I'm planning to replace the clutch on 1999 Type SH. Just wondering if there is anything else I can do while I am in there. Someone mentioned replacing the rear main seal on the block? Also looking for tips and tricks, what tools I might need. I'm going to take some pictures, hopefully lots so other people can see how to do this. Thanks.

 

there is already a how to in the FAQ. but replacing the rear main seal while you are in there is a good idea if it is leaking a little. if it doesn't leak I would leave it alone. a few things you will need,

a 3 lb sledge
some type of ball joint seperator
36mm socket for the spindle nut
12 point 10mm and 17mm sockets
tub of high temp urea grease from honda
2 new c clips for the axles
a pry bar
tranny jack
12 pack of your favorite beer
and of course the standard tools

that should get you through it somewhat painlessly. the lower ball joints are always the toughest part if you ask me, but with the right tool they are easy to pop loose.

 

If you can take pictures that would be great. People said the ATTS is what make the clutch job on the SH a pain. The FAQ doesn't deal specificly with the ATTS so some information on that would be nice.

 

the ATTS is a bitcharooney dooney

consult the manual...those things are pretty awesome, not sure how many people know, but it tells you a step by step, has clear drawings, and tells you ALL the tools you'll need!

 

Didn't even think about that. I have a pry bar, but its not auto.

I will take some pictures. I'm trying to get this done in a weekend, so I'll see if I can get someone to take them while I go to work.

Yea, looks pretty straight forward. Just a lot to remove.

The only issue I'm seeing is a tranny jack. Will the engine me dropping at all, would I need to brace it with something?

 

it will come down, but you're going to need all the slack you can get to get the transmission out

 

Don't forget to pre-purchase three quarts of HONDA MTF and one quart of HONDA ATF. And be careful when you lower the ATTS unit, those sensors are too goddamn fragile.

 

Getting the ATTS out isn't a big deal. There's four bolts holding it to the block, and the two axles on either side. Once you remove the driver's side axle, support the unit somehow, undo the four bolts, and you can slide the ATTS to the drivers side. The passenger side axle thing (between the ATTS and Tranny) will either come with the ATTS or stay with the tranny, doesn't matter. It's two pieces though, try not to drop the inside piece of that axle thing. Once you have separated those, you can lower the ATTS some, get your hands over it and disconnect the wiring.

That's it for the ATTS.

I don't know if the manual instructs you to do this or not, but I found it easiest to support the motor as well, remove the front crossmember, and then lower the motor a little. It gave me more freedom to move the tranny around to get it in and out.

Have fun!

Oh, and easy on the beer until after.

 

But be very careful with the ATTS unit. The sensors are extremely fragile and extremely expensive. Honda lists the oil pressure sensor at $280 each.

 

i would check your flywheel as well, see if it needs to be resurfaced, i did even though i pro b could of gotten away without doing it. The biggest pain is going be getting the tranny back in an lined up. The shift linkage on the tranny will hit the cross member, and is a bitch to get past. I would highly recommend getting a service manual, they are like a honda technician right there with you whenever you do something to your prelude. I have one and would def say its the best investment i have ever done for my car. Also make sure you dont screw up the axles, dont pull on them, you will separate the joints, and there a bitch to put back. And i would recommend changing your rear main seal, as its only $6 and very easy to put it, just make sure you do it right. And a big mistake most people make is beating on there clutch when they first put it in, then they **** it up and wonder why, dont be one of those people!

 

I printed out the 22 pages for the clutch replacement and the 88 pages for the atts removal (most is wiring and other information, 10 pages on how to remove the atts).

I thought I would only need to remove the passenger side axle? But it says I have to actually remove the whole unit. No biggie, should I use a jack or a bucket attached to a jack to ease it down.

I also found this morning my flex pipe on the down pipe is busted. Trying to find a replacement, but I can only find stainless steel headers+downpipe. Someone told me I'd get more heat in my engine bay with stainless.

 

You could replace just the flex pipe. A shop will charge 1 hours labor to weld in the flex piece after cutting it out. Than the cost of the flex piece ontop of that. You could pretty much buy a new down pipe for almost that. Most flex pipes on cheaper exhausts will fail though. I'd probably just replace the flex with a good quality one, and it will likely last longer than if you replaced the downpipe with a cheap dc or megan/ similar.

 

Thanks matt, I know a welder, so he might be able to do it for me.

What are some good headers+downpipe, for a relatively decent price. I can probably buy a decent flexpipe somewhere and just weld it too.

