Changing a clutch, let’s be realistic - Honda Prelude Forum

mocbaar83 · 01-25-2008, 09:43 AM

My clutch is being considerably creepy these last 3 days. After warming up on my daily, god awful, I-5 commute (the real Seattle’s best), my clutch feels like there is sand in the reservoir. When the transmission is really warmed up, the car larches getting into 1st. I have been told that it might be the alignment, throw out bearing, or just the end of a disc (which isn’t that old). I have also been told not to even try taking the transmission off of an H22A4 unless the car is on a proper lift.

I can’t really find too much down to earth experience changing a clutch on a prelude, I am sure some of you guys have done it on jack stands. Is the gear box really that heavy? I am cool taking it to a shop again, but I am starting to get some confidence working on the car these last 5 years; how bad is changing a clutch in a 5th gen base prelude?

Also I have access to a 240gallon air tank, so I can get an impact wrench, and my roommate is a big armed viking who can help under the car. Will that make any of this any easier?

Thanks

Solid · 01-25-2008, 11:52 AM

I can carry the transmission and lift it into a trunk, so it's not that heavy say 70 - 80 lbs. Changing the clutch is bad if you have little experience with Preludes or taking the tranny off a FWD. Your going to need something like this OTC Stinger Engine Support Bar : ShoppersChoice.com.

Before changing it I would check the fluid levels, then check if they are dirty, then bleed and replace the fluid. Its easier to check the little stuff first.

mocbaar83 · 01-25-2008, 12:05 PM

flushed the clutch fluid about 3 weeks ago, but I haven't changed the gear oil in about a year and a half, maybe more. If the gear oil is bad, would that be messing with the clutch so differently hot as opposed to cold?

by the way, thanks for the link.

Artifex · 01-25-2008, 12:56 PM

Pulling a tranny isn't hard at all. I've done it on like 10 different cars on jackstands. There is nothing unsafe about using jackstands as long as they are in the right places. You need 2 people for this; it's nearly impossible with just you. 3 people is better. When removing, just have someone bench lift the tranny from underneath, while 1 or 2 others help wiggle it free. Do the reverse when installing.

When I did mine the first time, I was surprised at how easy it was.

Solid · 01-25-2008, 01:13 PM

If your alone just get a transmission jack or an attachment for a floor jack.

Daemione · 01-25-2008, 02:35 PM

I did mine by myself - the car was on jackstands. Keep in mind, in order to get the car up high enough to get the tranny out from underneath, a normal jack & stands may not do it. I had mine backed up onto ramps, and then jacked up the front in 2 stages using big wooden blocks (jackstands set at their highest, and also sitting about 6" off the floor). You need room under the car to work.

And yeah, I didn't have a tranny jack either - just laid the tranny on my chest, slid under the car, and pressed it up into place. Just be sure you're comfortable pressing & holding the weight of the tranny - it took me maybe a dozen tries to get it up & aligned properly so it would stay on the shaft well enough for me to hold it in place with a regular floor jack, slide out from underneath the car, and get some bolts back on it.

It's not fun, but it's possible . . .

KENLUDE97 · 01-25-2008, 02:48 PM

I have had my tranny out 3-4 times i can remember and don't want to

Its not too bad. 2-3 days if working by yourself.

I find it MUCH easier to remove the front crossmember. THere is MUCH more wiggle room for the tranny when removing and installing. OTher than what everyone else has said... Its worth saving the $500~ and spending it on mods

I also like to remove/loosen all the mounts so that the engine can drop about 1-2" and that helps to get the pass side mount lined up.

GOod luck
Ken

mocbaar83 · 01-25-2008, 03:15 PM

This is great, thanks guys. since I've moved to Seattle and left all my car friends, I haven't had anyone to tell me to just buck up and get in there. So what I am hearing is: get the car as high as I can off the ground, i.e. boards under the jack and jack stands in order to steal another couple of inches, and the hard parts are getting the tranny in and out. Would anyone go at a job like this without a pneumatic wrench for the axles?

Artifex · 01-25-2008, 03:21 PM

Actually, that reminds me: you don't need to remove the axles from the front hubs. You can skip this step entirely. It's possible to remove the axles from the tranny without doing the hubs at all. It's much easier this way.

Now that I think about it, I remember writing about my tranny swap experiences in other threads, so you might just search to find them. I just want to make sure I'm telling you the same thing I said before (my memory is rusty).

fastkill · 01-25-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artifex

Actually, that reminds me: you don't need to remove the axles from the front hubs. You can skip this step entirely. It's possible to remove the axles from the tranny without doing the hubs at all. It's much easier this way.

