DIY clutch install

[VBNSX]

X,

If you get in touch with Scott, he installed a new clutch on his NSX before he sold it. I was talking to him about this at a car wash about 2-3 months ago. If you don't still have his number, I can see if I do.

Here is a clutch DIY. You'll have to translate it since it is Japanese.

link

Yeah.. i remember that.. but Scott has all sorts of cool toys/lifts/air tools.. i'm just a glorified backyard mechanic.. :tongue: with a bit o time in the garage..
:wink:

x

 

[VBNSX]

This is very cool of you to do - I know it takes some time. Thanks!

Yeah.. no problem.. i figure maybe this thread will be archived for future DIY'ers along the way...

As I said before, if there's anyone who needs any particular pictures, (looking at the manual may help decide what you want to see) let me know.

x

 

[VBNSX]

Next set..

Well i was amazed at how well the PB Blaster worked on the exhaust bolts.. came right off in a breeze.. now the passenger side axle and intermediate shaft.. there were some very nice words spoken during this process..

Driver's side axle:

the three bolts you remove for the exhaust.. close to the firewall:

take the other three past the cat converter:

and you get:

good practices:

Notice how stretched the stainless line is... i found out that instead of undoing the line.. just unbolt the bracket (pictured) and you'll get all the leeway you need:

I had an amazingly difficult time getting the passenger side axle out.. well.. the key is to move the shock CLEAR out of the way and to get all the weight off the axle and try to get it STRAIGHT out..

there she is:

there's the int. shaft:

Now.. if you try to be a smart a$$ like me and to remove both the int shaft mount and the brace at the same time.. it won't work.. you MUST split the two (pictured) to get it out..

final:

Taking a small break..

tonight I'm going for the tranny..

x

 

[VTeKJoNkEe]

Are you SURE you don't want any help?? (pretty-pretty please) :biggrin:
I'd love to learn, plus I can bring over a full set of tools/air compressor/impact wrenches/jackstands, and such.... Just call! :biggrin:
JDM Grime Rocks! :tongue: Won't be busy all weekend, 'cept to wash the car Saturday.
E

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Couple of things:

Make sure you pull the clutch fork out of position or the trans will not come out. This is a common problem.

Also since you have taken the exhaust off you must replace that oil pan gasket. It looks pretty bad.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[VBNSX]

Couple of things:

Make sure you pull the clutch fork out of position or the trans will not come out. This is a common problem.

Also since you have taken the exhaust off you must replace that oil pan gasket. It looks pretty bad.

HTH,
LarryB

Thanks Larry.. I'm going to acura today to replace the gasket.. I guess I'll just take a picture of that process too.. :tongue:

x

 

[VTeKJoNkEe]

oh and I'm off early today, too...

 

[Larry Bastanza]

VB,

After another look please tell me you DID NOT get PBBlaster on that front 02 sensor. It looks a little wet in the pic. If you reassemble and get a check light you may need to replace it. If you can DO NOT remove it and hope for the best.

Regards,
LarryB

 

[VBNSX]

Yeah Larry.. I tried my best to stay away from the sensor.. i guess we'll see..

This case leads to the shifter cables:

Ok.. what you really need to get the cables out is:
dentist type mirror
90 degree bend pliers....

with those two pieces you can straighten out the cotter pins and then remove them accordingly.

Here's are the posts that they sit on:

Slave cylinder. Two bolts are the top side of this pic.. (I was on the bottom)

Tranny Jack from Harbor Freight.. (suggested from Larry B)

Removal of tranny mount:

At one point it says to:
Remove front mount tranny bolts and tighten engine side.. well it's hard as heck to get a socket wrench in there.. it's easier to use wrenches... well it's hard to get enough torque to get it out.. here's a little thing that VTeKJoNkEe showed me... I never thought to use it on another wrench.. I used to only use it like this on allen wrenches...

Tranny is strapped and started to pry off:

Here's where we got stuck....

Are there any other ways to do this with finesse? I mean other than man handling it? I've always just brutalized it in my other hondas (mainly b/c these were smaller and lighter) but I'm hoping someone has a special 'technique' to getting this bad boy off....

Thanks for anyone who can help.

