Doing a clutch job on my Daily Commuter car...
03-19-14, 08:45 AM
#1
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
Doing a clutch job on my Daily Commuter car...
92 Ford Escort LX hatch. I pulled the axles, dropped the trans...found this:
106,500 mi. only 12k of those are my miles.
Someone couldn't drive, and it werent me.
Car was still moving under its own power, just required a lot of feathering off the line, and sometimes would shriek if I held the feather too long. OEM clutch, 22 years old.
While im in there, I am replacing the CV driveaxles with new, not remanned units, I replaced the output seals on the tranny, I am replacing the flywheel and the throwout bearing. Master and slave cylinders are less than 6 months old so not doing those.
106,500 mi. only 12k of those are my miles.
Someone couldn't drive, and it werent me.
Car was still moving under its own power, just required a lot of feathering off the line, and sometimes would shriek if I held the feather too long. OEM clutch, 22 years old.
While im in there, I am replacing the CV driveaxles with new, not remanned units, I replaced the output seals on the tranny, I am replacing the flywheel and the throwout bearing. Master and slave cylinders are less than 6 months old so not doing those.
03-19-14, 09:12 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
Someone couldn't drive, and it weren't me
On a slightly different subject, with it being a '92, does the A/C still work OK? If not, and if it has not been converted, it may need either an R12 refill or a conversion-kit to R134 refrigerant. R134, by EPA mandate, did not become standard in new cars until, if I remember corrcectly, 1994 or 1995. Normally, R12 is now only available to the public in limited qualities at high prices, but, with you being a licensed ASE Technician, I understand they are (or at least were) exempt from some of the buying restrictions.
03-19-14, 11:07 AM
#5
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
Either that, or the previous owner's left foot was constantly up and down on the cluch in heavy stop and go traffic....which is at least partly out of the driver's control. That's one reason (out of several) that I generally don't recommend traditional three-pedal manuals for dense urban areas.
On a slightly different subject, with it being a '92, does the A/C still work OK? If not, and if it has not been converted, it may need either an R12 refill or a conversion-kit to R134 refrigerant. R134, by EPA mandate, did not become standard in new cars until, if I remember corrcectly, 1994 or 1995. Normally, R12 is now only available to the public in limited qualities at high prices, but, with you being a licensed ASE Technician, I understand they are (or at least were) exempt from some of the buying restrictions.
On a slightly different subject, with it being a '92, does the A/C still work OK? If not, and if it has not been converted, it may need either an R12 refill or a conversion-kit to R134 refrigerant. R134, by EPA mandate, did not become standard in new cars until, if I remember corrcectly, 1994 or 1995. Normally, R12 is now only available to the public in limited qualities at high prices, but, with you being a licensed ASE Technician, I understand they are (or at least were) exempt from some of the buying restrictions.
We are all going to have to convert again because they are changing to R147 in 2015.
Car was used on a military base for a few years, before that it was in Los Angeles
03-19-14, 11:17 AM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Damn. I hope it isn't your left hip that's been giving you trouble.... Must hurt like hell running around with a crappy clutch.
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Sent from my Nexus 4 using IB AutoGroup
03-19-14, 12:03 PM
#7
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
Trending Topics
03-19-14, 05:26 PM
#8
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
Almost there:
As of right now the only thing left is the intake, battery tray and the bottom crossmember (need a second extremely strong person, so I am waiting for my neighbor to get home from work) and she will be back on the road!
As of right now the only thing left is the intake, battery tray and the bottom crossmember (need a second extremely strong person, so I am waiting for my neighbor to get home from work) and she will be back on the road!
03-19-14, 05:33 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
We are all going to have to convert again because they are changing to R147 in 2015.
Car was used on a military base for a few years, before that it was in Los Angeles
Even so, IMO, it's hard to complain about a worn-out clutch at over 100K. I had a POS 1980 Chevy Citation where, at only 13K miles, the whole clutch assembly, during a normal easy shift, snapped with a loud bang and just completely fell apart....had to be towed to a Chevy shop. The car was just past warranty cutoff (which, in those days, was only 1 year/12,000 miles). Nevertheless, that series of X-Body cars was known for serious defects (like you, it wasn't my driving style, either).....and Chevy, to its credit, at least didn't stick me with the whole bill. They went 50/50 with me on a brand new clutch disc, pressure-plate, throw-out bearing...essentially the whole assembly. That car, BTW, had a lot more problems than just the clutch, but, since this is your thread and not mine, I won't go into them here.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-19-14 at 05:52 PM.
