Idlehands

anyone know of or have a website on changing a clutch out of a 1985 T/A, i've never done this before so a detailed one would be much appreciated.

ridecamro

it's realy simple. noting to it. well thier is but just hope you have the right tools. i don't know any web sites i just did it myself. your gonna have to dicconect the battery(just something you always do). dissconedt the drive shaft. should be 4 bolt and 2 u-joints. suport the transmission with a jack or a transmssion jack. unblolt cross member. then unbolt the belhosing form the engien. pull away form the engien enough so you can have easy accses to the plesure plate,flywheel and clutch. this would be a good time to take off the fly wheel and get it resurfaced.(warentys ussally require this) you will also want to replace the pilot bushing or bering.(located in the crank shaft. after buy the clutch kit form were every you get it. put flywheel back on. to tq spec. the take clutch aliment tool put the end into the pilot bushing then put the clutch disc on. this slide onto the clutch aliment tool. then take pressue plate and bolt that up to tq spec. you will also want to replace the throwout bering. then just bolt the transmssion back up to the engien and thats it. took me about a half a day to get everything done

please fill in if i missed anything

JesasaurusRex

iTrader: (3)

Easier to pull the engine

Spifz

I don't take the battery cable off; I like to listen to the stereo while I work, I hope it isn't too bad

I am replacing my clutch right now, I just pulled it off the motor, took about 4 hours to get everything unbolted. Putting the trans. back in is always the most pain in the butt, but by that time you are almost done, so just keep pushin.

DevilsAddvocate is right though, sometimes it is easier to just take the engine and trans out of the car, so that bolting the trans back in is not so hard. I find it much easier to lift the car off the front crossmember than to take the engine out the top. There are only 8 big bolts, the sway bar and a piece of the steering to contend with.

Here is an earlier pic of me pulling the engine.

THEGENERAL

WTF......lol....sorry had to put that ive never pulled an engine out of a third gen out the bottom like that before i find it easier to grap the cherry picker and loosen the engine mounts undo some wires and drop a drive shaft and tranny mount and some hoses and yank them out the top but it looks like it worked that way for you ...just kinda unusual thou....

TheGreatJ

I've had quite a few engines out through the bottom. You HAVE to do it that way with the 4th gens, it's nearly impossible to fit through the top even with the hood off. It's also much easier to just drop the engine/tranny/cradle/front suspension on a lot of wrong-wheel-drive cars.

Personally I use jackstands instead of 2x4s though.

Spifz

If I had a garage with a concrete floor, I'd make a cradle with wheels on it. The pipes work good because as you can see, with rollers, you can roll the assembly out from under the car. With a lift, it would be even nicer. Hmm... supercharger, two post lift, supercharger, two post lift... What to spend the next $$$ on.

jrg77

It you take the engine out the bottom without a lift, how do you pull the cradle/engine out? How high do you have to lift it? What do you lift it with, as my jacks only go up a foot and a half or so?

I just took my engine out the top and left the bellhousing on the trans underneath. The clutch and pressure (?) came off with a bit of thinking. I have NO idea how to get the flywheel off. It keeps spinning around. Can someone help?

Thanks,
Jason

Spifz

Take a big flat blade screwdriver, and wedge it between the starter and a tooth on the flywheel. Take some care that it is properly wedged against something that is not going to break. It also helps to heat up the bolts with a torch and then let them cool a few times.

I took a tow strap, and hooked it through the front sway bar loops (sway bar was off) Then I used a 2 ton hoist to lift the car. We have a conveniently located tree that works great. You do have to lift the car up pretty far, but the reward of not smashing up the header tubes trying to take the engine out the top is amazing. I've had engines in and out of 2 Camaros at least a dozen times. IMHO, lifting the car is much easier.

THEGENERAL

every one has their own way of doing things i guess but without a lift i wouldnt feel to comfortable under a tree with my car in the air ..lol...thats just me thou ...

ive had many many many engines out of camaros and firebirds and always taken them out the top usually only takes about an hour and two guys and its on the stand getting torn down or the new one on its way back in

jrg77

My flywheel is on my engine, and my engine is out of my car. The starter is in the garage on the floor.

Thanks,
Jason

THEGENERAL

do you have access to an air compressor and an impact thats how we always remove them when we take an engine apart

Spifz

The starter shouldn't be too much trouble to bolt on, then look at the back of the motor. The starter nose sticks out past the flywheel. Take the screwdriver and stick it in pointing towards the front of the motor, with the blade horizontal. You can catch between two teeth, but when the flywheel tries to rotate when you are wrenching, the screwdriver won't be able to get past the starter. That is how I loosen and tighten mine. The heating also works wonders. One more thing I remembered doing once.

Take the front pulley off if it isn't already,
thread some bolts back into the damper, but leave about an inch sticking out. You should be able to stick a pipe up through and catch two of the bolts and the waterpump or something up there to keep it from twisting.

Good luck!

Idlehands

thanks alot guys, i hopefully will takle it today if i can get all the parts