How to replace clutch and flywheel (picture heavy)
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. Cheersjust in case people are wondering...
drive shaft pops out if you use carefully a hard plastic or even metal wedge between it. you only need to wedge about 5 mm and it comes out. very easy, but you need to be very careful not to damage the metal seal.
clutch alignment: I used, I think from machinemart their blue plastic clutch alignment tool, you have to make sure you use a short tool or it won't fit in between. also very easy.. hence i didn't really mention it.
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Thanks for taking the effort of uploading your experiences!
How exactly did you retract the box? Did you lower the scissor jack (and books) and retract the other jack? Does it stay upright then? How did you turn it 90° clockwise? Block and tackle?
Not sure about the hydraulic fluid loss prevention with the wedge either. But I guess this might show when attempting this job?
kind regards and congrats with you mechanical skills. I did quite some work on the car, but never removed a gear box,
cheers,
david
How exactly did you retract the box? Did you lower the scissor jack (and books) and retract the other jack? Does it stay upright then? How did you turn it 90° clockwise? Block and tackle?
Not sure about the hydraulic fluid loss prevention with the wedge either. But I guess this might show when attempting this job?
kind regards and congrats with you mechanical skills. I did quite some work on the car, but never removed a gear box,
cheers,
david
MGF clutch replacement photo guide deleted? NOOOO!
The Flickr photos in this excellent how-to on in-car clutch replacement for the F seem to have vanished!
Say it ain't so? ) :
The Flickr photos in this excellent how-to on in-car clutch replacement for the F seem to have vanished!
Say it ain't so? ) :
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Because they have been deleted from their host, hence the links inserted into this thread are no longer working.
Photos gone.
So I gathered.
Seems a sad loss - this clutch change 'How To' is a bit of an essential for DIYers like me.
Does the original poster know his thread has collapsed, I wonder?
So I gathered.
Seems a sad loss - this clutch change 'How To' is a bit of an essential for DIYers like me.
Does the original poster know his thread has collapsed, I wonder?
Easiest solution is to download Deiter's How-To and print off as I did some years ago.Dieter's MGFcar Homepage
Hope this works
Mike
Hope this works
Mike
Thanks for that Mike.
There's an awful lot to take in - and those photos would have made it so much easier. Ah well.
I seem to remember he did it by only removing one driveshaft - where Dieter strips both hubs off.
I better give them both a thorough read through.
There's an awful lot to take in - and those photos would have made it so much easier. Ah well.
I seem to remember he did it by only removing one driveshaft - where Dieter strips both hubs off.
I better give them both a thorough read through.
Done three of these and cannot see how it can be done by only removing one driveshaft. You have to move the gearbox fully to the left to gain access to the clutch. If the RH shaft is left in position it would be all but impossible to re insert it without damaging the seal whilst manoeuvering the gearbox into position. Much easier to remove it.
Mike
Ok, fair play. Thanks.
How did you find changing the clutch in situ? Much swearing or tearfulness? Hours? Or days?
I've done an engine swap, but I'm slow and methodical rather than rapid!
How did you find changing the clutch in situ? Much swearing or tearfulness? Hours? Or days?
I've done an engine swap, but I'm slow and methodical rather than rapid!
Just be methodical and you should be OK. The first one I did was a bit of a beast as you can imagine, learning curve and all that. With the others I have used a hoist which has made manoeuvering the gearbox a much easier operation. It's quite a tight space and you have to move the gearbox fully to the left , it's heavy and difficult to move around lying in your back. The main problem I have had in all three cases is the top bolt holding the buttress, Item 53 in Dieter's How-To and inset in item 50. This bolt has a captive nut in the subframe and rusts in solid so the nut turns in it's cage. In each case I have had to chisel out the cage, hammer on a socket and with an assistant holding a socket from the top, managed to undo the nut from the underside. In the third case the bolt was impossible to undo so I cut the head off using a reciprocating saw, I just managed to gain access for a long blade through the wheel arch.
In my case, time has not been an issue but I would allow a couple of days and possibly a third if you encounter the rusted bolt problem.
Good luck with it
Mike
In my case, time has not been an issue but I would allow a couple of days and possibly a third if you encounter the rusted bolt problem.
Good luck with it
Mike
Just one thing puzzling me:
The how-to mentions inserting 'metal wedges' in place of the rubber suspension buffers - to 'save the suspension fluid'.
I have no idea what on earth this could mean - or what dimensions the wedges need to be!
Can anyone who's done the job explain this a bit better?
The how-to mentions inserting 'metal wedges' in place of the rubber suspension buffers - to 'save the suspension fluid'.
I have no idea what on earth this could mean - or what dimensions the wedges need to be!
Can anyone who's done the job explain this a bit better?
My in-car clutch change.
