DIY Clutch work?
11-03-2011, 10:39 PM
#1
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Nor Cali
Posts: 2,059
DIY Clutch work?
Hey everyone!
I just bought the Exedy Mach 500 clutch kit from Americanmuscle and I'm thinking about replacing it myself. I'm also getting the Exedy steel flywheel. I know what I'm getting myself into but I'm handy with a wrench. Heck I even installed the Whipple myself and my exhaust system from the prochamber to the axle backs. To those who have done their own clutch job, how long did it take you and is there anything to watch out for? I'm also going to replace the pilot bearing and slave cylinder. Thanks!
I just bought the Exedy Mach 500 clutch kit from Americanmuscle and I'm thinking about replacing it myself. I'm also getting the Exedy steel flywheel. I know what I'm getting myself into but I'm handy with a wrench. Heck I even installed the Whipple myself and my exhaust system from the prochamber to the axle backs. To those who have done their own clutch job, how long did it take you and is there anything to watch out for? I'm also going to replace the pilot bearing and slave cylinder. Thanks!
11-03-2011, 11:33 PM
#2
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ohio
Posts: 102
I have not installed a clutch on my mustang but I have in my DD without having ever done one before, it was a FWD car and much less room to work with. From looking around under my mustang I would assume it would be easier than that, and it went pretty smoothly. Just make sure you get everything lined up and take your time and I don't think you will have a problem.
11-04-2011, 10:27 AM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 4,491
I'm in the middle of my second clutch swap on my car. The S197 is, by far, the most difficult clutch swap I've ever done on a RWD vehicle (and I've done many). The easy part is removing the H-pipe, driveshaft, transmission crossmember and starter to get started (as well as a few electrical connections). After that, things get tricky. Here are the little quirks you should know about. For one, the top two transmission bolts are a bear to get to. You WILL have to remove your battery and battery tray to reach them and it will still take a ratchet with a cheater bar to break them loose. The rest of the bolts are fairly easy to remove. It also takes a bit of finesse to disconnect the fluid line for the slave cylinder from the bellhousing (you'll want to cap this off by placing a small piece of shop towel over the end and snapping the cap from your new slave cylinder over the shop towel. It may still drip a tiny bit, but at least you won't lose all of your fluid from your master cylinder). Next is the ridiculous task of actually removing the transmission. The transmission has two worthless "ears" that make sliding it back almost impossible. The first time I did it, I had to drop the K-member WAY down to get the transmission low enough to have the room to move it back far enough to have the input shaft clear the pressure plate fingers. This time, I laid under the car with the bellhousing between my knees and the tail of the transmission in my hands above my chest. I "clocked" the transmission until those worthless ears would clear the bellhousing and lowered the tail to my chest. Then, I continued to rotate the transmission until I was able to clear the input shaft of the pressure plate fingers and lower the transmission to my body by SLOWLY spreading my legs (har har). I then shifted the weight of the tail to the floor next to me and worked myself from under the transmission. Took about 15 minutes of painful contortion (and I don't recommend this method if you don't have at least average upper body strength). The very next thing I did was to cut those useless, worthless, piece-of-crap ears off of the transmission with a grinding wheel. Unfortunately, this did not make putting the transmission back in that much easier. I still had to lower the K-member, but not nearly as much as the first time. When removing the old slave, be careful not to break the clip that holds the fluid line in place on the bellhousing. If you do, it will cost you $10 at your local Ford service department to replace it. Reattaching the line from the master cylinder to the bellhousing is fairly difficult. Keep working with it and examine how the parts fit together before you raise the transmission into place. You will eventually get it.
I guess that's pretty much all the advice I can give you. I did my own Whipple install as well, and it was a cakewalk compared to the clutch. I pride myself on doing ALL of my own work on my vehicles, but if this car ever cooks another clutch, I may just suck it up and take it to a shop. (But who knows, I also said that last time...)
I guess that's pretty much all the advice I can give you. I did my own Whipple install as well, and it was a cakewalk compared to the clutch. I pride myself on doing ALL of my own work on my vehicles, but if this car ever cooks another clutch, I may just suck it up and take it to a shop. (But who knows, I also said that last time...)
11-04-2011, 10:41 AM
#5
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Redding, CA
Posts: 4,552
I think my slave is taking a dump. Lately, when going up into the driveway, the car gets stuck in first and if I press the clutch in the car, it keeps going a few feet before the clutch disengages. Not looking forward to pulling the tranny, but it is winter time and I may just send it in for upgrading if I pull it so I do not have to do it twice. I'm very surprised it has lasted this long.
