Clutch job for weekend mechanic

[courtenay]

And once you get it off - consider getting Mike Bouse's Michigan Shorter Shifter. You will be amazed at how much easier it is to shift and how much more leg room you get! Do a search here to find out more.

[narfire]

If you do take the chrome off, perhaps have a look at the michigan short shifter..(Mike Bouse sells them) Slides over top off the shifter from the trans and set screws hold it in place. Add a knob and it is about 2 inches or so shorter than the original. Myself and others love the height.
Chris

[clarkedj]

Guys,

Thanks for the short shifter advice. I assume I can put this on after the fact. I got the tranny dropped and the pressure plate off. I am having a bit of a challenge with the fly wheel. I thought the pressure plate and the flywheel were suppose to be torqued in place to 11 ft/lbs. Is that correct? If it is whoever put the last clutch in used more then 11 ft/lbs. I sprayed the flywheel bolts with a rust cutter to see if that helps loosen them up. Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[clarkedj]

"You can lock the flywheel if you get a piece of angle iron about a foot long and put one edge in the teeth and run it along the lower drivers side of the block against the trans to block bolt hole boss. A "C" clamp will help."

Matt,

Not following the above comment. Specifically "against the trans to block bolt hole boss" Tranny is out and what is the bolt hole boss? I am using a pry bar to try and steady the flywheel. The bar is about 18" inches long.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[ventura ace]

Ed,
I locked the flywheel by mounting the pressure plate back on with 2 bolts, such that the pressure plate is way off center from the flywheel. Put one of the long bell housing bolts back into the lower holes on the engine block so that the caddywhampus pressure plate bumps into the bolt, and it will keep the engine from rotating while you torque/untorque the flywheel bolts. I've posted pictures of this little 'trick' before, so if you do a thorough search, you can probably find it.

I can't recall the torque, but it is much, much higher than 11 ft-lbs. Check your workshop manual for torques, and if you don't have one, you need to get one. I can check on torque tonight when I get home if you don't figure it out before then (remember, there are 2 different sizes of bolts: 10mm for the earlier engines and 12mm for the later engines, so make sure that you get the correct torque for whatever bolts are in yours).

Alvon

[mdrburchette]

Clutch to flywheel screw: 22 ft lbs.

[clarkedj]

I also found the flywheel needs to be torqued at 105 ft/lbs for the R12 bolts. Not having much luck getting the orginal bolts out. Will continue this afternoon and see if I make any progress. May have to ge rent an impact wrench at Home Depot if I can't loosen them up.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[clarkedj]

Alvon,

Tried the pressure plate idea. The problem I have is the rotation of the flywheel for loosening the bolts counter clockwise is if I put the long bolt in the lower passenger side of the tranny the pressure plate will hit the exhaust pipes comming from the maniflod. I prefer not to remove the exhaust as this was a custome job and I don't want to screw it up. I did use the lower bolt and was able to get the pry bar in the teeth of the fly wheel and use the bolt in combination with the pry bar to steady the flywheel. I have a 24" rachet handle and a rubber mallet so I will see if I can loosen them up with this combination.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[wachuko]

Alvon,

Tried the pressure plate idea. The problem I have is the rotation of the flywheel for loosening the bolts counter clockwise is if I put the long bolt in the lower passenger side of the tranny the pressure plate will hit the exhaust pipes comming from the maniflod. I prefer not to remove the exhaust as this was a custome job and I don't want to screw it up. I did use the lower bolt and was able to get the pry bar in the teeth of the fly wheel and use the bolt in combination with the pry bar to steady the flywheel. I have a 24" rachet handle and a rubber mallet so I will see if I can loosen them up with this combination.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

This is the moment/situation when an impact drill really comes handy...

[clarkedj]

Jaime,

Do you think that a pneumatic wrench caple of 250 ft/lbs of torque would be sufficient? They are cheap enough at Auto Zone.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[wachuko]

Jaime,

Do you think that a pneumatic wrench caple of 250 ft/lbs of torque would be sufficient? They are cheap enough at Auto Zone.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

Ed,

To be honest, I don't know. This is what I use simply because it is what I have had for a long time... I have an air impact tool still in the box that I got as a gift a few years back, I have never used it...

[azruss]

A big impact wrench requires big air. better check the air spec to make sure you can do it.

[clarkedj]

Guys,

What is the downside of not resurfacing the flywheel when you change the clutch? I went a bought an electric impact wrench ( 300 Ft/lbs ) like Jaime uses and the bolts are not budging. I hit each bolt 3 times and sprayed with a nut loosner and hit them again. I resprayed and will let them sit a while and hit them again with the wrench. But the flywheel is not scarred. There is some blueing or browning on the flywheel but I think I can remove that with emory cloth. Give me the pros and cons of not removing the flywheel.

Thanks

Ed Clark
404-234-7366

[RoyBatty]

Get a propane torch and apply heat to the bolts.

[majicwrench]

Penetrating oil not gonna make any diff.
I'm a professional mechanic ( 32years) and I can't recall the last time I surfaced a clutch. Just finished a Dodge today, did not surface, is smooth and nice. Clean oils off with Brakeclean, go over it with sandpaper. Tighten pressure plate down evenly and slowly.
There are lots and lots of manufacturers that tell you DO NOT SURFACE FLYWHEEL
Propane will probably not produce enough heat, but worth a try. If you really want to remove bolts, you need to jamb the flywheel, a little creative engineering is in order here, put in a few pressure plate bolts and get a hunk of angle iron, something, and drill a couple holes in it. Get creative. Six point socket. Long long breaker bar and or pipe.
For my money, leave it alone, put in clutch, go for a drive.
Keith