clutch replacement/rear main seal

[masterbm]

All,

DONE! FINALLY, got everything back in working order, clutch feels like a dream. Nice and soft but appropriately "sticky" as it engages early on. I love it.

This project is do-able, but if you don't have a nice set of automotive tools, be prepared to go the local auto parts store quite a bit. Make sure you have plenty of metric wrenches, an appropriate triple square (aka "internal wrench," aka "double hex wrench," aka "bi hex wrench," aka "xzn wrench"), PB blaster penetrating oil, torque wrench, the special tool for replacing the seal if you can get it, maybe an extra RMS if you mess one up. You'll especially need 15mm, 16mm, 8mm, 10mm sockets, a breaker bar, a small drift to punch out the pegs on the spoiler, T55 hex wrench (if I remember right). You'll probably want both deep and short sockets for 15 and 16 mm. Get an appropriate tool (I used a reciprocating saw) to cut bolts with if your exhaust system isn't in great shape and the bolts appear rusty. Getting the exhaust system out was the hardest part for me because we had to cut the bolts out of the triangular flange where the rest of the exhaust system connects with the header. After cutting the heads of the bolts off we still had the problem of having the shafts of the bolts stuck in the flange. We used a blowtorch to heat the flange around the bolts to make the hole expand, and then pounded them out with a hammer. Obviously, if you can get the muffler out at its connections immediately to the rest of exhaust system on its left and right, where those c-clamps are, you're good too, but my muffler was so rusted to the rest of the system, we thought we'd hurt it more by trying it this way, hence taking it off further upstream where it connects to the exhaust manifold. A "transmission attachment" would have been nice to put on my floor jack to help get the transaxle in and out, but it's not strictly necessary. It would have been nice to replace the ratty looking attachments which hold the bumper and the wheel well shielding on, but we were able to use the old ones anyway.

THANKS VERY MUCH TO:

1. kbrandsma who lent me his triple square and RMS tool.

2. Wayne Dempsey who published the info on Pelican Parts' site, and who offered his advice and encouragement

3. This board and everyone else who commented/helped.

I'm pleased to donate again to this board, a small sliver of the money I saved doing this project.

B

[1schoir]

All,

DONE! FINALLY, got everything back in working order, clutch feels like a dream. Nice and soft but appropriately "sticky" as it engages early on. I love it.

This project is do-able, but if you don't have a nice set of automotive tools, be prepared to go the local auto parts store quite a bit. Make sure you have plenty of metric wrenches, an appropriate triple square (aka "internal wrench," aka "double hex wrench," aka "bi hex wrench," aka "xzn wrench"), PB blaster penetrating oil, torque wrench, the special tool for replacing the seal if you can get it, maybe an extra RMS if you mess one up. You'll especially need 15mm, 16mm, 8mm, 10mm sockets, a breaker bar, a small drift to punch out the pegs on the spoiler, T55 hex wrench (if I remember right). You'll probably want both deep and short sockets for 15 and 16 mm. Get an appropriate tool (I used a reciprocating saw) to cut bolts with if your exhaust system isn't in great shape and the bolts appear rusty. Getting the exhaust system out was the hardest part for me because we had to cut the bolts out of the triangular flange where the rest of the exhaust system connects with the header. After cutting the heads of the bolts off we still had the problem of having the shafts of the bolts stuck in the flange. We used a blowtorch to heat the flange around the bolts to make the hole expand, and then pounded them out with a hammer. Obviously, if you can get the muffler out at its connections immediately to the rest of exhaust system on its left and right, where those c-clamps are, you're good too, but my muffler was so rusted to the rest of the system, we thought we'd hurt it more by trying it this way, hence taking it off further upstream where it connects to the exhaust manifold. A "transmission attachment" would have been nice to put on my floor jack to help get the transaxle in and out, but it's not strictly necessary. It would have been nice to replace the ratty looking attachments which hold the bumper and the wheel well shielding on, but we were able to use the old ones anyway.

THANKS VERY MUCH TO:

1. kbrandsma who lent me his triple square and RMS tool.

2. Wayne Dempsey who published the info on Pelican Parts' site, and who offered his advice and encouragement

3. This board and everyone else who commented/helped.

I'm pleased to donate again to this board, a small sliver of the money I saved doing this project.

B

Master:

Nice summary with invaluable tips which will inevitably save lots of other members TONS of time and frustration.

Thanks for posting the details, and hats off for your perseverance.

Regards, Maurice.

[masterbm]

Thanks again to kbrandsma and por986 for their help. A donation has been made to this board in their name as well! Thanks for being good citizens!

B