Gotta give props to VTeKJoNkEe for comin by to help me out.... this process has been made easier with someone's assistance.

x

 

[Larry Bastanza]

VB,

Did you remove the entire front beam? If not, get the damn thing out of there. Also get both the front and rear mounts off completely. I typically will have the entire drivetrain hanging by the two side mounts (engine and trans). Then I support the engine, remove the trans mount and lower the entire drive train with only the upper engine mount in place(passenger side) so the trans is about 2-3" lower then it is in the installed position, then just wiggle the trans off. Again make sure the clutch fork is pulled back away from the throwout bearing.

The service manual does not even mention removal of the front beam, I could never figure why, it is so easy once that thing is out of the way.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[VBNSX]

Larry,

Appreciate all the assistance...

Front beam is still on.. rest assured.. it will be off..
rear mount is off..

So I'm assuming that as you take 'wiggle' this off you kinda let gravity do a little work since the engine will be at an angle... Sound about right? So pretty much there will be only 1 mount holding the engine?

This whole clutch fork bit.. I've pulled and prodded on the fork but how do I know for 100% that it's out of the bearing? I have some free play in it but I just want to make sure I have it out.

Thanks again for the advice.

x

 

[VBNSX]

Woot! Got 'er off.. :biggrin:

Here we go:

To get it off I used the transmission point that is supposed to support it from the top.. and i think the cooler thing on the bottom.. i pulled and pulled.. and it popped right off...

So here is the pic of the tranny as it finally seperated.

Here is the assembly as you approach.. From here if you start to turn the bolts you'll notice the engine spins with it.. fortunately for me back in the hybrid days I bought the crank pulley tool.

This just slips right on the crank pulley which is (of course, attached to the crank, then flywheel..)

well at this moment I was alone so I had to improvise on holding it still.. considering i specialize in backyard skills.. here's what i did:

where does it go you ask? :biggrin:

pressure plate and 1st disk taken off:

btw.. this whole assembly comes off as one piece.. yeah don't try to poke and prod at the screws thinking that's how it comes off:

all the pieces:

approach to the flywheel:

.
.
.
.
.

and what will be going in????????????

Here's a little food for thought for everyone. Earlier someone said that I could use a H22 mainshaft.... well I thought about it and if I could use the mainshaft why couldn't I use the alignment tool? Well it made sense that you need the depth of the alignment tool..FOR A DUAL DISK...... BUT.. not if you're using a single disk clutch.. to save yourself a tiny bit of money you can buy a single disk.. then use the H22 alignment tool... it works:

Ok.. i'm done for today.. I don't get my pilot bearing and throw out bearing from acura until Monday... so.. over the weekend I'll probably change the oil pan gasket.. :tongue:

I sure hope this helped a lot of people... I have no idea...

Anyway... just like the manual says.. "installation is reverse of removal." HAHAHA.. one of my favorite lines..

x

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Looks good.

I would rotate the trans jack 90 degrees. You can get the trans to sit perfectly on it. You mentioned about gravity. You have it out now so kind of after the fact, but I raise the jack to unwieght it and wiggle it out. The differnce is with the jack turned 90 degrees the trans does not tilt out, it just backs out, them you lower it. Actually I rotate the trans tale piece towards the rear of the car while I am lowering it. Do the reverse when you reinstall. Make sure you have a nice tight fitting pilot shaft. I am really not fond of those plastic ones because they are sloppy, and perfect alignment is rarely achieved. You will get a nice pay back with hours of jerking around to get it back in if you use a lose fitting pilot. You may wish to call someone you know that has done short gears and borrow their mainshaft. It WILL be worth it. I use a cut off mainshaft.

Does the tool fit tightly into the pilot bearing?

 

[VBNSX]

Unfortunately, the Exedy clutch does not come w/ a pilot bearing or T.O. bearing.. kinda sucks

So for the fitment.... I couldn't tell ya...

Hrm.. I don't know anyone around here that has done a short gears conversion n stuff...

Heh.. around here I even do a few people's maintenance on their nsx's... finding a mainshaft may be rather difficult to find. Too bad I never kept the old tranny housing on my (non lsd) h22 tranny I tossed it.. (one of those moment you could kick yourself and still feel like it's not enough)... :frown:

I think I got a little carried away with the faces on this post.. :biggrin:

thanks for the assitance.. funny thing about installs... usually the removal is the easy part... :smile:

x

 

[MJK]

finding a mainshaft may be rather difficult to find...

I've got one, but it is unforunately in TN and I am not. If you get really hard up for one, let me know and maybe I can get someone to FedEx it to you.

