Clutch Install / Transmission Removal [Archive] - ScoobyMods

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TMAT3
07-14-2003, 08:07 PM
You can view the same procedure here:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch.html


At 53,000 miles, the clutch started to slip every once a while especially when the it is really cold or raining. I was passing a car one day, and all of a sudden clutch slipped. Very embarrassing and it could have been also dangerous. Also, I had a clutch shudder or chatter every time I tried to engage the clutch. This is a well-known problem in Subaru clutches. So, I decided to change the clutch by myself. I was laid off from my work as a computer programmer, and I had all this free time on my hands but no money to get it fixed.

I chose to get Subaru stock clutch set because of various reasons. I had no money to get a set of aftermarket clutch, I wanted a clutch set that is easy on the transmission, and I had a lot of coupons from using a Subaru MasterCard. I bought a new pressure plate, clutch disc, throw-out bearing, and throw-out bearing clips. It was about $300 total. I had five $100 coupons, so I got the clutch for free using 3 of my coupons. It was a good move of me for applying to that credit card.

There seems to be two ways to change the clutch. The first method is to remove the transmission. The second way is to move the engine forward about 6 inches by removing the radiator. I chose the first method because that's how it's usually done to change clutch. I also wanted to get to know the underside of my car better. Moving the engine forward may be easier and faster though.

I don't have an access to a garage with lifts and engine hoists. I did this in a driveway with my own set of tools. Good thing it never rained.

NOTICE: This page is for a reference only. I AM NOT responsible for any damages or injuries that you may suffer from doing your own work on your car or someone else's car. Again, this page is to be used only as a reference.

Parts needed:
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Clutch disc ($129.95 - part #: 30100AA651)
Pressure plate ($119.95 - part# : 30210AA411)
Throw-out bearing ($34.95 part#: 30502AA051)
Throw-out bearing clips ($4.56 - part#: 30535AA000)
4qt transmission oil (optional)
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Tools needed (use high quality tools with lifetime warranty such as Craftsman, NAPA, Snap-on, Gear Ratchet...):
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Breaker bar
Clutch alignment tool. Mine is an universal application and I bought it at NAPA.
3/4in ratchet and metric sockets (to be used for the halfshaft nuts)
1/2in ratchet and metric sockets
3/8in ratchet and metric sockets
Deep sockets
Torque wrench
WD-40
2 floor jacks (to support the transmission and the engine)
4 jack stands
Flathead screwdriver.
Haynes Subaru Legacy repair book for references. This book has all the torque specs and many pictures.
Optional: Impact wrench gun (either air or electric)
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Time and effort required:
This was my first time changing a clutch on any car, but it was not the first time removing a transmission off any car. I have removed automatic transmissions off front-wheel-drive cars a long time ago. It took me full 2 days (16 hours) including prepping and clean-up. Because the transmission is heavy, I had someone to help me out when trying to take it out. Other than that, I did everything by myself. It took a lot longer to remove the transmission than reinstalling.
This is a fairly big project especially the car being an all-wheel-drive vehicle, and there are many things below and above the transmission. If you have any doubts about doing this kind of work, have a dealer or other auto mechanics do it. It will save a lot of time, pain, frustration, and anger. You may pay a lot for labor though. If you want to do this, then ask your mechanically inclined friend to help you out.

NOTE: You will be removing many many bolts and nuts. After removing each part, I would suggest screwing in the bolts or nuts so that you wouldn't lose them or get confused which bolt goes where. Also, when reinstalling parts, apply a little anti-seize on the bolts and nuts.

TMAT3
07-30-2003, 06:25 AM
Section 1: Removing the transmission.


First, disconnect the battery. Put the gear in neutral.

