Ok folks. I have to replace a clutch on my 67 SS. I've got a 350 with a Muncie. I've never done this before and I need to know if this is a one-day, two-day or 'let someone else do it' kind of thing. I have done all the other work on the car short of the drivetrain stuff and I'm ready to get my hands dirty. Is there somewhere I can look to get step by step instructions? HELP!

A chilton's, or haynes manual would be a good start. I'd go over one of those before deciding to tear into it. If you haven't done it before, I'd give yourself a weekend to do it (especially if you need to drive the car to work on monday). But someone who's done it a few times can generally do it in a day. If your flywheel is pretty bad, you'll probably have to have it machined and depending on the shop, that can take a day in itself.

Wes

peteyb

The tricky part of this deal is lining up clutch disc exactly on center with the crankshaft so the transmission front shaft will slide in when you put it back together. Most of the auto parts stores have available a plastic tool that looks just like the front shaft of your transmission. Do whatever you have to do to get one of these. Other than that it's mostly just a hard work type job.

You might want to try laying on your back on the floor and holding a 100lb weight up at arms length for a while, good practice!

Other main trick is to get two 1/2" coarse thread bolts about 3" long and cut the heads off them, screw them into the bellhousing and use them for guides to slide the tranny in. you can cut a screwdriver slot in the end so you can get them out or just use pliers or Vise-Grips. You need to get the tranny in all the way flush up against the bellhousing before tightening up any bolts, if it won't go in, fix the mis-alignment problem, don't try to pull it in with the bolts. You can break an ear off the case real easy this way. Such a bummer when that happens.

Tom

If you have access to a pit, that's the best way.

Mark

The first time I did this, I'll never forget. Spent about a half day just getting the console apart to get the shifter bolts out. (65 SS). Got job done about midnight only to find the clutch would not dis-engage. Had clutch plate in backwards, looks like it should have gone that way. Learned several lessons that day. Leave console alone for one thing, stick socket on extension down beside rubber boot to get to shifter bolts. Learn by doing, read the books first, just do it. tom

Depending on how dirty and greasy the bottom side of your car is, this can be a nasty job. But it is very simple, straight forward mechaincals. I recommend that you do this yourself. If your tranny has it's original 67 maincase, then it DOES NOT have a drain plug. So what you need is an old or spare driveshaft yoke to stick in the rear when you remove the driveshaft (check with your local mechanic or a buddy to see if you can borrow one). Otherwise, you WILL have a guaranteed mess as soon as you lower the rear of the tranny and oil runs out. Once you have the tranny out, turn it up and drain out the old oil and put in new 90w gear oil. If you or a buddy has an old tranny input shaft, you can use it for a clutch line up tool as Tom mentioned. Get to work now practicing 100lb presses on your back and holding it up over your head for an extended time,--------one handed. When you get the new clutch, don't forget to get a new throw out bearing. There is a long and a short bearing, be sure to get the right one for your clutch. And, while you are at it, check the pilot bushing (this is a brass bushing in the back of the crankshaft which the front tip of the tranny goes into), use your line up tool to determine if it has too much wear. As I say, this is an easy, but labor intensive job that you can do all by yourself and when you finish, you will have much pride and satisfaction. But if you have trouble, get overly frustrated or run into a problem, you can feel free to call me. We're always up late. Tom Parsons 405-745-8383.
Also, if the clutch surface of your flywheel is grooved, gouged or has big dark spots on it, then as Wes mentioned, it will need to be surfaced. But if it is nice and smooth leave it alone.

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[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 05-26-99).]

peteyb,

The answers above are good but I want to add just a few things.

The advice about getting the car up or over a pit so you can walk under it is very good.

When you have transmission, bell housling, old pressure plate, throw-out bearing, clutch and flywheel out take the flywheel to a shop that surfaces flywheels. Ask them if it needs to be turned - they will almost always say yes. