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Clutch Install Party...
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 8:00 am
by BAC5.2
I'm ordering the clutch on Monday 5/24. Should be here mid week, wednesday or thursday.
I'll need to install this thing ASAP. My pedal is getting softer by the shift, and I am clutch limited to 90mph, and falling.
So who's down for a tranny job? Jason? Vikash?
I am going to need all of the help I can get, I've never done this before.
I know Matt is down (you'd better be, lol), so when can you get down here? Will you be coming down on sunday like usual? Do you have to work on Memorial day?
I'd REALLY like to get it done in 1 day so I can break it in before my trip to the beach.
If we could organize and start on Monday and get it done by Monday night, that'd be awesome!
Also, what parts am I going to need to gather? I'm going to get an STi tranny mount since that surely needs to be replaced. But what else?
My 3rd gear grinds on EVERY shift now. I don't know if that's the product of a slipping clutch, blown synchro, or chipped gear teeth. If I have to replace the tranny, I'm going to be pissed. This car is fighting me every step of the way, I tell you what.
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 10:43 am
by vrg3
I'm sorry, I won't be around. Like I said, though, feel free to call me for advice or to complain.
If your clutch kit isn't coming with one, you should get a clutch alignment/installation tool.
Do you have a tranny jack or at least few hydraulic floor jacks?
Buy some good gear oil to put in the transmission afterwards; that may help with the grinding 3rd gear too. You should also use a new drain plug gasket, but you could probably get away with re-annealing the old one. If you don't have a funnel with a long spout, you should get one since it makes it easier to fill the transmission.
Get some good DOT3 or DOT4, too, since you'll want to change the clutch fluid. Build a DIY vacuum bleeder.
Are you changing the flywheel too? You might need/want new flywheel bolts. I don't know if you'd want blue or red Loctite as well or not. Probably not red, since it requires a lot of heat to break loose, I think.
If you're going to separate the exhaust you might want to replace any gaskets you expose. rallitektech says that for the turbo gaskets he's had success reusing them with a coating of Permatex copper gasket maker on them.
Get a lot of PB Blaster.
Hmm, that's all I can think of right now.
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 11:30 am
by mTk
If it's a clutch kit, everything should be there that you need. If you can get a tranny jack, it makes the job easier (though you'll probably not be doing it by yourself

) Everything is really strait forward.
MK
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 11:41 am
by boostjunkie
Infortunately, if you're gonna be doin this Memorial Day weekend I won't be around.
However, if you get started on Wed, I might be able to swing by and lend a hand for a little bit.
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 12:59 pm
by vrg3
Oh yeah, and you should get some new axle spring pins. If you're going to remove the axles from the hubs too, get new axle nuts.
Actually, you might want to get under the car now and inspect each of the CV boots carefully. If any of them are torn you might just want to replace the axle in the process of changing the clutch.
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 10:17 pm
by BAC5.2
I just ordered the clutch. I got a Exedy Stage1 organic clutch and Exedy lightweight flywheel. It should come with everything I need, alignment tool and all.
Vikash - Any recomendations on gear fluid and DOT3/4 fluid?
I don't have a tranny jack, but I do have a bigass floor jack that I can use. That should be OK since it will be at least Matt and I doing it.
Will Pep-boys have those gaskets?
Blue Loctite is the standard. Red is the "perma-lock" style which is like putting epoxy on the bolts. It's a bitch to get off.
Re: Clutch Install Party...
Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 11:41 pm
by legacy92ej22t
BAC5.2 wrote:
I know Matt is down (you'd better be, lol), so when can you get down here? Will you be coming down on sunday like usual? Do you have to work on Memorial day?
I'd REALLY like to get it done in 1 day so I can break it in before my trip to the beach.
If we could organize and start on Monday and get it done by Monday night, that'd be awesome!
Oh man, I'm not going to be here over Mem. day.

