lol. Makes me feel "good".. I have to pull a tranny and an engine for sure. 1 Terk has a dead engine I'm going to pull apart and the other has a dead tranny someone needs to inspect. Is it hard to just pop off the U-joint or whatever is holding the rear driveshaft on and how do you go about detaching the front drive? I know as much as undo'ing bolts as thats a no-brainer, but what else needs to be done?

3A-C Power · Post by **3A-C Power** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 11:49 am

The rear driveshaft just pops out of the transmission. If the exhaust is disconnected, you can undo the center support bearing (2 bolts) and bend the shaft at the u-joints to get it out, or you can undo it from the rear diff (4 bolts) and take it off. Front driveshafts come out of the diff by prying, you'll need a crowbar or a fairly big flathead screwdriver. Read the previous tranny posts and that section of the manual if you haven't already. The manual makes the hardest parts sound easy, i.e. 'draw the transmission to the rear and down' when it really take hours with a jack, a crowbar and alot of force.

Guest_Teddy · Post by **Guest_Teddy** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:50 pm

I agree with GTSSportCoupe... pulling the motor is WAY easier than dropping the tranny. ESPECIALLY/SPECIFICALLY with our 4 wheel drive cars.

The clutch and throwout bearing and expansion plate themselves are cake to replace, once you GET to them.

Just make sure everything gets cleaned, and STAYS clean. Hit the cluctch disc with brake cleaner before you install it, and make sure to take your flywheel to a machinist and get it turned.

There is no sense installing a new clutch and expansion plate if you aren't going to get the flywheel turned.

While you are there, you MIGHT AS WELL replace the rear main seal on the back of the block... no sense NOT doing it. If you don't, be assured that the crank will rear through it, and your motor will spurt crankcase oil ALL OVER your brand new clutch, that you just installed, simply out of spite.

Napa's "brand new" clutch kit is excellent, but 50% of the time, the wrong throwout bearing is included in the kit (I don't know why). If you aren't going to buy the Napa brand new (not rebuilt) clutch, buy the actual Toyota unit. In my experience, the others aren't worth bothering with.

Oh, and if it seems like the engine SHOULD be coming away from the tranny, but its not? It acts like it is hung up? IT IS HUNG UP!!! There are practically INVISIBLE bolts, hiding back there... to include some tiny (10 mm) bolts. Take your time, read the book, find all of the engine to tranny bolts, you won't have any problems. Never reuse flywheel bolts (no matter what ANYONE tells you... they are stretch bolts, use once, replace), use lock-tite or some other thread locker where appropriate, and follow the torque specs.

- Teddy

dug320 · Post by **dug320** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 1:37 am

From my recent experience ...

Pull the engine. It is way easier than dropping the transmission.

When putting the engine back, install only one of the stiffening plates before you put it back in the car. With the engine still on the puller you will have to jockey it a bit.

The hardest part, for me, in putting the engine back was dropping it square on the two engine mounts.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:47 pm

Man. You make it sound easy to just casually pull the engine. Not like I'd know if it isn't, but the idea in itself seems to imply difficulty. Oh well. Guess it would be easy, just a bit time cosuming to label all hoses and cables that get disconnected.

dug320 · Post by **dug320** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:05 am

Not sure what you mean by labeling all the hoses.

The rad hoses, the exhaust connection, clutch cable and gas cable, the electrical connectors and the fuel line.

Did I forget anything?

icE · Post by **icE** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:53 am

Whenever ppl do engine swaps or work on the transmission with the civic, they always pull the engine out (well with engine swaps of course you take the engine out, duh ice lol). It's possible to take off the tranmission without moving the engine, but it's too much hassle and harder to work on. So everyone's advice is, remove the engine ^_^ And if you took it totally out of the car, maybe you can find some time to work on the internals a bit and clean it up some