Technical Mk. 2 1.9JTD clutch job - need to remove engine?

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Technical Mk. 2 1.9JTD clutch job - need to remove engine?

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Jan 19, 2009
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the clutch is slipping on my '53plate 1.9JTD. the electronic workshop manual seems to suggest that it is an engine out job by removing the bumper and all to replace the clutch. is this the case or is it a gearbox only out job?

im up to the job, but would rather do the clutch on a saturday afternoon rather than the whole weekend! (im up to the job but not very fast!).

also, the car has only done 40K miles, 10k of those by me driving like an old man that doesnt slip the clutch. this seems a very low mileage to fail at...without any other signs of being driven hard or oil leeks into the bellhousing. what do people think
 
thanks for the information.

i remember it being quite a tight fit, big engine block but i guess i might have an idea once i get it over the pit. either way, its got to be done and i dont want to pay to get it done so i guess il just have to night the bullet.
 
I did it on the side of the road. It does drop down enough and you dont need to remove the drivers side drive shaft as the box just pulls off. IU spent 4 hours trying it get the shaft out before working out it stayed in place.
 
I did it on the side of the road. It does drop down enough and you dont need to remove the drivers side drive shaft as the box just pulls off. IU spent 4 hours trying it get the shaft out before working out it stayed in place.
that's exactly what i wanted to hear. thank you very much. I'll let you all know how it goes when i get round to doing it. (its still taking a fair bit of torque and i'm doing very few miles on it)
 
I finally got round to doing the clutch so thought i would summarise the job for others out there:

Special tools: number 7 or 8 "Ribe bit" male tool (see below and link), Clutch aligning tool, 36mm socket with slim walls/end ground down a bit (driveshaft to hub nuts), big crowbar/lever with an assistant to reconnect hub to strut, large hex key to remove the gearbox oil plugs.
Optional tools: 2 or 3 jacks, garage with pit/ramp, tracking tool, long series 6mm Alan key on socket or standard allan key with a length of pipe
consumables: 2 LARGE hose clips, clutch kit (pressure plate will probably need replaced too, see below).

The job itself:

  • remove the battery and battery box.

  • remove clutch slave cylinder (on top of the gearbox)

  • remove gear selector cables by removing the retaining clip and popping the ball joints off the G'box.

  • remove big hose connecting intercooler to inlet manifold

  • jack and remove wheels

  • drain the gearbox: Requires a LARGE hex tool. check you can remove the fill plug before you remove the drain(!). fill plug located on the front of the box, drain on the bottom corner on the end.

  • undoo the central hub nuts:
This requires a 36mm socket with slim walls. the nut is recessed into the tappered hub centre. I had to grind the walls down on the end of a socket for this job. Also, drive a screwdriver or similar into the "dings" on the nuts which lock them. put the wheel studs back into the hub to stop the brake disk turning, get someone to push the brake pedal and unscrew with a LONG bar on the socket.

  • remove the front section of exhaust

  • remove the passenger drive shaft from the hub then undo the 6mm cap head (alan key) bolts retaining the inboard end of the driveshaft. use a lever against the sub frame to stop the shaft rotating.

  • remove the drivers side shaft by undoing the 3 small hex head bolts, aligned axially, on the central steadying bearing and pulling the shaft out of the gearbox and the central bearing at once.

  • remove the passenger wheel arch liner

  • support the engine and remove the passenger side engine mount and rear engine mount.
  • move the engine down enough the clear teh gearbox out the wheel arch and forward as far as you can
  • remove the starter (its a real pig to get the top bolt out)
  • undo the bolts in the bellhousing and remove the gearbox (i placed it on a flat trolley with two jacks on to ease aligning the spine later.
Using the ribe bit tool (see link above. It looks like a torx key but with square section teeth rather than triangular section teeth), which i think was a number 7 or 8, slacken the clutch from the flywheel. you may be able to use the torx bit as these bolts were not tight at all on my car and ribe bits are not all that common.

replace the clutch (with alignment tool), thrust bearing and friction plate. the levers on the friction plate will probably be quite worn from the thrust bearing as the hydraulic clutch keeps a constant pressure on the mechanism, even when the clutch pedal is not activated wearing a contact groove into the levers. Is your clutch biting very close to the floor? this part is worn!

tie up the pressure sensor that is near the end of the block to keep it out of the way.

refit the gearbox, adjusting the jacks to aid in aligning the spline.

refit the starter before attaching the engine mounts. the extra room down the back of the engine while it is forward is important for this.

refit the rest as removed, replacing damaged hose clips and threadlock and lubricate as appropriate.

This took me the best part of two saturdays as i work pretty slow and carefully and i had to wait for my dad to be available at the points where two people are required (removing the gearbox, refitting the gearbox, connecting the driveshafts and connecting hubs to struts).

barring sheared bolts, oil seal failures etc two people should easily manage this in a day.
 
I guess a good jack helps and perhaps a cradle so the box doesnt easily fall off the jack.

How much time do you think a good amateur would need to do the job? I'm competent but not quick enough to make a living from spannering. :)
 
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