Now, work on the engine
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Remove the intake airbox, and disconnect 3 vacuum lines from the airbox. Cover the throttle body.
Disconnect the electrical plugs on the right side of the engine. There are about 5 or 6 plugs to disconnect.
Go to the left side of the engine. There are 2 bolts that hold the starter. Remove the top bolt. This bolt also holds transmission and a ground cable.
Remove the clutch slave cylinder bolts and secure it somewhere. DO NOT STEP ON THE CLUTCH.
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Working on suspensions and halfshafts.
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Take the center caps off the front wheels. Loosen (but don't remove) the halfshaft bolts.
Raise the vehicle as high as you can, and secure it with jackstands. Take the front wheels off. You don't need to take the rear wheels off, but the rear end must be supported by jackstands as well.
Now, remove the halfshaft bolts.
There are 2 bolts that hold the strut to the steering knucle. The top one adjusts that camber setting. Using a marker, mark that bolt so that you can install the bolt back at its original point. The purpose of marking the bolt is so that you can keep the original camber setting. Remove those bolts. The steering knucle should come off the strut.
You should be able to take the halfshaft out of the steering knucle at this point. Using a punch and a hammer, puch the shaft out. I was able to without taking the balljoint pinch bolt out. You don't need to disconnect the halfshafts at the transmission. After that, go under the car.
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Working on exhaust system.
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After the 2nd catalytic converter, there are two bolts (with springs) that hold the cat-back exhaust system. Spray the bolts with WD40 first. Wait a while, then remove the bolts. You do not need to remove the cat-back system off the car. Let it hang.
Disconnect the O2 sensor electrical plugs. There are two O2 sensors. You do not need to remove the O2 sensors off the exhaust system. Just remove the plugs.
Remove the aluminum heat shield above the cat-back system.
Go to the front of the car. Remove the exhaust manifold bolt nuts. There are 3 on each side. If you have an EGT gauge installed, remove the EGT probe first.
Remove the header and catalytic converter from the car. They will come out in one-piece. Keep the manifold gasket if you are going to reuse them. I would recommend getting new gaskets though. I decided to reuse them.
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Working on driveshaft.
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Go toward the rear differential.
There are 6 bolts that are holding the driveshaft cover at the rear differential. Remove those bolts and remove the cover.
Now you have an access to the driveshaft at the differential. NOTE: If you have a rear differential protector, you may need to remove it. I have an aftermarket one and I had to remove it.
There are 4 bolts/nuts holding the driveshaft to the rear differential. Spray them with WD40 first. Then remove the bolts. You may need to have an assistant pull the e-brake when you take those bolts off, because the driveshaft can rotate when you work on those bolts. After removing the bolts, the driveshaft should come off the differential.
There are 2 bolts that are holding the center driveshaft bearing. Remove those bolts and the whole driveshaft should come off. NOTE: If you remove the driveshaft from the transmission, the transmission oil would come out. I chose to leave the driveshaft stay at the transmission to save the trouble. You can let it hang.
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Working on the transmission.
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Remove the shift-rod nuts and bolts.
Remove the electrical connector at the top of the transmission. There are 2 screw-in type sensors on the side of the transmission. You do not need to remove them.
Remove the intake airbox support on the left side of the transmission. There are 2 bolts.
Find the area where the transmission meets the engine. Remove 2 nuts at the bottom of the transmission. These nuts tighten the engine-to-transmission bolts. You need a U-joint socket to remove these, or you need to take the halfshafts out of the transmission.
Remove rest of the engine-to-transmission bolts. On the left side of the engine, you can now remove the starter. Disconnect the wires at the starter and leave it somewhere.
Support the transmission with a floorjack. Take out the transmission crossmember. There are 10 bolts that hold rear/center/front transmission crossmember.
Remove the pitching-stopper bolt and nut.
Lower the floorjack a little. The engine and transmission should start to tilt. You need to really wiggle the transmission to get it out of the engine. Also, there are 2 alignment pins that hold the transmission to the engine. You can use a flathead screwdriver and hammer it gently at the top of the transmission to try to separate.
Keep working with the floorjack to change the angle of the transmission so that you can remove it. It will come out eventually. You definitely should have a strong friend with you.
Once it starts to separate, gently slide the transmission along the lower 2 long bolts. It will come out. You need to move the transmission toward the back. You need about 4 to 6inches of space to work on the clutch. Now you should be able to see the clutch system.
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TMAT3
07-30-2003, 06:34 AM
Section 2: Working on the clutch

Removing/Installing the throw-out bearing
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There are two clips that are holding the throw-out bearing.
Unclip them, and slide the bearing out of the input shaft.
Install the new bearing.
Install the new clips.
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Removing the clutch
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There are 6 bolts on the pressure plate going to the flywheel. Remove those.
The pressure plate and the clutch disc should come off the flywheel. They may be stuck to the flywheel because they're also held by alignment pins.
Inspect the flywheel for any sign of hotspots or deep scratches. If flywheel looks bad, replace it or get it resurfaced at a machine shop.
There are 2 clips that are holding the throw-out bearing. Unclip and remove the bearing. Install a new bearing and new clips.
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My flywheel looked really good and didn't require any resurfacing. The clutch disc was as thick as the brand new clutch. The problem was on the pressure plate. The pressure plate springs (a.k.a. fingers) were worn out and weak. Also the pressure plate surface didn't look too well.

