ive gotta replace the clutch this weekend, and am looking for any and all tips or tricks that will make it go smoothly. Also what is a good clutch to go with, and what all should i have done to the tranny? any and all help is gonna be greatly appreciated

 

i know there has to be something out there, or at least someone here who can give me advice on this.

 

Drink lots of water. It's kind of hot in Yuma.

 

ya i already knew that part, but i fortunatley perfer beer which is just a plentiful

 

My suggestions:

1. Drain fluid. (Keeps down the mess and should probably be done anyway)

Tip 2:
Make sure you use a clutch alignment tool, I also measured from the edge of the tool when it was inserted to the hole in the bellhousing all the way around to make sure it was even.

I will make putting the trany back in much easier.

3. When refilling fill thru open shifter plate opening in top from inside of car. It is much easier than trying to fill from the top plug. However, make sure the top plug is out when filling so you know when it is full. Should be about 3 quarts ATF for a 92 T5.

 

get a helper, either to lift heavy parts or to pass another beer. don't drop the car on you.

 

lift the car more from the back then the front.

that way, when the engine tipps back, its closer to level... and easier to stick the trans input shaft back in.

 

Wow! Never really thought of that before Cool

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=242897

Get the flywheel re-surfaced. Take the car apart on Friday so you can get the flywheel to the machine shop first thing Sat morning so youcan actually do the jb over the weekend. DO NOT think that you can skip this, otherwise you will be posting here next about how to get rid of clutch chatter and stuff like that.

Replace the pilot bearing/bushing. Remove the old one by packing the space behind it full of grease, put the alignment tool that you'll have into it, and whapping it with a BFH. The grease will "hydraulic" it out of htere. After it comes out a bit, pack more grease in it, and keep doing that until it's all the way out. Again, DO NOT think you can skip this, otherwise you will soon be posting something like this. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=237398 And that's no fun at all.

Virtually any new clutch from a reputable mfr (not an AutoZone special, but rather Centerforce, Ram, B-W, McLeod, Hays, etc.) will work well, if properly installed. I've run every one of those in at least one car over the years, with excellent results out of every single one. Don't get a GM one, not because they're bad or anything, just that you pay way too much for something that's not particularly good.

Now is a good time to replace your trans mount and torque arm bushing, and put a decent shifter in, if you haven't already.

Incidentally, all of this can be done from under the car; it's not necessary to take the interior apart at all.

It's easiest with 3 sets of jack stands. Use one under the front control arms. When you jack the rear of the car up, support the "frame", at the front end of the rear control arms, on a 2nd pair; let the rear hang free; then take your floor jack and jack the pumpkin up an inch or 2, just enough to lift the rear off of the shocks, and put the 3rd set under the axle tubes, just high enough to hold the rear up off of the shocks. Remember, UNDER THE AXLE TUBES; not under the sway bar, not under the shock brackets, not under any other part; under the axle tubes. Doing it this way will take virtually all rotational force off of the torque arm (which can be SUBSTANTIAL otherwise) and allow you to move it around with one finger. You don't have to take it out.

Leave the internals of the transmission alone. If it works, don't mess with it.

Refill it with synthetic fluid.

 

OBTW ......

DON'T let the transmission hang from nothing but the clutch disc, which is the only thing holding it up from the point where it's about 3" from all the way in, to the point where it's about ½" from all the way in. You will destroy the disc by bending it, and you will be posting about your clutch not disengaging.

Make sure you put the clutch disc in facing the right way.

Use NEW clutch and flywheel bolts. They are special bolts; don't use generic ones, buy them from Summit or your local speed shop or maybe a parts store on a card, ad "clutch bolts". DO NOT substitute regular bolts of any kind.

DON'T try to draw the trans up to the bell housing the last ½" with the bolts!!!!! You will fornicate the pilot bushing / bearing if you do that. Instead, bench-press the trans up in there until the trans pilot engages the bearing / bushing (gets to within ½" of the BH); put a bolt in on each side, at leat one of them a top one, and start them by hand, and runn them in until they just reach the trans; then wiggle the trans around while pushing it, and tighten the bolts by hand as it goes farther and farther in. It should reach a point where it will suddenly just plug itself all the way in, and then you can tighten all 4 bolts all the way down.

 

i had a feeling that would be my link hahahahha

 

crap, how bad is it to use generic bolts for the clutch? I never beat on my car so how long do you think I have? I used the generic bolts cause the guy I got the swap from didnt include any bolts.

 

heres another quick tip...as RB so casually says it "just bench press it in there"...what he fails to mention is that hes got a 60 inch chest and some guns for arms...now, being myself being the "average" i only bench about 180-200 pounds, and while a T-5 only weighs roughly 90 pounds, its the fact that unless you have the car 3 feet off the ground youll never be able to pick it up from either your side, of by laying flat on your back and reaching across to lift it...and even if your strong enough to lift it in there, you have to be close to the hole or youll bend the clutch disc or EFF up the pilot....i thought i was "bad" enough to do it and i couldnt get it in there myself...my buddy helped and it went like butter

 

Best tip I can give you is hit the gym, hardest part is putting it back in and after doing it quite a few times, because second nature.

 

I wish!!!!

Actually, I'm 6''1" and weigh a little over 140 when I step out of the shower. I've blimped out here lately. I disappear when viewed sideways. I look like yerbasic 140-lb weakling, except even weaker because I'm so lanky. I had pneumonia when I was a kid, and I never quite recovered.