Now that I think about it, I remember writing about my tranny swap experiences in other threads, so you might just search to find them. I just want to make sure I'm telling you the same thing I said before (my memory is rusty).

Really you don't have to remove the hubs? I was thinking I was stuck with messing with those damn balljoints. i have an sh and believe me its a pain in the ass on this car. when u did ur tranny how did u drop it without going through the grief of messing with the axles and hubs?

mocbaar83 · 01-26-2008, 12:30 AM

ok, the plot thickens. I took the car to a shop where a jerk feathered the crap out of the clutch and told me that the disk was shot.

After jacking up the car and taking off the splash shield (admittedly the first thing that i should have done before posting), I found oil leaking out of the bell. I am no mechanic, but that sounds like my rear main seal went, leaked oil all over the clutch (when hot ofcourse) and that is where my leerching shifts have been coming from.

so crap... this doesn't really change a thing, the kit is already ordered and it would be dumb not to change the clutch anyway after splitting the bell to change the rear main seal.

Thanks for the help guys, i will definatly be using it.

mocbaar83 · 01-28-2008, 02:37 PM

For posterity’s sake, I currently have the transmission on the floor of my garage while the unsupported side of the engine is being held up by a jack. Here are some notes from pulling the tranny. (again I am working on a 98 base manual transmission)

I am sorry if you find the following info too basic, but I thought I would go into more detail about the things that held me up. I know these are idiot notes, but I am an idiot and would have found them helpful. Also I am working from a factory service manual, not the helms; so I don’t know if the following is a repeat.

To get the axles out I did the following.

1. Disconnected both radius rods: the bolts connecting the radius rods to the hubs were by far the most difficult task before dropping the tranny. I suggest either a 3/8” breaker bar or a pipe for your 3/8” ratchet, you won’t get anything 1/2” in there (no vertical clearance due to the axles). I took these out with my foot… seriously

2. Don’t mess with the ball joints, as stated above. Instead remove the lower control arm, but NOT at the hub; meaning don’t remove the cotter pin and castle nut! No reason for this (the thing is really on there), instead disconnect the lower control arm at its pivot: the joint at the opposite end of the member from the hub. That bolt comes right out with no fuss and don’t worry about anything coming flying out, it will just fall away.

3. Disconnect both axles before messing with the intermediate shaft bracket. Use a soft rubber mallet if you can but be careful where you are hitting the thing and don’t go overboard! The Axle connected to the intermediate shaft is stuck in there harder than the other axle, so soft hits with a bit more force.

4. Take out the intermediate shaft. Be careful where you are prying/hitting. There is a metal “outer seal” between the intermediate shaft and the differential. It looks like solid metal but can be bent out of shape very easily. It is best to just remove the bracket and take the pipe out by hand.

5. Bad the axles and get those bags closed up (no dirt!). Stuff the now empty holes I the differential with clean rags/paper towels. Take the oil seals out of the diff. and bring them to the shop if you are replacing them (there are several different transmission types and it is just easier this way)

To drop the tranny:

Everyone knows how to do this, so I won’t go into it but for one thing. Visualize yourself standing in front of your car with the hood open for orientation. on the left side (back of tranny) there is a bracket bolted to your transmission mount. Put a jack underneath this mount before unhooking everything. Now, of the studs connecting your transmission to the bracket bolted to the mount (I will try to get a picture), the stud closest to your passenger headlight must come out. This stud is a flaming ***** and the engineer who put it there should be smacked in the mouth. It will catch on the frame of the car and prevent the tilting motion needed to limbo the bell housing over the clutch assembly while removing the tranny. I hate this stud.

Thanks for all the help guys, I have never been more sore in my life and will be riding the bus for a couple of days because I mangled my slave cylinder on the way out, which reminds me; tape all the extra crap away from the transmission when installing/removing.

Thanks again, I’ll be trying to finish up before my already shipped PSPEC shifter arrives.

Artifex · 01-28-2008, 05:13 PM

Wow, sounds like you did pretty good for your first time. BTW, I don't remember any sort of bracket getting in the way when I did mine; I'm not sure what you are referring to. There is the passenger side tranny mount, but you can unbolt it from the tranny side I think, which is easier than trying to remove the eye bolt from the car frame (my memory is real fuzzy on that one).

Definitely drop the crossmember as well. Helps a lot in getting the tranny in & out. Also, my friend told me a neat trick not to lose bolts : thread the bolts back into their holes after you remove things. This makes reassembly really straightforward.

Ieatoil · 01-28-2008, 08:16 PM

Great notes! Thanks.

At least a slave cylinder isn't that tough to swap out. Good luck.