I won't be down here until late Tuesday night. I might be down here over the following weekend but I'm not sure yet.
I will help all I can though definitely. We can try to do it in the evenings next week or if I'm here over the weekend, maybe we could do it then?
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:04 am
by scottzg
uhhh.... when i did my clutch i just pulled the engine. I found this to be fairly painless.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:07 am
by BAC5.2
The following weekend, I won't be here, I'll be in PA at the Carlisle auto show.
Hopefully we can do it in the evenings next week, otherwise, i'll have to bite the bullet and take it to my mechanic to install. I'd much rather not do that because that's a LOT of money that I just don't have, and that would put me even more in debt than I already am in.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:14 am
by BAC5.2
scottzg wrote:uhhh.... when i did my clutch i just pulled the engine. I found this to be fairly painless.
That seems a lot more complicated than dropping the tranny.
What was involved?
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:17 am
by Flip_x
when we did my clutch make shure u put it in the right way because we put it in the wrong way and we had to take everything out and do it again, but my uncle is a machanic so he did it in like 12 hours or less
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:31 am
by scottzg
BAC5.2 wrote:scottzg wrote:uhhh.... when i did my clutch i just pulled the engine. I found this to be fairly painless.
That seems a lot more complicated than dropping the tranny.
What was involved?
about 6 hoses, disconnect the exhaust, the 4 bolts connecting the tranny, 2 engine mount bolts, wiring harness, and my buddy and i pulled it out with a metal bar and 3 airplane buckles. (bar across our shoulders cammed into the intake manifold) We had the engine out in about an hour and a half. He had done it before, and I've pulled engines before, so we were a quick team.
I liked it because it did not involve moving heavy things while under a car. I hate going under cars. About a day later, i ended up replacing both front axles, when i noticed the boots were cracked when we had the engine out. Live and learn.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 12:33 am
by scottzg
perhaps the way to decide is to figure out what else you want to do while you have a major component out. new engine mounts? drop the engine. new CVs? Drop the tranny.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:29 am
by Kelly
doing mine right now too
Dont forget the pin for the throwout lever.
And if your tranny mount has never been replaced, it needs to.
I couldnt afford the flywheel this round, but Im curious of how you like it.
http://images.snapfish.com/33%3A8675523 ... B%3Aot1lsi
went ahead and scrubbed er while shes out

Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 3:49 am
by entirelyturbo
scottzg wrote:wiring harness
As far as I'm concerned, this one thing is enough to drop the tranny as opposed to pulling the engine. To unplug everything and label it, move it all out of the way, etc. etc. is too much work.
Now if you're going to be doing other things to the engine (oil seal replacement, etc. etc.) while it's out, then it becomes worth it. But just a clutch job? Definitely drop the tranny. There's only about 3 wires involved there.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:54 am
by vrg3
The engine wiring harness is fairly simple. Most of it is just three connectors behind the battery. Then you unplug the cam/crank angle sensors and the knock sensor, and that's it, I think.
I've had good results with Castrol dino gear oil and that Valvoline semi-synthetic brake fluid stuff that's both DOT3 and DOT 4.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 5:12 am
by BAC5.2
Awesome.
I spoke to my buddy Keefe (owns a BITCHIN road race WRX) and he pointed me to a good shop in Kensington.
I am torn between what to do now. Pay $40 an hour for a shop to knock the clutch and stuff out, or try and redline it overnight with Matt and hope we get it all done. If we don't, the car will sit in my garage for 2 weeks while I am out of town.
I'm leaning towards the shop, espically since my mom and dad said that they would front me the cash to cover the work. I'd LOVE to do it myself, but time is my enemy, and I need to get the car on the road ASAP (meaning no later than 1 week from this Friday).
Had I gotten my shit together earlier and had the car on the road earlier, doing it myself would have been a good option, but between work (I am soon to be transferred to a different store working almost full-time and making $3 more per hour), SEMA, and the beach coming up, plus finding time to catch up with friends from high school, I'm stressing out. I'm also looking for a second job to cover the week days I won't be working my normal job. All to pay for the increasing debt I am incurring. Between saving money for a trip I'm going on over christmas, the clutch and related parts that are SNAFU on my car, I'm strapped.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 8:07 am
by scottzg
All the plugs are keyed for the wiring harness. I didnt even label anything. If i lived on your coast i would totally help. I bet i could do it in 2.5 hours.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:05 pm
by boostjunkie
Hey Phil, what beach are you heading out to? This weekend?
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:40 pm
by BAC5.2
Ocean City, I'm going a week from monday. Spending the whole week. It's gonna be a blast. Hot women, lots of good times, and hot women.
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 6:05 pm
by boostjunkie
GEEZUS CHRISTMAS!! Your posts have been a total bummer for me lately:(
First, you wanna do an install when I'm in OCEAN CITY . . . then you head down to OCEAN CITY when I leave
Ah wellz *shrug*
Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 7:05 pm
by BAC5.2
Well, I'm not doin the install myself anyway. I just don't have the time to try and deal with it.
Parts should be in by the end of the week, and I'll drop it off at Archie (my mechanic) on Monday. It should, with any luck, be done by Wednesday. I leave for the beach the following Monday at around noon, and leave the beach Friday at around noon.
Total labor should be around $400 or so, which isn't terrible.