I wish I had the cojones to tackle a clutch replacement because I'd love to have this clutch. The most intensive jobs I've taken on is a couple timing belt/water pumps, clutch master/slave cylinder hydraulics and suspension/brake overhauls but a clutch job is voodoo magic to me Maybe I should just go buy a Helms manual already...

Thanks for this thread and the updates

 

Thank you srg818!, I was nervous the first time around. The hardest parts is supporting the engine while removing the sub-frame. Skip the Helms manual and get an OEM Service manual and you will be in business, sooo much more detail.

 

Excellent write-up.

​​​​​​i would have probably tried to modify the starter so that it would be able to work.

 

Nice write-up. Now I'm sure Excelerate supplies a quality product, but I personally can't justify a $1300-$1400 price tag for a clutch and flywheel when you can get the LUK OEM parts from rockauto for $373. That's right, a difference of around $1,000! I am a performance driver, but definitely NOT a race driver.

My 2¢
.

 

Thanks!

The Bendix starter gear is already beveled on the leading edge of gear face, the ring gear on the flywheel was missing the bevel and I didn't want to modified a hardened ring gear. Thankfully AASCO replaced the flywheel and supplied new flywheel bolts for the mix up.

Thanks! The setup was $1150 so not as much as you have. The LUK parts are still the SAC clutch and dual mass flywheel, they are ok, but I prefer a solid flywheel and sprung clutch disc, that's why I shelled out the money. Added bonus is you can put a new friction surface on the AASCO flywheel (OEM can't be machined) and you don't have to worry about setting the SAC clutch, which makes it super easy to install for DIY'er.

 

i'd pay that difference to get rid of the self adjusting clutch haha, what a pos!

 

Quoted for truth!!

 

An extra $1,000 only amounts to $0.005/mile over 200K miles....

 

I've been corrected the Helms and OEM manuals are the same. You will be good with either one!

 

Stupid Photobucket, I need to update this thread with the pictures uploaded from Flickr.

 

I am at 172k with my TL, that's 25,000 miles on this setup. One of the best things I have done to the car!

 

 

Holding up great for the miles on it!

 

Hi dude. About that whole SAC thing... Doesn't this pressure plate also have a self-adjusting mechanism too, for compensating clutch wear over time? I've been looking around the internet, and this is a fairly standard SACHS pressure plate (maybe its modified by XLR8, but I can't be sure), the marking says "TYP M240" - they use those in a whole bunch of cars. The closest one visually is the SAAB 9-5 2.3 Turbo plate, it looks almost identical. The VW Passat 2.0 TDI uses something very similar, I actually bought one for experimenting. I'm going to be attempting an install together with a friction disc from a 2.7 liter diesel Nissan Terrano (it fits a bunch of other Nissans too), while modifying my stock flywheel (converting it to single-mass and tweeking it a bit so that a generic pressure plate would fit). Anyway, my point is that I bought one from a VW Passat diesel, and inside you can clearly see a self-adjusting mechanism, with wedges that converge over time as the friction disc wears. Assuming I'm not misunderstanding what you're referring to as an SAC.

 

SAC = Self Adjusting Clutch, although the TYP M240 is used in the kit, you can see that it's missing the adjustor toggle. It was probably spec'd that way by XLR8 from SACHS along with the red paint. No requirement to make sure the SAC is set correctly at install.

 

Afraid I don't know what an adjustor toggle looks like...)) Anyway, I'm gonna try a little experiment, if it works - I'll share the results. Like I said, the DMF will be converted to single-mass, maybe machined (not sure if the new friction disc will fit within the lip), plus I've got a 03G141025H pressure plate (VW Passat TDI) and Exedy ISD104US friction disc (Nissan Terrano 2.7 diesel). I'm concerned about the splines on the disc, if they'll fit or not (I'll find out tomorrow).

 

Ok, so I tried the ISD104US friction disc - it doesn't fit the mainshaft...( Only thing left to do is try an Exedy HCD301 disc (Acura Legend)

 

You need to compare the self adjusting pressure plate version to the image below. The adjuster toggle is on on the perimeter of the pressure plate, the XLR8 kit does not have this. Note the part number on the clutch disc.

Curious how are you converting the dual mass flywheel to a single mass? Is someone balancing the flyhweel for you after the conversion?

 

Right, I see know. And yes, I did try searching for this plate using the p/n, but without any good results (apparently it's from a Chevy HHR, can't say any more than that).
Concerning the 1-mass conversion: people in my country are good with a lathe and other sorts of machinery (we did send the first man to space, after all), so this should work fine. I've already had this flywheel overhauled by them a while back, this company does stuff like that professionally, and yes, of course it'll be balanced after getting converted. Gutted and balanced. Might actually get a custom steel one fabricated, it is possible, and for not that much money (the equivalent of 250 dollars probably).

 

Gerco

Where did you purchase the plate for the main seal?


Instead of just buying the rear seal, I ponied up the $36 to get the plate. First clean the old area very well before taking the plate off since the engine internals will be exposed to anything that fails into the oil pan. Yes it's filtered but just clean it! Removing the old plate took a bit of prying but it gave way in short order. I took a razor blade and carefully cleaned the gasket surfaces. Clean the end of the crank and apply light grease to the surface that comes contact to the seal. I used Hondabond for liquid gasket, this stuff works wonder, it could probably fix a hole in a damn. Work quickly and get the new seal in.

 

Still kickin, I've put 37,000 miles on this clutch/flywheel combo

 

I posted earlier about not being sure about doing this job myself but I think I'm gonna have to go for it My pilot bearing(or throwout bearing, not sure which currently) is unfortunately getting louder and is on its way out and will have to be replaced sooner than later.

How difficult was it to get the trans lined up and mated back up to the block when reassembling? Did you hondabond the rear main seal in place? or just the plate? Did you use a tool to hold the flywheel while torquing the flywheel bolts?

 

 

Nice! It's not a bad job if you stay organized.

The trans wasn't hard to line up, it takes a little bit of finessing, don't force it. Having an extra set of hands always helps. I used Hondabond on the metal plate to the block. You do not need to use hondabond on the seal to plate.

To hold the flywheel while torquing, I use a box/open end wrench and a trans bolt. Place the trans mount bolt through the box end of the wrench and attach it to the block and then use a clutch plate bolt or locating pin and the open end to hold the flywheel. You need to mount the wrench in the correct orientation to be effective while tightening.
Something like this: https://goo.gl/images/kpYZBp

 

 

 

Awesome! I hope you like the clutch as much as I do, been driving it for a long time now.

Hope you are able to hold all the torques man, I've been following your builds. Considered a twin disc?

 

Can you PM me what I would need to switch to your “ideal setup” you meantioned? And roughly what’d it cost?