Anyway, the T-5 is the lightest transmission I've ever put in. It's a piece of cake. It's no 90 lbs, more like 75. Migtht as well be styrofoam.

The worst transmission I ever did, was a 59 Pontiac 4-speed Hydramatic..... cast-iron case.... laying on the ground in my driveway.... that damn near wore my puny butt out.

The reason you shouldn't use generic bolts, is because clutch bolts are special. They have a shoulder behind the threads that acts a a"dowel pin" to positively locate the clutch on the flywheel. With regular bolts, it's near impossible to get the clutch centered, and you'll have an out-of-balance vibe.

I put a T-56 in the other night.... that was kind of a hassle, since that thing weighs a good 120 lbs. I even had to use a floor jack to help me hold it in place while I started a couple of bolts.

 

oh ok, no vibes here, guess I got lucky on that one. I need a new flywheel and flywheel bolts (I used the flexplate bolts and they were shorter) anyway so Ill get them when I do that.

 

hmmmmm...i guess i need to put the car higher in ther air..
i know what you mean about being sick when young...i had bronchitus at the same time my sister had pnuemonia and i still cough up clammy chucks every now and then...


Btw how hi is your car on jackstands?

 

If for some reason you choose not to drain the fluid, you can drop the rear end of the driveshaft at the rear u-joint and keep the front of the driveshaft in the trans. That way the hole stays plugged and you won't spill as much.

 

I agree. The T-5 is pretty light & very managable to "bench press" into its place Although, the M20(muncie) that I put up in our 69 Camaro did feel lighter than the T-5

 

thanks for all the "tips and tricks", about the machining of the flywheel, i think i might need to replace mine, cus i ended up over heating the car accidentally, and when i got out and looked under the car, there was smoke coming out from the bottom of the bellhousing, is that normal? and knowing that what else will i have to possibly replace

 

umm, but then you have a very good chance of denting your driveshaft.

instead, pull the shaft, set it aside in a safe place, and put a good ziplock bag over the back of the tailshaft. wrap it around once with tape and its sealed.

 

ok this might seem stupid, but does the bellhousing have to come off inorder to do the clutch install????

 

Yup!

 

well got everything out. hardest part was just getting the bellhousing off. Had to take the tranny off first then jimmy the bellhousing off but finally got it. Found the easiest way to get at the top two bolts, was with a 2 foot extension and 9/16 swivel bit, on a 3/8 ratchet with a big freaking pipe to break it loose,and the front of the engine jacked up until the distributor was almost touching the firewall, made it alot easier then with the swivel adapter. now i just gotta wait until monday when i can have the flywheel turned. any suggestions for making the install easier???

 

ah awsome thread great info

 

Best advice for install is not to drop the tranny on your head.

And the easiest way to get the top 2 bolts is an impact gun, a 30" extension with a 9/16" woble socket.

 

Monday has passed. Do you have an update? My question is, woud you do it again or take it to a shop. I have no idea of how much a shop would charge for labor.

I think my clutch is on it's last legs and I'm debating to do it myself or take it somewhere. Luckily I have a backup car so if it takes a while for the flywheel I won't be stressing.

 

sorry guess i should have put an update in here.
But yes, i would/will do it myself again, even thought this was my 1st rear wheel clutch job. Its simple, and tranny went back in easier than it came out, we had everything bolted back up and running in about 3 hrs.
The machine shop here had my flywheel turned down in about an hr, only 30 bucks so definetly worth it. And if ur debating taking it to a shop and have the money, save the money do urself and get a decent clutch.
RB recommended some good ones in the top part of the thread. When my clutch started going, if i had it in gear and was coasting then gave it extra gas rpms would jump then settle when it finally caught. Hope this helps

 

What clutch did you use, and how did it work out?

 

i ended up using a napa lifetime warranty cheap ol clutch, i think its a cumberland or something close to that. Cost 144 out the door, for the whole kit (clutch,pressure plate, pilot bearing) so far i havent had any problems at all with it, hooks up great and doesnt slip at all.

 

i got my zoom clutch for a lil under a 100.00 from summit. also whats the trq that we do for the clutch. i know flywheel is 80 or at least thats what i did wet 80 trq what is it for the clutch to flywheel.

 

45 lbs for the pressure plate right

 

i dont remeber what the torque is, just look in a haynes or chiltons manual itll be in there, that or go to autozone, they should be able to pull it up on there comps.

*edit*
with your zoom clutch did it come with everything the pressure plate, clutch disc, pilot bearing, and throw out bearing i think it is.
Is it just a standard replacement up to OEM specs or what. Let me know cus ive gotta replace the clutch in my 91

 

where would i be able to find all the clutch bolts? would parts stores have 'em? also can flex plate bolts from an auto work as flywheel bolts? dont decapitate me if these are dumb q's. im tryin to gather all the parts for an auto to manual swap and wanna make sure i use the right bolts. thanx

 

Flexplate bolts are too short...don't use them. Napa usually has a good bolt selection, and any hotrod shop will have Mr. Gasket bolts for both, but I dunno about the more generic parts stores.

 

autozone has bolts for the flywheel. I think there like 9 bucks or so

 

csk has them for i belive 11.00 yes my zoom came with clutch throw out bearing pilot bushing tool pressure plate also with the plastic bag thingi dont forget about ducktaping the speedo cable hole too