Hey guys! I haven't been on here in a bit...I've been super busy with school and work. So I started my clutch replacement today and spent about a solid 6 hrs on it today (in-between teaching a manual transmission class). I got every bolt up top removed, slave cylinder, lines, axles, and mounts. Tomorrow morning the sub-frame will be pulled down and hopefully I can get everything back together in time for my trip to OCMD. Here's some pictures enjoy!

 

nice pics.... what is the blue tool called that holds onto the frame?

 

^It's a 4 point engine support tool.

Looks VERY familiar. I have mine out now. Lots of stuff to unbolt to get the subframe off!

 

Interesting.

 

are you replacing it with a regular OEM clutch or something else?

 

hey i have a question i see that you wrote that you removed the subframe to change the clutch i had my transmission replaced on an auto 04 tl but now my steering wheel is not straight after getting the transmission replaced by dropping the subframe do u know need to get an alighment?

 

I got the oem clutch and pressure plate, bearings and slave cylinder from Tim at oemacuraparts.com! only cost about 350 bucks and 15 hours of my time. ill post the rest of the pics up soon.

 

Yea the steering rack has to be unbolted and usually can get tweaked a little. setting the toe after pulling the subframe is a good idea.

 

yea kn is right, it is an engine support tool. since the subframe and engine mounts come out there is nothing to hold the engine in. I know some techs that just drop the whole engine and tranny out but it's a lot more work. I didn't have the acura support so I put this one together from the support tools we have in the back of the shop. worked out pretty damn well.

 

So after another solid 7 hours of work today I got the trans out, replaced the clutch and pressure plate, and have almost everything reinstalled. All that's left is the wiring, bleed the new slave cylinder, and the battery. You'll notice i had to re tap one of the bolt holes on the trans case. The bolt stripped on it's way out. that's what happens when manufacturers use non-coated bolts in aluminum. I replaced the throwout bearing as well.
I left the pilot bearing as I didn't have the correct spline socket to remove the flywheel bolts. Plus I was unsure about removing a dual-mass flywheel that could separate if dropped or removed improperly.
Also the clutch did not line up on the first try. The alignment tool had some play to it and caused the clutch plate to drop a little. After re-centering the trans popped right back in.
so if you guys are gonna try to do this yourself you will need a considerable amount of knowledge and a lift, special tools and some extra help. I even went to my local Acura dealership to see if i could borrow the pressure plate compression tool. That was a big no but I just installed the PP bolts in a star pattern 1/4 turn at a time, so the pressure plate bolted down evenly. Enjoy!!

One of my students giving a helping hand to lower the subframe.




[The flywheel had barely and scoring or marks on it. and the clutch looked barely worn.

IMG]http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee306/njgrandprix/IMG_20120710_104621.jpg[/IMG]

 

People do it differently but when you drop the subframe with the steering rack still attached (following the service manual), you have to disconnect the steering column inside the car. You're supposed to put orientation marks on both pieces so it can be put together correctly.

It's a bitch fitting under there and I was able to mark it but to make it even more foolproof, I locked the steering wheel before removing it.

Could be as simple as going back under and moving it one spline or two in the right direction.

 

Thanks for the pic's , hopefully never have to do it...

 

oh ok i see yea because my mechanic did the transmission swap but said he didnt move the subframe so now im wondering why my steering wheel is not straight regardless to say i needed a wheel alighment either way now

 

He had to remove the subframe it's literally not possible to remove it without taking out the sub frame first...as far as i know.

 

and part of the service manual says to unbolt the steering shaft and if you don't mark it with paint the wheel could be off center after install. I've done it before it's probably a tooth off on the shaft.

 

Great work.

 

Awesome work. I wish I had the balls to do an install like this


But then again I wish I had a 6MT!

 

There is no way to get the transmission out without removing the subframe.

 

yea thats what i told my mechanic

oh ok thanks ill be checking later on to see if its fine

 

So after about 3 hours today my car was finished and working. I only had to finish putting the wiring and cable back together. Battery, tray airbox and some random nuts and bolts.
She drives great and the new clutch feels ridiculous. She shifts great and the pedal feels like when i bought the car. It's a little grabby but I guess I need to break the clutch in a bit. I only put about 25 miles on it since earlier. Did a little stop and go and some highway. I didn't really take any more pictures since I was concentrating on finishing up. I took 2 pics of the engine bay with all the wiring apart it looks like a grenade went off. Enjoy!!!

 

LOL, i had to do this in my DRIVEWAY! LOL it took me 14hrs!
btw the subframe is heavy as shit!

 

Awesome work. That's a lot of work to replace a clutch. I hope I could do this when I need to replace mine.

 

didint get the fly machined? I am gonna have to do this soon times.

 

Nope I could still see the swirl marks from factory. No vibration problems or anything. Saved me $500 on a new flywheel.

 

On a side not I've only put about 50 miles on the new clutch since Wednesday lol I work from home. It feels like a new clutch but the pedal is a little low grabbing and it can be a but jumpy sometimes. the mushy pedal is gone and I no longer have to rev it 3000 rpm to move. But i think I'm going to replace the clutch master cylinder because when I bled the new slave cylinder the clutch pedal would not come up from the floor. I'm thinking the master is shot.

 

bump. After about 150 miles clutch is working pretty darn well. It's still a little grabby and there's a TSB to replace the clutch master if it's making popping noises and not operating properly, which it is. So once I get 100 bucks together I will replacing the master.