Also, if I do go with headers and downpipe, stainless looks to be the only option. I was hearing that stainless steel doesn't keep the heat in and therefore you lose performance. I wouldn't mind keeping the cast iron headers becaue they're find the way they're, just rusty. Or even polishing them up and coating them with something so they look better.

 

while youre in there.. light weight flywheel.

 

Agreed.

There's only 1 header that qualifies as good AND cheap. The Hytech replica. If you are going to replace anything more than the flex pipe, you should replace the whole system. Here is my suggestion.

1. Hytech replica header - it has a 2.5" collector
2. Flex pipe - 2.5" in/out
3. Carsound highflow cat - 2.5" in/out
4. Your choice of resonator(s)
5. Your choice of muffler
6. Two 2.5" 90º mandrel bends (mild or stainless)

For 4-6, you can also go with a 2.5" catback system.

Then, have it pieced together at a muffler shop.[/QUOTE]

 

Transmission oil. Good luck with the project, you'll save a bundle on labor by doing it yourself.

 

you can just polish the heat shield on your stock manifold, bam, not rust and forever shiny parts

 

you do have to remove both axles. You can't get the transmission out without dropping the ATTS, and you can't get that out without pulling the drivers axle. There is a bolt behind that axle holding it in there.

When I did mine last year I also replaced the axle seals on both sides of the transmission and ATTS unit.

Getting the transmission back in was the hardest part for me. I used my floor jack to lift it while I held it steady. angle the input shaft toward where it goes a little. Once it was close, I pretty much had to bear hug it from the top and manhandle it in there.

Having a proper tranny jack would help with all that I'm sure, but I didn't have access to one.

 

I was thinking about that. However, this is a daily driver. And well I don't want to have to work too hard to drive it around, I do want to be a bit lazy. However I want to have a nice stiff clutch that grabs good.

[/QUOTE]

For now this is my dd, and I just need it to pass smog control, aircare from where I come from. Something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda...Q5fAccessories




Axle seals? I guess this might be set rings? That's what it says in the service manual

http://taco.unixmail.org/~comm/whatineedtodo.pdf

I'm looking at getting an attachment for the tranny jack.

 

There would be no extra work involved in driving around with a lightweight flywheel. You still have to shift gears.

That thing is worthless.

 

Just an update. I don't have pictures yet. I've been working on this for a couple of hours here and there.

I got everything off the top of the transmission no problem. I took out one rad fan to get at the slave cylinder. I was going to drain the rad to get the big hose out of the way, but I didn't need too. When trying to get my down pipe off. I wasn't really thinking all that much and I actually broke a bolt that mounts on the engine and actually goes into my headers not my down pipe. So I have to take my headers off and get that drill out.

I got the center beam off, and I got both axels out. I've always been dropping oil for some reason and I didn't know why. I think it my be my oil pan gasket, except its not even a gasket, its silicone. So I think I'm going to take that off and reseal it. I can't really tell if thats what's leaking, it might be the head gasket leaking down the back of the engine.

Today, im going to take the atts unit off, and maybe I can see if theres oil coming from somewhere else. Hopefully I can get the tranny off today and the fly wheel. I don't know what I'm going to use to stop the fly wheel from moving.

 

the best bet is to use an impact wrench to break the flywheel bolts loose then take them the rest of the way out with a wrench. you will have to get creative tightening them back down

 

also there is a higher likelihood of rounding off the bolts when using a regular wrench if they're really on there good, as opposed to an impact.

 

I've been lucky mostly everything came off easy, except for the bolt that holds the header to the engine. I wasn't suppose to take it off, but I did and now the bolt broke and it's stuck in the engine mount bracket.

 

I got the tranny off, and bent the oil seal on the outer extension shaft that attaches to the transmission. Anyways, does anyone know if I can replace the oil seal or do I have to get the full outer extension shaft? It's number 6 on this graph.

http://www.hondapartsdeals.com/hpa/z...e&x=1089&y=552

I also found that the clutch looks almost new, only a tiny bit of wear and its the same clutch I bought. Kinda funny, but I need to find out why my car is driving like crap.

I noticed the flywheel is a little worn, I didn't get a really good look. But I'm going to take it off and get it machined anyway. The throwout bearing sounds like ***, I'm going to buy a new one. The springs on the old clutch are pretty worn, and really easy to turn. I don't know if I should sell my new clutch kit and try and get my money back or if I should just install it.

I also think the rear main seal is leaking, but im not 100% sure. It could be the seal between my oil pan and the block but its too hard to tell. There was a lot of crap built up behind the stiffener.