 

[Pirana]

Thanks for all the info....I'am in the process of purchasing a new clutch and also debating on the idea of installing it myself. I have never taking any of my cars to the dealership (very picky regarding scratches and sloppiness from dealer mechanics). And your post has really help me in approching this when the time comes...now I'am just debating on the single plate Exedy or the single plate RPS.

 

[RP-Motorsports]

I just got ahold of the very last Exedy Hiper single disc clutch kit in the NATION! It took me 3 weeks of phone calls, emails etc to find one. I had to pay $250 over my normal cost, but you know how supply and demand works. Oh well. Now it is being air freighted, and I hope it goes in ok, because I am all out of medicine for the headaches!

 

[VBNSX]

Thanks for all the info....I'am in the process of purchasing a new clutch and also debating on the idea of installing it myself. I have never taking any of my cars to the dealership (very picky regarding scratches and sloppiness from dealer mechanics). And your post has really help me in approching this when the time comes...now I'am just debating on the single plate Exedy or the single plate RPS.

Thanks for that.. glad to hear that all this time on the pics is benefiting some people....

Good luck on the install when you get around to it... maybe when you do yours you can add to this post.. maybe we'll make this THE clutch install post.. :tongue:

heh..

cheers,
x

 

[Pirana]

Yeah :wink: when the time comes I will fully do my detail install....I got a couple of stickies running in the STi forums :biggrin:

 

[VBNSX]

how high did you raise your vehicle?
Clearance sufficient?

If you get time, can you take some shots of how and where you supported the engine.

Are you going to replace or resurface your flywheel?

Drew

Height was relative really.. I figure the only important thing is to be able to get tranny jack underneath and able to get to the transmission. At the current height I'm at I was unable to wheel the transmission completely out of the engine bay. Fortunately, I don't need to. However, the only reason i can't is due the mere fact that the transmission is on the the jack. If I take it off it will easily pull out. So in my opinion, the clearance is sufficient for me to work under. I'll get an exact height for you when i find my tape measure n stuff.

The engine is supported from the front engine mount. The front mount actually has two bolts on the tranny and one on the engine. I simply just didn't unbolt the front one. So the engine is being held simply by the driver's side mount AND the front mount.

However if I were to have removed the mount I would've simply used a block of wood and a jack... (ghetto fab).... and on a lighter note, if that wasn't an option, there are engine cradles that simply have a chain attached to a bar that was designed to go over the engine bay.. and simply hold the engine still. I have used that numerous times on other engines.

With the clutch I am using, it comes complete w/ pressure plate, disk, and a new flywheel. Most clutches that you purchase for nsx's come standard with a new flywheel. By the appearance of this whole setup, you'd have to do the flywheel and the disk in between the two clutch disks...

HTH,
x

 

[Pirana]

One question....if I replace the OEM clutch with a single-disc set up, does the single need to be initialized, this seem to apply only for double discs.

 

[VBNSX]

One question....if I replace the OEM clutch with a single-disc set up, does the single need to be initialized, this seem to apply only for double discs.

initialization is for double disks.
x

 

[Pirana]

thanks :wink:

 

[VBNSX]

Conclusion:

Heh.. It really only took me one day to assemble but I took my sweet time...

Only boo boo - Installed tranny... oops.. forgot to put clutch fork in prior to putting into long block.. doh !

Go figure.. aside from that I installed everything and she fired up and ran perfect.

Couple of notes if anyone decides to do this.

1. Unless you have a really good photographic memory consider plastic zip locks with labels written on them. It can save your arse more than you know..:

2. I never did get a h22 mainshaft.. considering I'm right on the edge of backyard mechanic/ghetto.. here's what I rigged (sorry for poor pic):

I wrapped electrical tape around the shaft tool until it was very snug. Worked like a champ.


Next.. please everyone take your time.. mistakes happen when you try to rush and get it all done in one swoop... when i made my mistake it was midnight and i was VERY frustrated and hot from the day's events..

So what did I do next?

hehe.. this pic makes me want to lower my car.. my gawd it looks high!
:tongue:

I hope everyone benefitted from this in one way or another... feel free to pm me for any questions n stuff....

cheers,
x

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Nice, Glad you are off and running. I noticed the Exedy is only mounted with 6 bolts?? Are my eyes deciving me? Must be quite a stiff pressure plate housing. So what do you think? Pedal feel, grab factor?

Thanks,
LarryB