I just finished my first clutch job. . .TWICE! Let me review what worked and what didn't in order to save some of you from having to remove/install the tranny more than you need to!

First off, this is on an 89 Camaro RS 2.8L 5-speed, aprox 145,000 miles.

The clutch(original) had begun to slip very bad and was becoming quite dangerous to drive in traffic. The biggest problem other than the clutch was old and worn out, was that the DISTRIBUTOR O-RING was dumping oil into the bellhousing and had basically ruined whatever was left of the original clutch. I spent probably 2-3 hours just cleaning oil and sludge off of the engine,tranny, and underbody, YUCH! After replacing the clutch, distributor O-Ring, and resurfacing the flywheel, I buttoned everything back up and started it up. It revved up fine (which was good because my reference marks for the distributor had vanished). I went to put the car in reverse and GRRRRRRRUUNCH! It wouldn't go. Couldn't put in first either. I checked as many threads as I could and determined that I must have installed something wrong. I tore it all down and couldn't find anything out of place, so I bled the clutch and still the clutch wouldn't disengage. Then I remembered a thread (can't remember the guy's name for a credit, but he is a senior member) that said to put the car in first with brake on and clutch pressed then start it up. THIS WORKS! It groaned for a few seconds and then, viola! The clutch disengaged and it works great now. I drove it around and when I brought it back in the garage, the lower hose burst and puked up all it's contents in about 30 seconds all over my garage floor. This car is gettin' greedy and trying to punk my *** for more parts! Oh well.

Here's a few DO's & DON'Ts from my experiences. Feel free to use your own discresion for I am not a certified technician:

DO make sure that you fix any oil leaks that may deposit oil into the bell housing. The DISTRIBUTOR O-RING is main culprit. Many threads on this. Search for "Distributor Rebuild" and do it all right. If this isn't fixed, you will be replacing your clutch very soon.

DO make sure to remove the torque arm in the proper sequence. A lot of people just disconect it from the tranny and let it bang up into the floorboard. This will work, but it sucks to remove the driveshaft with it still on, and also threading in the pinch bolt on the tranny mount sucks unless your friend is hanging on it. The factory service manual has the correct procedure. Follow it.

DO NOT try to save money on a crappy throwout bearing. The ones that come in the cheaper clutch kits are just that-CHEAPER. You don't want to go back in there to replace that crappy bearing when the clutch still has plenty of life. I got mine from NAPA and it is quite beefy. The one in the kit had a plastic collar.

DO NOT try to save money and skip having the flywheel resurfaced. Once again, you will be replacing the clutch sooner than necessary and it will never grab right either.

DO NOT try to bleed the clutch like you would bleed the brakes. The slave cylinder is under tremendous pressure with the pedal pressed and you will have a mouth & eyeful of brake fluid if you do this. Trust me, I know. The factory manual has the right procedure. Follow it.

DO work slowly if this is your first time. None of the steps are too advanced and can be done with basic tools and a breaker bar. However, there are a lot of variables that can go wrong (clutch disc backwards, throwout bearing on wrong, etc.) Work slowly and pay attention to these details so that you don't have to wonder after everything is back together.

DO NOT put the throwout bearing on wrong, or you will get hit between the eyes on this forum with a dual image and a serious chastising.

DO NOT get oil or grease on the following areas. Clutch disc, pressure plate interior, and flywheel. Spray it down with brake clean to be sure.

DO get help with the tranny the first time around. I did mine by myself the second time around, but it helps when someone is there the first time.

DO NOT drive like NASCAR after the new clutch is installed. Make sure to drive like grandma the first 500 or so miles. Ease the clutch with as little throttle as possible.

DO start the car in first gear! This allows the shaft to break the disc loose and more importantly break loose from the pilot bushing. VERY TIGHT on mine. The tranny didn't want to go that last inch when installing. I had to really work for it.

Good luck and have fun!

 

All those tips sound good to me. I sure hope you didnt make all those mistakes on the same clutch. If you did im sorry, and congrats on sticking with it and gettin it done.

 

I replaced 4 trans on 3 cars and i did all the above and they run great

 

It wasn't too bad. Not all of that happened to me at once. Those ARE some of the things I had to go back and doublecheck, though. Man, obsession is a bitch.

 

I just remembered one you forgot.

DO use a clutch alignment tool. It makes bolting up the trans a million times easier.

 

I always pull the drive shaft out first. It comes out as quickly as i can get the bolts out that connect the u-joint to the real axel. Then slide it straight back and out just under the rear end. Super easy to do just have to be careful not to nick the input shaft from the DS to the trans

 

is there anything obvious that a first timer should be aware of? my clutch was suposedly replaced in may but was never correct. not its totally shot and id rather do it than that POS that did it first for me. o maybe some one can tell me what im really looking to replace (sorry for possibly jacking this but im searching my butt off!) new clutch but started to make a chattering noise (disengaged or engaged) and then it smelled HORRID! like a nasty ocean, seriously. and it started smoking when i would rev it up (with the pedal not depressed or depressed) and now the thing is softer than anything and feels like crap when im shifting (like its slipping) would i need a whole clutch again or maybe just the throwout bearing?

 

Only way to be sure is to take the tranny out and check visually to see what's wrong. Could be worn out parts, parts installed incorrectly(if they weren't worn before, they probably are now), or even in my case, oil on the clutch. Parts to replace are: Clutch "disc", pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and resurface the flywheel. That is the usual "disposable" parts. Also, check for damage on any other parts in the chain-i.e.- clutch fork, transmission shaft, etc. When was the clutch replaced?

 

wow you guys are making it hard on yourselves.....you should be able to just turn the car over and fire it up normally and it should work fine.

the easiest way to do it, is to get the tranny started into the splines on the clutch disc....its not gonna want to go into the pilot bushing, because even with the alignment tool its always a little off.....heres how you fix that....

push on the tranny and hold pressure on it.......then have somone step on the clutch.....it will slide right into place so easily you cant believe it

 

well it was replaced in like may. i dont think the guy resurfaced the flywheel (said it looked just fine ) and i had a chatter ever since. it also felt very gritty when i pressed in the pedal. im thinking the chattering was due to the flywheel not being resurfaced and possibly oil on the clutch. i see some leaks but dont know exaclty where.

i took it back to him and he apparently looked at it and said it still looked fine but adjusted something. and also said something about a metal throwout bearing if it persisted. and now i was in a parade and the thing went completly out. it started chatering horriobly with it engaged or disengaged and smelled like the worst thig ive ever smelled and even smoked a couple of times.

now the pedal is soft as ever but there is no more chattering and the pedal is no longer gritty......i plan to do this myself but am not too confident. still dont trust him (the clutch is still under warranty tho) any suggestions?

BTW thanks 383 ill rememebr that when (if) i ever get this thing to that point!!!

 

no problem man.....however most clutch warranties are voided if the flywheel isnt resurfaced......and the flywheel should ALWAYS be resurfaced when replacing a clutch, regardless of how it "looks" otherwise the clutch probably wont seat right (chattering)

 

I gotta agree w/ the last post about pushing the clutch in...


Also, if you get the flywheel surfaced, always MEASURE it...chances are on older cars, it's been surfaced before....you can easily buy a metal spacer plate at most parts houses to make up for the difference that has been machined off the flywheel...it's just a thin metal disk that goes on the flywheel when you bolt it up to the crank.