Installing the new clutch
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Slide the new clutch disc and the pressure plate to the clutch alignment tool. Make sure that the clutch disc is going to be installed in the correct way.
Stick the end of the tool to the pilot bearing in the flywheel.
There are alignment pins on the flywheel as well. Make sure the pressure plate aligns to the pins. Then, start installing those 6 pressure plate bolts but don't tighten them.
In a criss-cross pattern, tighten the pressure plate bolts. Once the pressure plate takes over the clutch disc, remove the tool. Then tighten them with a torque wrench. 10-13ft/lb.
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Now you're ready to install the transmission. Clean the inside of the transmission and make sure everything is good.

TMAT3
07-30-2003, 06:37 AM
Section 3: Installing the transmission. Installation is reverse of removing.

NOTE: Double check the tightness on the bolts and nuts after each part is reinstalled. Take your time!! Also, make sure all electrical plugs are connected and secured. When I started my engine after I thought everything was fine, the ABS warning light popped up because I forgot to attach a wheel sensor. (I took the wheel sensor out on the right side to make sure that I wouldn't break it when taking the halfshaft out)

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Go under the car and try to put the transmission back in the engine. Have an assistant guide you from the top of the engine. Use the floorjack to adjust the height. It will go in. Also, he/she may need to move the crankshaft pulley so that the transmission input shaft would slide into the engine. Also, change the angle of the engine with a 2nd floorjack to facilitate the installation.
Once the transmission is back in, install the lower transmission nuts. Then install the transmission-to-engine bolts. Install the pitching-stopper bolt and nut. Install and connect the starter.
Install the crossmember. Remove the floorjack.
Install the electrical connector to the top of the transmission.
Install the shift-rod bolt and nut.
Install the slave cylinder and step on the clutch to make sure it's working. If not, you have to find out what's wrong with it.
Install the center bearing bolts on the driveshaft. Install the driveshaft bolts/nuts at the rear differential. Install the driveshaft cover.
Install the heat shield.
Install the exhaust manifold and catalytic converter. Reconnect the O2 sensor plugs.
Install the cat-back system to the catalytic converter.
Install the halfshafts to the steering knuckle.
Install and tighten the halfshaft nuts. Do not torque them yet.
Install the strut to the steering knuckle. Make sure the top bolt is installed as you marked it.
Install the wheels.
Lower the car and torque the halfshaft nuts.
Install the electrical plugs on the right side of the engine.
Install the intake airbox and vacuum lines.
Install the battery cable. If you have a security system, the alarm would go on. Be ready to shut off the alarm.
Start the engine. Make sure it starts fine, and there is no Check Engine light or ABS light.
Step on the clutch and select each gear to check. The gears should engage normally.
Test drive. The clutch should engage at lower point and very smoothly. It did for me. Check to make sure there is no grinding when changing the gears while driving.
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TMAT3
07-30-2003, 06:52 AM
Pictures

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch07.jpg
This is the picture of looking from top. No intake airbox.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch12.jpg
Another view.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch08.jpg
Halfshaft is out.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch09.jpg
No driveshaft nor exhaust.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch10.jpg
Driveshaft cover is gone at the rear differential.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch06.jpg
Exhaust manifold is gone.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch04.jpg
Transmission supported on a floorjack.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch11.jpg
Transmission is finally out.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch05.jpg
Looking up toward the pressure plate.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch03.jpg
Clutch is out.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch01.jpg
Old pressure plate surface and clutch disc.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/tmat3/clutch02.jpg
Old pressure plate springs

Any questions, please email me at matsut_rpi00@yahoo.com.