New clutch?

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

thanks for the encouragement. It helps. I'm very close to my tranny badge now, just a few bolts to go. I can feel the top transmission bolt and am trying to figure out how to wrench on that baby. And one of my main transmission attachment bolts is completely gone. I really wish that was the top one, but no, it's one of the very easy to access ones.
I'm going to go tinker with that top one for a bit and see if I can come up with a combination that fits.
I have a tranny question next. I think I'll re post that as it's own topic.
thanks one and all.
76was124
Patron 2019
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Posts: 620
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 4:43 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Detroit Area

Re: New clutch?

Post by 76was124 »

If you haven't read this thread, take a look as it has good pictures on tools to attack those top bolts
http://fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php ... +universal
Current 81 Spider 2000
Previous 76 Spider
timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

ok, possibly last question on getting this transmission out. I removed the nuts that hold the crossmember that holds the transmission. Underneath them appears to be some kind of thing that looks kind of like a lockwasher that appears to be fused to the threaded shaft. Have de greased and de crudded repeatedly to be able to see this stuff.
so.....how the heck do I get this off? hammer? sledge? cut the car in half and be done with it? what? what now?

just laughing at this point- this is beyond ridiculous. the upside: the rest of life will seem simple now

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timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

oh, and this is the combo I arrived at to remove the passenger side, top tranny bolt:
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76was124
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 4:43 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Detroit Area

Re: New clutch?

Post by 76was124 »

timspider wrote:...how the heck do I get this off? hammer? sledge?
That just looks like a split type lock washer, so unless somebody welded it to the stud, the whole bracket should slide off the stud. Then the washer will hit the ground and roll away where you can't find it!

Try a heavy screw driver or small pry bar between the cross bracket and the body, jiggle it a bit it should pop free. I usually leave the nuts on a few threads so you don't drop the trans on your face when it breaks free.
Current 81 Spider 2000
Previous 76 Spider
timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

Thanks for the info and the laugh. Headed out to an all night gig right now, but when I return in the morning, I shall pry.
timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

I'm honestly not trying to make this the longest thread ever. And I now know better than to say this is my last question. So when you are kind enough to answer, just know that I'll likely have more questions.
So, update, I believe I have the tranny fully disconnected. wires off, speedo off, clutch cable off. Got that transmission cross member detached. Have managed to slide it back, twist it, drop the back down almost a foot, the thing is swinging free and moving fore and aft, but hanging. Spent an afternoon with all kinds of implements trying to get this.
My question: Was I supposed to have removed the base shift lever in addition to the shift extension?
It looks like that is what is not allowing me to drop this. I've already tried up/down/out/twist/wiggle/in/shimmy/bear hug/rear naked choke/2X4s to pry/6X6 chunks to nundge, etc. etc.
So is there a trick to removing that shifter? I looked at it and am not surprisingly unable to make sense of how it is connected and don't want to just rip it out.
These images show the shift handle and the amount of space this has dropped. It is also completely off at the engine.

Image

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76was124
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 4:43 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Detroit Area

Re: New clutch?

Post by 76was124 »

I've gotten the trans out before without removing the whole shifter, but it might be easier for your to take it out out at this point. It's disconnected from under the car. Remove the three bolts holding the small triangular shaped cover plate which comes off. You can see it in your pictures. Once the cover is off, it will expose a nut, spring and spacer that is connected to the bottom of the shift rod. Remove the nut and thes hifter will come out. Be careful you don't lose a spring clip that fits in the detent of the shaft seen from the cockpit side.

Only other thing to try first is to remove the Guibo fully to give you more clearance. Also would it help if the shifter was in a different gear position? Car jacked a little higher?
Current 81 Spider 2000
Previous 76 Spider
Exit98

Re: New clutch?

Post by Exit98 »

Tim ask all you want. You can't "fill up" the Forum.

I'm pretty sure we had to disconnect the shifter when I did mine. But do try putting it in 3rd or 5th gear if it isn't already.

Did you install a new guibo? That metal band around it is meant to be removed once it is installed.

When I did mine, like you, I left the guibo in place. Ralph, our NJ expert, told me I should have removed it. You can do the job without taking it out, but when it comes time to reinstall the shift mechanism from the bottom of the car the guibo makes access very difficult.

That might not be an issue for you though if your interior is open. My lower console was in place and I really didn't want to pull it out so we had to work from below.
timspider

Re: New clutch?

Post by timspider »

I love you people. that is all for today.
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Exit98

Re: New clutch?

Post by Exit98 »

Bingo!!
131
Posts: 672
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Re: New clutch?

Post by 131 »

timspider wrote:Have managed to slide it back, twist it, drop the back down almost a foot, the thing is swinging free and moving fore and aft, but hanging.
Not so much an issue if you're replacing the clutch, but leaving the gearbox hanging, particularly if the spigot shaft splines are engaged, but the shaft is not engaged in the spigot bearing, is the quickest way to stuff a clutch plate.

Not sure what consumer laws apply over there, but in Oz, when you buy a clutch kit it states on the warranty card that no warranty claim will be honoured if the flywheel is not machined before clutch fitment.
Mick.

'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
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