I still can't believe there wasnt any responses to my clutch thread..Gonna start tonight..should have it out and sitting on the ground in a few hours
dang guys..im kinda disappointed...if I woulda posted the same on the Dieselstop.com forum about my dually I would've had 50 people post pics tips...etc etc.. guess noone does thier own work anymore...
Tom

 

i hope you are not doign it on jackstands.

 

It's not the fact that we don't do our own work, but if you are about to do a clutch job, i hope you are familiar with it before. Please don't let this be your first time doing a clutch swap. I just did mine two weeks ago. here is my thread, if you have any other questions, just post in here and i'll answer them for you.

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-drivetrain/301598-my-jwt-clutch-flywheel-install-pics.html

 

lol thanks Super....YES I am doing it on jackstands....after removing the exhaust, down pipes, wastegates AND the dump tubes...the tranny is sitting on the floor of my garage... I am still choking over the price of a carbonetics clutch but just emailed Sharif to see if he could overnight sat. deliver it to me and what it would cost...

My "SPEC Stage III" clutch and flywheel were FUSED together from the heat...now I have only had this car for 6 weeks and maybe have put 400 miles on it...this clutch was definately on its way out, bummer I found out the hard way, but hey it happens...Sharif said the carbonetics would be the last clutch I ever buy and I hope I never have to pull the tranny again because it is NOT fun...
I'll post pics tomorrow...Im beat right now..
Tom

 

DId you find an easier way to take out the very top three tranny bolts?

 

Actually with all the down pipes and wastegates out of the way we reached right up with an extension and that was actually pretty easy.


ok so if you look here, you can see some pics of the carnage...

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/557114053HwmNqK

 

So after many grueling hours of working in spaces that only childrens hands can fit..its back in and all together...lost some fluid putting the tranny back in so I need to top it off but other than that its all good to go..

I must say the most aggravating part was the pilot bushing..I will post pics later but whomever installed it last time..did it WRONG!
On my car there is a larger diameter bushing that must be removed before the pilot can be installed and only after ruining the new bushing did we discover this..so after pulling it out, reinstalling another new pilot bushing and reinstalling the larger bushing the rest went fairly easy. Removing the wastegates and downpipes from the turbos has to be the most insanely difficult part of the job. I feel like three guys beat me with baseball bats but I am certainly happy its done..it might be a relatively easy job for a normal Z but the twins make the degree of difficulty go up exponetionally!!!
Tom

 

yeah, the pilot bushing was a ***** to do. It's in there very good. Mine was really scratched up and ruining trying ot take it out. There was no point of return from there. So i had to take off the newer clutch and flywheel, then use a pilot bushing puller to get it out. very fustrating. Also when putting the new one in, i had to be very careful because it can get dented or scratched putting on as well.

I'm glad you got everything back together. Make sure you tightened those bolts on the driveshaft very tight. There's a lot of torque transfered there.

 

For the future on Bronze Pilot Brgs------I have a set of rods the axact size of standard Pilots---A good alignment tool will work. I pack the opening 100% full of heavy grease and Hit the pilot with a hammer and the Hydraulic pressure will get it going.

I also sometimes drill them out till they are as thin as foil.

And have also taped it WITH a Tap and ran a bolt in ----The bolt bottoms out----continue turning the bolt and it will push the brg out

Then sometimes I just say *** it and reuse them ---They really are, many times, reusable

 

When do I get to see that beast in person?

 

Trust me, i tried that first. It's harder on these cars for some reason. Drilling out brass isn't fun either..

 

I really should have started that post with the drill and Tap method ---I came up with the idea, though Im sure others have also----But it FLAT works. Pick a tap that will give you a good deep Thread---Lube it up with anti-sieze. U create 100s if not 1000s of Lbs of pressure and the threads on the bolt just suck it out

 

I am planning on changing my clutch myself. Not sure how tuff it will be, i am not that familiar with tranny's. could you give me some things to look for. btw my car is bone stock

 

If you have never done it before and have not done similar jobs...take it to a mech..if you decide to do it yourself read several write-ups in the DIY forum and GET THE RIGHT TOOLS!

Now again about the pilot..I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell ya'll are talking about..look in this file at these pics and you will see the pilot which goes BEHIND another larger bushing that has to be removed or you will NOT get the pilot in correctly! Scroll through the pics to see what the idiot that last installed this tranny did to the pilot bushing...thats from "cramming" it into the outer bushing I am talking about and using the tranny bolts to suck it up to the motor!

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...29297009vNFHZa


you can also see what a jwt aluminum flywheel that is trashed looks like as well as a "SPEC Stage 3" clutch that from what I can tell from receipts and dates MAYBE has 5000 miles on it..granted we are talking about 500WHP though..you can also see the new Carbonetics 3 disc installed and it works like a charm..still breaking it in..

 

was this directed to me? if so PM me your number and lets have a meet somewhere...cant be raining though..

 

i rather pay to have a my clutch replaced next time.

 

The Large bushing is the Pilot converter for use with A/T Of course the smaller bushing is the Pilot Brg used with the M/T---I have yet to replace one, I guess, and cant say if both are used in the M/T, Guess they may be----Im sure the PB isnt installed in the A/T cars, though could be wrong----They sometimes will do that so the Cranks can be used in both. There has been times, on other vehicles, that the cranks arent even machined for PBs in A/T Cranks.

As I said earlier, I will check the wear pattern on the PB and if it fine, I dont replace it. With a Bronze Bushing, it is very obvious.....There will be a polished/shiny area in the bushing------BUT !!!!! That sometimes leads you to believe there may be Brg Play on your Trans Input Shaft

 

lol yall a crazy.... i'll never do the clutch on my car.... i'd rather pay a mech to do it.....

 

well I hear ya...however after spending $2500.00 on the clutch and the degree of difficulty in removing the downpipes and wastegates off the turbos I would've probably been charged well over a grand for labor and I know since I put it back together, I know its done right..just dont trust dealers or anyone else short of having forged performance do it..

remember....NOONE will do anything to your car like you would..

 

I must be one of the few that the crank was machined for both then! but as stated before..you cannot properly install the pilot without removing the pilot converter first!