Wun started installing a clutch

fastfreddygassit · Postby **fastfreddygassit** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:49 pm

wun911 wrote:I have a major concern, the area circled in red is kinda greasy / oily, is the seal that is behind the flywheel on its way out? Should I replace it OR is this normal can may I proceed with installing my new flywheel or should I wait till wednesday and get the part?

My gut feeling is to leave it as is.
If replaced, you have to careful driving the new seal in and I don't think you have a socket large enough.
For the high number of km's your car has done and the amount of oil present I do not think you have a major problem. There is a weep, yes, but where it is originating from I cannot be sure.
This only my opinion and you must bear in mind that I am as dodgy as they come. :mrgreen:

anyway, if it gets worse over time you can always change it later. As you are discovering, it is pretty easy to pull out a gearbox.
(it's getting it back in that is fun

)

Woo · Postby **Woo** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:09 pm

Close up shot please Wun
Is there any fresh oil around? or is it all dirty?
My experience is that the long sump bolts have more metal to stretch so I would suggest;

1 Remove the splint plate.
2 Give it a good clean, working the gunge away from the crank seal
3 Tighten the sump to spec. Start with the long bolts then side to side for at least 3 bolts each side

As the clutches don't last forever, remember (and factor in a motor removal) next time it needs doing.

I'd still like closeup pics though

(Doesn't seem terminally bad from the picture)

Bazz

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:15 pm

Ok I have decided to go ahead as planned and install the flywheel I have chosen not to replace the seal I know if worse comes to worse it can be done later lol. Sorry baz I have clead up all the oil with a rag. (I think your correct Ive done 180,000 km and I'm inclined to rebuild the engine and take the engine out of the car when I do that I will fix this seal)

I was generous with the red thread locker about 3 drops on each bolt and I have torqued down all the bolts to 78 pounds and double checked them all.

The round thing (spigot bearing) was put into the middle of the flywheel using a block of wood and a hammer. The flywheel has been cleanned with "break cleaner" and I have not touched it since.

Molygrease was applied to the gear bit in the middle of the frictional material (a very thin smear)

The clutch alignment tool was used to center the frictional material to the flywheel. The higher middle part is facing the pink clutch cover plate. The more flush side is facing the flywheel.

The pink clutch cover plate has been put on the exceedy sticker has been removed because its considred rotational mass. These six small bolts were torqued down to 25 pounds I know a factory flywheel needs 17 pounds, however I chose to follow the instructions that came with the ACT flywheel.

I have prepared the gear box it is ready to go back into the car tomorow, basically you just follow these very cute instructions found on the back of the excedy clutch box. I greased the spine and the clutch fork and put in a new "thow out bearing". This is very easy to install very straight foward you can't put it in backwards.

I think Im just going to pack up and call it a day. thanks for the suport and advice its greatly appreciated.

AB7 · Postby **AB7** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:55 pm

Good stuff Wun. Pretty impressive work so far.

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:57 pm

wun911 wrote:the exceedy sticker has been removed because its considred rotational mass.

Probably not a bad idea though if it's gonna be spinning round lots. It's only going to come loose eventually.

Pamex · Postby **Pamex** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:04 am

I'm going to leave Nissan early and be over there this afternoon. Just need to go home, grab my tools and put some different clothes on first.

green_comet · Postby **green_comet** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 3:06 pm

Nice work Wun, I would have changed that seal though mate.

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:39 pm

Yeah I'm miffed about that seal, but its Easter and Mazda isn't open, I cant lift the box by myself, and help came today.

Wuey and Fattima gave a hand reinstalling the gearbox to the car, it took about 2 hrs or so (THANKS HEAPS)...

The tricks are:

Jack the front of the engine up a bit (shown in pic)
Put the drive shaft back in and turn it to try and line up the gears
You have to lie on your back and literally kick it in.
Check and double check that the clutch alignemnt tool can go in and out of the clutch easily
We turned the crank a bit (21mm bolt) help line it up and put it into place (I can feel it tug slighlty but not turn drive shaft because car is in neutral).
I think this is a good way to double check its in properly before you bolt stuff back to the car.

Im just starting to put everything back together again drive shaft, im just applying some blue locktight to the nuts and torqueing them down to spec...

kazjim · Postby **kazjim** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 6:44 pm

Looking Good WUN !

I took a few hours off today - old shoulder injury playing up ....

But the box is in, the PPF is bolted back up and everything else is in place ...

Just got some tidying up to do tomorrow .... should be on the road by lunchtime :roll:

Well done mate, not bad for a first-timer !

Wait until you do one in a Holden V8 - those things take two just to lift the box !

J

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:13 pm

Nice job wun

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:41 pm

Yay I'm basically done all the bell housing bolts are on the clutch slave is on the wires are connected up. MT90 oil has been pumped back into the car.

Not sure of the torque specs for all the bracing (my instructions are for NA)???

At the moment just doing a count on tools like it was a surgical operation I dont want tools left rattling inside etc.

FFG your clutch alignemt tool and extensions can be returned to you on wednesday when I beat you at badminton.

Thanks to everyone for their advice input and encouragement.

fattima · Postby **fattima** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:00 am

So you taken it for a spin yet??????

kazjim · Postby **kazjim** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:49 pm

Well, I spent another half a day out in the garage and its done ....

Had an "oh sh*t" moment, and i doubted myself that the pressure plate was engaged on the splines - turned a rear wheel and even in gear it freewheeled .... :cry:

Then I remembered that an open wheel diff will spin the opposite wheel instead of the driveshaft ...

So after having a cup of tea and a bit of a sit down, Mrs KazJim came and did up the nasty bolt at the Top of the drivers side, *thank you !*
Filled the gearbox (Simple method, buy Nulon Gear oil, put nozzle into fill hole and place bottle on top of the gearbox - wait until bottle empty - repeat .... )

Took it for a spin - the car is totally transformed - I never realised that the clutch was slipping, but this new Exedy has great bite, excellent shock damping and no smell when dríven hard !

Total Time Spent - around 10 hours - lots of distractions and knowing that i had heaps of time to do it in .....

Hope you've finished up too WUN ...

Cheers
J

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:37 pm

Yes I have taken it for a drive and I have just been adjusting the clutch pedal with the 12 and 10mm nuts to get it nice to my preferences...

The flywheel:

I have stalled the car in reverse initially just getting off the ramps. I have stalled the a couple of times parking in a shopping centre. It demands a bit more of your attention and revs and balance, but Im getting used to it fairly quickly.

I havent noticed any differnece going up hill (some say light weight flywheel not good for hills)

The "feeling" of the lightweight flywheel is very noticable in 1st 2nd and 3rd but in 4th 5th and 6th I dont notice it at all. Reverse is the most noticable gear and most anoying.

Its very rev happy; in neutral tapping the throttle makes the revs jump up and down very quickly. This does lead to a noticable nice quick acceleation, if you can shift quickly its very rewarding if you can get to high revs so quickly.

Some people say a lightweight flywheel is more noizy, I seriously don't notice any more noize than before, it does sound a bit differnt but its not more noizy in any way.

The Exeedy HD clutch:

Pedal effort is next to nothing actually its lighter than stock in my opnion (I kinda like it more firm). There is a good feel to the engagment and plently of it, a lot of give and a fair amout of engagement in the pedal itself.

Overall I'm very pleased with my new clutch and ACT prolite flywheel.