Hi Kids,

I'll be replacing my clutch and flywheel this weekend. Can anyone offer any tips on how to ensure it goes smoothly and easily?

I just got the Helms manual and will be following that, of course. But there always seem to be some tricks to make it easier that aren't in the manual. For example, is there any good way to hold the flywheel while torquing the bolts without getting one of the ring gear locking tools? I could probably fab one if absolutely necessary, but if there's an easier way, I'd like to know.

Thanks in advance.

 

Craig - Whos tranny is on the floor waiting for a new clutch

 

Make sure you have the correct 12-point socket and thread locking compound before you begin.

 

Don't drop the tranny on your head Jack. See you next week

 

Cool, thanks Craig.

Is the minimum-disassembly method of getting the tranny out what's described in Helms (which I haven't read yet)? I vaguely recall somebody describing a way to reduce the amount of disassembly required by disconnecting the lower ball joint, but I'm not 100% sure that was for removing the tranny.

 

Acura installed my clutch/flywheel combo 6000 miles ago..I dropped the tranny now because the release spring popped out. While im there...is it worth takin apart the clutch and crap just so I can put threadlocker on them?

 

- Get car up on jack stands.
- Remove front wheels
- Pop the lower control arm ball joints
- Remove front suspention forks (the part that connect the shock to the lower A arm)
- Drain the tranny
- Remove the driver side axle from the intermediate shaft & zip tie out of the way
- Remove the intermediate shaft
- Remove the passengers side axle from the tranny & zip tie out of the way
- Remove the starter
- Remove the clutch slave
- Remove the header (you don't have to do this but it makes it easyier)
- Remove the sift linkage (I remove the linkage from the shifter and the stabalizer bar from the motor).
- Make sure all sensor are unpluged and free
- Remove the tranny bolts and drop the tranny

Replace your clutch and put everthing back


[Modified by AssPenny, 1:35 PM 3/31/2003]

 

I'd like to think that Acura would have done that themselves, but then again... If the transmission is already going to be out, it isn't much work to go in and threadlock/retorque the bolts for peace of mind.

 

Sounds like the voice of experience

 

If you go by Helms, bear in mind that the torque value for one of the under-engine stiffener bracket bolts is WRONG. If you torque that bolt to Helms spec, I guarantee you will snap it. I'll try to post a pic of the Helms page later tonight and circle the misprint.

 

I didnt snap mines, I went by the 97 ITR supplement manal.

 

Maybe the '97 Helms ITR supplemental manual got it right. Until now, I didn't know such a manual existed.

The problem is in the '98 Helms, on page 13-47, bottom right picture of the bracket. The torque value for the bolt in the lower right of the picture is incorrectly listed as 42 lb-ft. That is way too much torque for that skinny bolt. Budman snapped his a year ago, and I nearly snapped mine last week.

The '00 Helms supplement does not discuss the procedure at all (defers to the '98 manual).

 

OK, so after reading the procedure in Helms, I don't see any mention of thread locking compound. Are you guys using thread locker on the several dozen self-locking bolts that Helms says you should replace? I assume you're using blue and not red...

 

I don't use thread lock. Like you said, it does not say to do it in the helm.

 

Thanks for the tip. I guess I'll look at the torque specs given for similarly-sized bolts and figure it out from there.

 

Craig- it is not neccessary to remove the starter, all you have to remove is the lower starter motor mounting bolt (the big fuggin long one)

 

Have you had any experence doing this your self? If not, then go for it and tell me if it work

Craig - Who is 100% sure you need to remove the starter

 

yes use blue. Its really not that hard, just a pain.

 

Just a note regarding the slave cylinder... do not undo the hydraulic line when removing it. Just unbolt it from the transmission and get it out of the way. Bleeding hydraulic systems when it is not necessary sucks.

Only other pointer I can add if it is your first time, grab a chunk of cardboard and punch some holes in it. As you remove bolts around the bell housing put them in the proper location on the cardboard. That way you will not have to play the guessing game as to where they go. And after you've had your tranny out like what seems to be a hundred times like some of us, you will just remember where they go.

Enjoy!


[Modified by integra_gsr98, 11:12 PM 4/1/2003]

 

You dont need to remove the starter just the long bolt holding the starter.
I removed mines as I try to remove as much weight as possible, installing the tranny by yourself is a major pain. I found it was easier to align by benchpressing the tranny up than using a a floor jack.

 

Craig, like itr #132 said you do not need to remove the starter, just the lower starter to motor mounting bolt (the big long one, i believe its 14mm). i have dropped my tranny and my friends.

Christian- who is 100% positive that you do not need to remove the starter

 

Removing the starter gives you a good place to grab the tranny and lower it to the ground from.

 

i just use a hoist, it works like a charm and there is a place on the tranny where you can put the hook