THSCC Forums

any advice on changing a clutch on a wrx. we plan to just pull the motor, its easier than doing the other way around.Taking the whole drivetrain apart... my clutch let go on me at NCCAR today. got one run in and it slipped like soap on a wet floor.Someday cars will run right for me, and not break down so much.

_________________
hey yall,watch this...

When I did my Outback, everyone said pull the motor. I didn't go that route:





I didn't think it was that bad. Driveshaft, lower control arms, CV shafts, then pull the tranny. I let all the suspension hang in place. Not sure how different the WRX is - Good luck with it.

_________________
09 Bullitt - DD
11 Fusion - Wife's DD
03 Mazda6 - Track car
00 PSD Excursion - Tow rig
67 Firebird - Don't you still own your 1st car?
61 F100 - Dad's truck
90 Moto Guzzi Calif III - Tourer
00 Cagiva - Adventure bike
00 DRZ400 - Woods bike

If it's like the OBS, there may be a 3rd option. Pull the radiator and engine mounts (engine on a hoist, obviously), then just separate the Block from the trans (trans stays in place, so no suspension, driveshaft, or axle work required). With the Rad out of the way, you can move the engine forward something like 3-4", enough room to get in there for clutch work. This method means no electrical connections, minimal exhaust work, and no A/C to recharge. Worked for me, anyway.

_________________
Dustin Fredrickson
-- I'm a nobody --

Pull the trans. Lots of space to work around it, unlike a BMW. Follow the FSM, I did on my WRX. Lots of steps but nothing crazy. Don't try to do this on the ground (IMO).

Personally I wouldn't ever consider the "drop a clutch through the slot" method unless it was a car that I knew inside and out already. Too many unknowns.

Or just take it to Turbotime.

_________________
Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

Dropping the transmission sounds appealing just to avoid breaking the A/C lines, but Mike's caveat of not doing it on the ground steers me towards pulling the engine. According to the FSM, there aren't that many connectors. I like the ingenuity of Dustin's through the slot method, but with my luck with getting clutch disks lined up on the splines and with the idea that I'll replace the pilot bearing while I'm in there, that seems challenging.
I have lots of vacation on the books, so I'll probably take my time and pull the engine. Anyone have any experience with local shops that will suck out the refrigerant and then replace it after the clutch is replaced?
Charlie G

_________________
1998 BMW Z3
1987 BMW 325is
2000 BMW
1996 F250 Turbo Diesel

unbolt the compressor off and set it aside with the lines attached, the condenser doesnt need to come out since its tucked under the rad support. . you'll need a few u-joints to get a grip on some of the bolts.

_________________
'11 RallyX VP
1998 Integra Type R - track fun
1999 Subaru 2.5RS - dirt fun

That's what I did when I swapped the engine on the OBS, worked great!

_________________
Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

OK, I'm feeling mechanically deficient about now. I have all the bolts out of the engine/transmission joint, but the danged things will not separate. I've tried putting a couple of the long bolts back in with 1/4" clearance under the head and using them with a hammer to try to drive the two apart. Is it common for the engine and transmission to be this hateful? I have never had this much trouble. I've double checked the perimeter of the transmission/engine interface a dozen times looking for that "mystery bolt", but just not finding anything.
Rocking the engine side to side just seems to move the transmission with it.
Any suggestions.
Thanks,
Charlie G

_________________
1998 BMW Z3
1987 BMW 325is
2000 BMW
1996 F250 Turbo Diesel

I think the turbo/downpipe can interfere with a tranny removal, but I take it there is no inkling of separation at the moment? I think what I'm referring to doesn't come into play until the trans is an inch back or so.

_________________
2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

Start with a screwdriver and BFH (right on top behind the throttle body), then move on to BF pry bar. And move out to the sides once you get it started, of course. Just be glad you don't have the transmission resting on a big floor jack and the engine tilting forward due to soft engine mounts. That makes it harder.

Wait, you are using the service manual, right? if not, look on the driver's side for an allen head screw that goes horizontally into the engine. I think it goes through the pivot of the clutch lever.

Actually, I can't remember if it's an allen head or you have to screw something into it and pull it out. I remember using one of the battery tie-down hooks on somebody's - maybe Tom Hoppe? If you don't have the service manual, I'll look it up and post a photo of the page.

Here's the text for now (turns out it's both allen head and screw):

10) Separate the clutch release fork from the release
bearing. (Turbo model)
(1) Remove the clutch operating cylinder from
the transmission.
(2) Remove the plug using 10 mm hexagon
wrench.
(3) Screw the 6 mm dia. bolt into the release
fork shaft, and remove it.
(A) Shaft
(B) Bolt
(4) Raise the release fork and unfasten the release
bearing tabs to free release fork.
CAUTION:
Step (4) is required to prevent interference with
engine when removing engine from transmission

Thanks for the encouragement to use the pry bar and BFH. I had started down that path, but thought better about it (fearing galling up the mating surfaces.
Kevin that 10mm allen socket is for the clutch shaft pivot and it is in the transmission bellhousing. I do have the FSM, but it does have a couple of errors. First is the instruction to separate the PS pump from the bracket - the lower center bolt is totally inaccessible - so I pulled the bracket - easily accessible after removing the alternator (which the FSM does not remove).
Second - there was no mention of the O2 sensor on the RH side that will not come past the frame rail while installed - now I finally own an O2 sensor socket.
I'm pulling the engine rather than the transmission since I can't get the car all the way into the garage so only 2 jack stands have to do. (Probably moving the Bridgport mill out next week to make room for cars)
Mike's caution about dropping the transmission while on the floor discouraged me from that. There really doesn't seem to be enough room to work under the car on jack stands.
Charlie G

_________________
1998 BMW Z3
1987 BMW 325is
2000 BMW
1996 F250 Turbo Diesel

Glad it worked. I've always used the "move the transmission back" method. I use SUV jackstands in the front and car jackstands in the rear (only have one pair of SUV). I can do the whole job by myself in a few hours now, but it helps if I have somebody to operate the jack and push on the front of the engine during separation. The clutch swap on the black rallyx wagon took a while, due to lots of little/big issues encountered along the way, though. There's also a lot of getting under the car, getting back out, repeating.