03-19-14, 08:44 PM
#10
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
Yeah, those people at EPA never seem to know when to quit. If they had their way, we'd all be riding bikes or Segways.
Bingo. There's your (probable) reason.
Even so, IMO, it's hard to complain about a worn-out clutch at over 100K. I had a POS 1980 Chevy Citation where, at only 13K miles, the whole clutch assembly, during a normal easy shift, snapped with a loud bang and just completely fell apart....had to be towed to a Chevy shop. The car was just past warranty cutoff (which, in those days, was only 1 year/12,000 miles). Nevertheless, that series of X-Body cars was known for serious defects (like you, it wasn't my driving style, either).....and Chevy, to its credit, at least didn't stick me with the whole bill. They went 50/50 with me on a brand new clutch disc, pressure-plate, throw-out bearing...essentially the whole assembly. That car, BTW, had a lot more problems than just the clutch, but, since this is your thread and not mine, I won't go into them here.
Bingo. There's your (probable) reason.
Even so, IMO, it's hard to complain about a worn-out clutch at over 100K. I had a POS 1980 Chevy Citation where, at only 13K miles, the whole clutch assembly, during a normal easy shift, snapped with a loud bang and just completely fell apart....had to be towed to a Chevy shop. The car was just past warranty cutoff (which, in those days, was only 1 year/12,000 miles). Nevertheless, that series of X-Body cars was known for serious defects (like you, it wasn't my driving style, either).....and Chevy, to its credit, at least didn't stick me with the whole bill. They went 50/50 with me on a brand new clutch disc, pressure-plate, throw-out bearing...essentially the whole assembly. That car, BTW, had a lot more problems than just the clutch, but, since this is your thread and not mine, I won't go into them here.
Yeah, it got decent life, I probably coulda pushed the clutch that was in it to 120k miles or so, but I had the money to do the repair, and kinda wanted the challenge.
annnnnnd....
Boom-shackalacka.
All done. Drives like a new car.
I need to torque the driveaxle nuts (they are at 150 ft-lbs now, biggest tq wrench I had), when I get to work on friday morning I will hit 'em with the impact we use on big-rigs and pound the retainer ring down into the axle slot.
Seriously though, I never thought an escort could drive this good. I am having an issue now (since reassembly) with my throttle hanging up/running away. Its almost gotta be either a vacuum leak or electrical because it skyrockets the RPM's. Then as soon as I shut it off and turn it back on its normal for awhile.
Other than that, seems good to go!
03-19-14, 09:02 PM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Yeah, those people at EPA never seem to know when to quit. If they had their way, we'd all be riding bikes or Segways.
Bingo. There's your (probable) reason.
Even so, IMO, it's hard to complain about a worn-out clutch at over 100K. I had a POS 1980 Chevy Citation where, at only 13K miles, the whole clutch assembly, during a normal easy shift, snapped with a loud bang and just completely fell apart....had to be towed to a Chevy shop. The car was just past warranty cutoff (which, in those days, was only 1 year/12,000 miles). Nevertheless, that series of X-Body cars was known for serious defects (like you, it wasn't my driving style, either).....and Chevy, to its credit, at least didn't stick me with the whole bill. They went 50/50 with me on a brand new clutch disc, pressure-plate, throw-out bearing...essentially the whole assembly. That car, BTW, had a lot more problems than just the clutch, but, since this is your thread and not mine, I won't go into them here.
Bingo. There's your (probable) reason.
Even so, IMO, it's hard to complain about a worn-out clutch at over 100K. I had a POS 1980 Chevy Citation where, at only 13K miles, the whole clutch assembly, during a normal easy shift, snapped with a loud bang and just completely fell apart....had to be towed to a Chevy shop. The car was just past warranty cutoff (which, in those days, was only 1 year/12,000 miles). Nevertheless, that series of X-Body cars was known for serious defects (like you, it wasn't my driving style, either).....and Chevy, to its credit, at least didn't stick me with the whole bill. They went 50/50 with me on a brand new clutch disc, pressure-plate, throw-out bearing...essentially the whole assembly. That car, BTW, had a lot more problems than just the clutch, but, since this is your thread and not mine, I won't go into them here.
03-19-14, 09:22 PM
#12
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
A few things i want to add. This is coming from a seasoned veteran of working on all things with wheels (and some things without wheels )...
1. Never attempt a job like this without some kind of prybar, preferably one that looks like it could kill someone. The bigger the better. Many times on this job i found myself wishing I had not left that particular item at the shop 50 miles away.