11-04-2011, 06:52 PM
#7
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Nor Cali
Posts: 2,059
I'm in the middle of my second clutch swap on my car. The S197 is, by far, the most difficult clutch swap I've ever done on a RWD vehicle (and I've done many). The easy part is removing the H-pipe, driveshaft, transmission crossmember and starter to get started (as well as a few electrical connections). After that, things get tricky. Here are the little quirks you should know about. For one, the top two transmission bolts are a bear to get to. You WILL have to remove your battery and battery tray to reach them and it will still take a ratchet with a cheater bar to break them loose. The rest of the bolts are fairly easy to remove. It also takes a bit of finesse to disconnect the fluid line for the slave cylinder from the bellhousing (you'll want to cap this off by placing a small piece of shop towel over the end and snapping the cap from your new slave cylinder over the shop towel. It may still drip a tiny bit, but at least you won't lose all of your fluid from your master cylinder). Next is the ridiculous task of actually removing the transmission. The transmission has two worthless "ears" that make sliding it back almost impossible. The first time I did it, I had to drop the K-member WAY down to get the transmission low enough to have the room to move it back far enough to have the input shaft clear the pressure plate fingers. This time, I laid under the car with the bellhousing between my knees and the tail of the transmission in my hands above my chest. I "clocked" the transmission until those worthless ears would clear the bellhousing and lowered the tail to my chest. Then, I continued to rotate the transmission until I was able to clear the input shaft of the pressure plate fingers and lower the transmission to my body by SLOWLY spreading my legs (har har). I then shifted the weight of the tail to the floor next to me and worked myself from under the transmission. Took about 15 minutes of painful contortion (and I don't recommend this method if you don't have at least average upper body strength). The very next thing I did was to cut those useless, worthless, piece-of-crap ears off of the transmission with a grinding wheel. Unfortunately, this did not make putting the transmission back in that much easier. I still had to lower the K-member, but not nearly as much as the first time. When removing the old slave, be careful not to break the clip that holds the fluid line in place on the bellhousing. If you do, it will cost you $10 at your local Ford service department to replace it. Reattaching the line from the master cylinder to the bellhousing is fairly difficult. Keep working with it and examine how the parts fit together before you raise the transmission into place. You will eventually get it.
I guess that's pretty much all the advice I can give you. I did my own Whipple install as well, and it was a cakewalk compared to the clutch. I pride myself on doing ALL of my own work on my vehicles, but if this car ever cooks another clutch, I may just suck it up and take it to a shop. (But who knows, I also said that last time...)
I guess that's pretty much all the advice I can give you. I did my own Whipple install as well, and it was a cakewalk compared to the clutch. I pride myself on doing ALL of my own work on my vehicles, but if this car ever cooks another clutch, I may just suck it up and take it to a shop. (But who knows, I also said that last time...)
11-05-2011, 12:54 AM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 4,491
You can, but I find no fault with the dinky stock plastic line. I don't normally trust mechanics either, but I think it's only fair to warn you of what you're in for. I wouldn't think any less of anyone who brings their S197 to a mechanic for a clutch swap.
11-05-2011, 08:09 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 445
I've NOT done one on a Mustang, but I HAVE swapped the clutch in my F-350, THREE times (Thanks various shops doing transmission work.) It's a TOTAL PITA!!! In theory, it's all un-bolt, take out, and reverse. BUT.....in reality, it's an exersice in patience, body contortion, 'why is it the only tool I NEED to do this, I don't, and the Parts Store is closed/out of stock' (this 'tool' changes EVERY time as well), tools/lifts/racks breaking, friend who is going to help shows up 5 hours late, clutch you ordered is not the correct spline count (happened once, and the part number was correct), etc. Truthfully, I wouldn't do it unless you've got a good day, to day and a half to DEVOTE to it, a lift, transmission jack, and EVERY POSSIBLE tool any great auto-shop would have.
First time on the truck it took me THREE days....working 6-8 hours each day. Second time, maybe 10-12 hours....the last time, a friend and I did it in 7.5 hours (1/2 less than the FSM says it should take) and we were hung-over like nobody's business.
Tools ARE going to break, you ARE going to loose patience, and you ARE going to be missing something.
IMHO.....just take it somewhere you trust. $350 for a clutch install isn't bad at all. Last time I payed to have one installed was $1500 JUST for labor on the truck! My Southbend Clutch is $1200 alone.
First time on the truck it took me THREE days....working 6-8 hours each day. Second time, maybe 10-12 hours....the last time, a friend and I did it in 7.5 hours (1/2 less than the FSM says it should take) and we were hung-over like nobody's business.
Tools ARE going to break, you ARE going to loose patience, and you ARE going to be missing something.
IMHO.....just take it somewhere you trust. $350 for a clutch install isn't bad at all. Last time I payed to have one installed was $1500 JUST for labor on the truck! My Southbend Clutch is $1200 alone.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
HIS S-197
4.0L V6 Technical Discussions
1
08-10-2015 05:47 PM
