Clutch Change-How-To.

[mjb]

The magnificent Jasper5's just left. After 6 hours all we've done is got the clutch on, got the gearbox on, and broken the clutch slave cylinder so we don't know if the operation is a success

I have 2 options:

1) put the car back together tonight and tomorrow, get a cylinder monday, either have to dismantle everything again or have a working car. 50% chance of missing RIAT next weekend, 50% chance of wasted effort

2) take the weekend off, get the cylinder monday, spend next week after work and saturday putting the car back together, 100% chance of missing RIAT, 0% chance of wasted effort

Must say I'm leaning heavily towards the 2nd option.

Given I'm supposed to be driving to Germany in a bit over a fortnight... it's getting tense!

[Captain Jack]

That's amazing - glad jasper helped you put the car back together. How did you managed to break the slave cylinder? Can you not just push the arm in the gearbox to simulate it and check it that way (somehow)?

RIAT = Air show in Fairford?

[mjb]

That's amazing - glad jasper helped you put the car back together. How did you managed to break the slave cylinder? Can you not just push the arm in the gearbox to simulate it and check it that way (somehow)?

Put it this way, you MUST bleed some fluid out of the slave before trying to put it back in the box, else it'll be too pressurised and you'll end up trying a little too hard to force it in

The clutch fork needs a LOT of pressure to move. I *THINK* I moved it by jamming a screwdriver in there, but not by much. I don't know how much force is supposed to be needed to do it...

RIAT = Air show in Fairford?

Aye


Ooooh eurocarparts and GSF both deliver for £8! That's cheaper than the return taxi!

[Captain Jack]

Put it this way, you MUST bleed some fluid out of the slave before trying to put it back in the box, else it'll be too pressurised and you'll end up trying a little too hard to force it in

Ah, now I know why it comes "compressed" when new. Do you have your old slave cylinder still (the one before this)? Is it usable for testing at all?

[mjb]

Ah, now I know why it comes "compressed" when new. Do you have your old slave cylinder still (the one before this)? Is it usable for testing at all?

Nah, it couldn't hold pressure anyway

[Welly]

Excellent Forum-buddy helpyness there!

You should have a nice light and snappy clutch after all this.

[mjb]

doubt the weight of it will change much - if anything the new clutch plate with its new springs will be heavier, which doesn't bother me too much - I like feeling in my pedals The clutch judder's hopefully going to disappear though

Just getting nervous about tonight. Picking up a new slave and some more DOT5.1 from eurocarparts on the way home. If it doesn't do the job and it turns out the old slave was ok, I'm going to cry.
If the other subframe mount spins on fitting I'm going to cry
If I've disturbed the suspected dodgy PAS pipe too much I'm going to cry
If I ripped the intermediate driveshaft heat shield too much trying to remove it I'm going to cry
If the gearbox leaks oil because I cracked it when I dropped it, I'm going to cry
If the gearbox leaks oil because I messed up changing the diff seals I'm going to cry
If the engine doesn't start because I disturbed the HUGE crack on the coil pack yesterday when I cleaned the remaining oil from the spark plug wells, I'm going to cry
If the steering doesn't work because I broke the balljoints too badly separating them, I'm going to cry

In short, the car's going to be EXCEEDINGLY lucky to escape this week without hammer-shaped perforations

Actually I've just remembered I need a new drop link for the front nearside where the allen hole's rounded with the joint half undone. Hope I can get a hacksaw to it...

[jasper5]

Big question is....has that bearing locked?

Don't despair, my offer still stands, we'll get there in the end, such things are just a nuisance...it happens.

[mjb]

Big question is....has that bearing locked?

The release fork? Yes, but I've got to wait until tonight to test it with a new slave cylinder. £££ to get a taxi to eurocarparts because the sods won't deliver to where I work

If it does work and feels right I'll be working like a madman to get the car drivable for tomorrow. Bloody long way to walk to work and I'm still saddle-sore

[Captain Jack]

So, what's the verdict, Matt....?

[mjb]

Quick update while I'm having a fag break

Gearbox mount on
Cruise control wires wrapped in a glove and tied up
Bottom mount bracket is on
Driveshafts are in
Flywheel sensor in
TPS plugged in
Starter refitted
ECU refitted

To do:
flywheel cover
oil temp+level sensors to replug
saw off old n/s drop link
put droplinks on
Alternator wiring bracket on
Engine (gearbox ) ground cable to fit
Battery box + battery
subframe (how the hell am i going to get the steering rack lined up?)
pas piping
steering rods
bottom ball joints
fill gearbox oil
undertray
wheelarch liners
wheels
drop car
hub nuts
wheels off
hub nut covers
wheels on
bleed clutch again
DRIVE!

Don't think I'll make it to the chippy by the 10pm closing time

[teamster1975]

So Matt, when you've finished this can you pop down and help me do the tubby?
I'm glad there's light at the end of the tunnel matey

[mjb]

I just spent 4 F**KING HOURS getting that knackered drop link off and used all my drill bits doing it

I managed to saw a couple of slots in the top of the middle bit using a 1" section of my hacksaw (the rest didn't fit) then wedged the impact driver in there with a flathead bit. Nothing. Drilled the middle of the middle bit out... Nothing. Hit it hard. Nothing. Ended up drilling the nut off. By that I mean I drilled 2x4mm dia sections of it clean off. The nut became 2 curved bits of metal. Stuck to the middle bit. STILL STUCK!

Dunno how I got it off after that, I completely lost my temper, but basically I'd drilled the nut into 2 sections not touching each other and it was still clinging to the bloody drop link

What I wouldn't have given for an angle grinder...


To do:
put droplinks on
Battery box + battery
subframe (how the hell am i going to get the steering rack lined up?)
pas piping
steering rods
bottom ball joints
fill gearbox oil
undertray
wheelarch liners
wheels
drop car
hub nuts
wheels off
hub nut covers
wheels on
bleed clutch again

Might see if I can get up early and take it on before work - it's costing a fortune to travel without the car. The clutch pedal feels like I should be able to drive it without a proper bleed and I think I should be able to get away without pinning the hub nuts for a day. If it's not wet out I'll be tempted to skip the undertray and wheelarch liners too

Must remember to fill the gearbox oil. Think I'll see if I can drive the car before doing that though - don't want to have to drain it all out again if all this hasn't worked

[Welly]

I still can't believe the amount of work there m

All I can do is take my hat off to you and bid you a very well done

[mjb]

IT WORKS!!!

Gearstick was VERY iffy though, hope it was due to the lack of gearbox oil else it's probably the cable mounts - which is a subframe off job!

started at 7, just got the undertray, wheelarch liners, hub nuts and clutch bleed to do now! Think I'll give the brake discs a clean too...