2. Grab a BFH from harbor freight. It will save you!
3. Grab a neighbor, or a buddy, or your wife to lend a hand. in this case, 4 hands are better than 2, and if you get one person working up top on the intake and that area, while you work down under the car, things tend to go faster.
3. Don't disconnect the clutch hydraulic lines unless you are replacing the fluid. There is no need.
4. Its a lot easier and less messy to pull the transmission when changing the clutch instead of the engine and trans together. Cheaper too. Less wires to mess with, you dont have to dump the coolant, and the trans is fairly easy and lightweight enough to maneuver and take out the bottom of the car. All I had to buy was 3 qts of trans fluid.
5. Before you start the job, if you dont have a MASSIVE compressor with air tools, swing by your local auto shop and have them zip the axle nuts loose and re-torque to 100ft-lbs. Its enough to get you home but loose enough you can back them off with a ratchet. I screwed around with mine for 2 hrs before I took it up to a shop down the road. Most places will do this for little or no money.
6. Never use a cheater pipe on a racthet. My knee hurts. I knew this one, but I was retarded and did it anyway.
7. While doing this job, since you have to remove the driveaxles anyway, REPLACE THE SEALS ON THE TRANSMISSION. I cant stress this enough. $10 now, will save you a ****load of heartache later.
8. Mark all of your electrical connections.
9. when you take a nut off of the bolt, or a bolt out of a hole, when possible thread it back where it goes so you dont lose it!
10. Last but not least, when doing a clutch, dont cheap out. Buy the whole damn kit. For $20 more I got the clutch, the pilot and throw-out bearing, and the alignment tool. Oh, and dont resurface your flywheel unless you are broke. They are $50 new or $25 to have them machined. Its easier to have the part on hand and just replace it than to take it out and have to take it somewhere.
)...1. Never attempt a job like this without some kind of prybar, preferably one that looks like it could kill someone. The bigger the better. Many times on this job i found myself wishing I had not left that particular item at the shop 50 miles away.
2. Grab a BFH from harbor freight. It will save you!
3. Grab a neighbor, or a buddy, or your wife to lend a hand. in this case, 4 hands are better than 2, and if you get one person working up top on the intake and that area, while you work down under the car, things tend to go faster.
3. Don't disconnect the clutch hydraulic lines unless you are replacing the fluid. There is no need.
4. Its a lot easier and less messy to pull the transmission when changing the clutch instead of the engine and trans together. Cheaper too. Less wires to mess with, you dont have to dump the coolant, and the trans is fairly easy and lightweight enough to maneuver and take out the bottom of the car. All I had to buy was 3 qts of trans fluid.
5. Before you start the job, if you dont have a MASSIVE compressor with air tools, swing by your local auto shop and have them zip the axle nuts loose and re-torque to 100ft-lbs. Its enough to get you home but loose enough you can back them off with a ratchet. I screwed around with mine for 2 hrs before I took it up to a shop down the road. Most places will do this for little or no money.
6. Never use a cheater pipe on a racthet. My knee hurts. I knew this one, but I was retarded and did it anyway.
7. While doing this job, since you have to remove the driveaxles anyway, REPLACE THE SEALS ON THE TRANSMISSION. I cant stress this enough. $10 now, will save you a ****load of heartache later.
8. Mark all of your electrical connections.
9. when you take a nut off of the bolt, or a bolt out of a hole, when possible thread it back where it goes so you dont lose it!
10. Last but not least, when doing a clutch, dont cheap out. Buy the whole damn kit. For $20 more I got the clutch, the pilot and throw-out bearing, and the alignment tool. Oh, and dont resurface your flywheel unless you are broke. They are $50 new or $25 to have them machined. Its easier to have the part on hand and just replace it than to take it out and have to take it somewhere.
03-19-14, 09:56 PM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
10. Last but not least, when doing a clutch, dont cheap out. Buy the whole damn kit. For $20 more I got the clutch, the pilot and throw-out bearing, and the alignment tool. Oh, and dont resurface your flywheel unless you are broke. They are $50 new or $25 to have them machined. Its easier to have the part on hand and just replace it than to take it out and have to take it somewhere.
03-19-14, 10:49 PM
#15
Really, $2500 to do a clutch on a simple FWD car???? It was right at $600 to do the clutch on my old 2wd Toyota pickup with the 22R-E 4 cylinder motor. That's including parts and labor.