Just a few thoughts about my experience for anyone else having a go:
The "steel wedges" are, I now realise, just to take the spring pressure off the top ball joint while you split it. I've always used a bottle jack bearing underneath the top arm for the same effect.
I also left the o/s hub/suspension intact (original poster got his o/s and n/s confused at one point) - and didn't have a problem easing the o/s driveshaft back into the gearbox. It goes in before the clutch shaft, so you can concentrate on one thing at a time and be careful with it.
I used a 4"x4" wood fence post across the top of the engine bay to take the weight of the gearbox, on a heavy duty ratchet strap. Kept a trolley jack below for safety. With some extra length on the wood, you can push it from side to side for the movement you need.
The idea to leave the clutch bolts just lightly nipped up so the plate can align itself is pure genius! The shaft slid in before I'd even noticed. (you at the back! Yes, you boy! Headmaster's office!)
Remember to leave the g'box in gear to help align the splines; if both splines are free to turn, waggling will have no effect.
The only snag was that I could have done with a slimmer socket as the edge of the starter motor hole is very close to the bolts until they're screwed in a few turns. An assistant to turn the engine would have sped that job up btw..
Apart from trying to get the resonator box back in - which is an utter, utter b*****d - it's just a question of taking your time and being methodical.
Just a few thoughts about my experience for anyone else having a go:
The "steel wedges" are, I now realise, just to take the spring pressure off the top ball joint while you split it. I've always used a bottle jack bearing underneath the top arm for the same effect.
I also left the o/s hub/suspension intact (original poster got his o/s and n/s confused at one point) - and didn't have a problem easing the o/s driveshaft back into the gearbox. It goes in before the clutch shaft, so you can concentrate on one thing at a time and be careful with it.
I used a 4"x4" wood fence post across the top of the engine bay to take the weight of the gearbox, on a heavy duty ratchet strap. Kept a trolley jack below for safety. With some extra length on the wood, you can push it from side to side for the movement you need.
The idea to leave the clutch bolts just lightly nipped up so the plate can align itself is pure genius! The shaft slid in before I'd even noticed. (you at the back! Yes, you boy! Headmaster's office!)
Remember to leave the g'box in gear to help align the splines; if both splines are free to turn, waggling will have no effect.
The only snag was that I could have done with a slimmer socket as the edge of the starter motor hole is very close to the bolts until they're screwed in a few turns. An assistant to turn the engine would have sped that job up btw..
Apart from trying to get the resonator box back in - which is an utter, utter b*****d - it's just a question of taking your time and being methodical.
I'd deffo advise you to print out Dieter's guide and work from it: Dieter's MGFcar Homepage
It's a lot to take in - but basically it's all about making enough space to ease the gearbox away from the engine 8" or so and remove the clutch.
I left the "trailing arm" (track control arm?) in place and released all the ball joints/ bolts on the hub to remove it - as shown in the guide. I used a fork type ball joint separator and big hammer rather than Dieter's type.
It's a lot to take in - but basically it's all about making enough space to ease the gearbox away from the engine 8" or so and remove the clutch.
I left the "trailing arm" (track control arm?) in place and released all the ball joints/ bolts on the hub to remove it - as shown in the guide. I used a fork type ball joint separator and big hammer rather than Dieter's type.
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Put some over length studding in two of the engine block bolt holes (one top, one bottom).
This will make the horizontal and vertical alignment of the gearbox to the engine a doddle. Provided the engine or gearbox havent been rotated during the clutch replacement work, the splined first motion shaft shaft should do back in easily too.
You can then either use two nuts locked together or some flats filed on the studding to remove them after the other bolts are home.
Good luck.
Had an early finish from work yesterday, so over 3 hours fitted the clutch, and replaced the gearbox.
i used one of these Draper Clutch Mate Universal Clutch Alignment Tool - 52329 at www.rimmerbros.co.uk to line up the clutch plate, and it worked a treat.
Two studs lined up the gearbox to engine, then after a bit of maneuvering the gearbox slid onto the engine with no problem.
So to confirm, no need to touch off-side suspension, driveshaft fits into gearbox well before the clutch and gearbox engage.
Clutch release arm can be removed when doing clutch without dropping subframe.
Hopefully one more day and it will be all back together.
Peter
i used one of these Draper Clutch Mate Universal Clutch Alignment Tool - 52329 at www.rimmerbros.co.uk to line up the clutch plate, and it worked a treat.
Two studs lined up the gearbox to engine, then after a bit of maneuvering the gearbox slid onto the engine with no problem.
So to confirm, no need to touch off-side suspension, driveshaft fits into gearbox well before the clutch and gearbox engage.
Clutch release arm can be removed when doing clutch without dropping subframe.
Hopefully one more day and it will be all back together.
Peter
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Well done Peter. Good information.
Have the pictures now been removed I was looking for a guide like this but I can't see the images ? ?
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