WTF cant get a few parts to seperate!

[Scuba_Steve]

Im trying to install a new clutch and new front CV shafts. I am not superman, but definitely not a weakling. I can not for the life of me get the tranny to separate from the engine. I appears to be hanging from the spline, and Im afraid It is being damaged/bent to shit. WTF am I doing wrong. I am 95% positive I got all the bolts out. I dont see any more, and followed the vfaq. It is very separated at the bottom, and barely on the top. So its canted at an angle, and I cant rectify it, its stuck where it is.

Next, I removed the driver axle, bearing, and intermediate shaft. The axle and intermediate shaft are stuck together. I have pried with all I can. I think I got it to move about a mm if that.

[FluxCapacitor]

I'd recommend a hefty pry bar that looks like a big flat head screw driver w/ a slight bend at the tip.... Also, sometimes the transmission can just be a bitch, what I do is sit in the passenger front tire wheel wheel and bend my knees to support the transmission, then using my knees pressing up on the transmission and my arms, just kinda wiggle/brute force it out of there. I do the same to install and haven't had many problems. You might put a little anti seaze on the input shaft so that it doesn't happen again.

[Scuba_Steve]

Got the tranny out. There was this metal gasket looking thing that had pins going into the transmission on it. Well that pulled away from the tranny on all points except one, it pulled away from the engine there. I pried it out, and the tranny instantly broke free. I will say, it was a bitch bringing it down though! A bit heavier than i expected... I probably should have jacked the car up higher.

[GST95]

That " metal gasket looking thing" is the starter plate.

[JLR11]

Actually I think that thin metal plate he is talking about is the lower tranny inspection cover that causes many people grief when doing tranny jobs. There's one 10mm headed bolt that is a pita to see or get too. I don't think a person could rip the starter plate apart but you could bend the piss out of it.

[FluxCapacitor]

OH YEAH, that inspection cover can cause a lot of problems.... and it's easy to overlook.

[Scuba_Steve]

Ill take a picture tommorow. I dont think my car even had the inspection cover though, when the guide told me to remove it, the bolt mentioned was missing, and the plate pictured wasnt there.

[Scuba_Steve]

Here is an update.



Here is the metal plate I mentioned. The tabs can be seen in the bottom right and top left corners. After wiping some of the grease off, they look a lot better than I thought, I dont think I need to replace it. Only time will tell...

Here is the intermediate shaft. I thought this didnt have a clip on it? Anyways, I got a new set of pry bars, and used some unconventional techniques and got it apart.



Next is the ball on the release fork. I know your suppose to place a lock washer under the ball when you do a clutch job. Is this a washer from a previous job? Or should I put another one down?



Lastly, another damn stuck part. I have tried to just pull it off, and lightly pry it off. It is not even budging, and I down want to warp the PP. What am I doing wrong?



Is that a stock clutch btw? If not what is it?

[FluxCapacitor]

Lol @ 1st picture, douche off all that oil leak shit and find out where you're leaking from.

Also, dunno what a stock pp/fw looks like... but what i'd do is hit it lightly from the oil pan side and rotate the assembly, tap a little more, rotate, tap until it came off. Also, you need to buy a new pivot ball, clutch release fork, and TOB before putting your trans back on. That is the "right way" to do a clutch job... the wrong way is to forget that those things are all wearable items and then go for another clutch lifespan having engagement problems because those few small parts were overlooked. They're seriously cheap. Shimming the pivotball is because the part is worn and people don't want to replace it properly. Also this is the same reason people extend the slave rod (also retarded). A little dab of loctite should negate the need for a lock washer there. I'll have to look at mine again and see if it has a washer, but I seem to remember it did not and I had no clutch issues after reassembling.

[Scuba_Steve]

FluxCapacitor wrote:

Lol @ 1st picture, douche off all that oil leak shit and find out where you're leaking from.

I know I have been avoiding the issue... I really need to, there is oil everywhere. I have a new oem tob, and am rebuilding the m/s. I had planned on keeping the pivot ball and fork though. I will think about it for a while.

[blackoutsi]

Just checked my spare trans and it didn't have a washer under it.

[Scuba_Steve]

Thanks alot, so my clutch must have been replaced at some point before.

[FluxCapacitor]

by a ding dong that didn't know what they were doing... yes.

[1gdsmfan]

thats definitely an aluminum flywheel so not stock, and the pp may or may not be stock. I don't know why youd throw in an alum. flywheel and a stock clutch though so its probably not. Also the pressure plate looks like its stuck on its little pins it rests on. Try spraying those with liquid wrench (or pb blaster or whatever loosening agent you have) give it a little bit and then try to pound around the perimeter of it like you'd pound on a wheel thats stuck on the hub (evenly going side to side from the front) with a rubber hammer. Do NOT pry against the flywheel, that aluminum is soft and will disform easily if you pry agaisnt it. Also definitely get a new ball and fork as flux said, especially if your throwing in an aftermarket clutch or youll have some EXTREMELY annoying engagement issues along with some dead synchros if you continue to drive on it and a very shortened clutch life, and then you get to pull the tranny again right away. Oh joy! haha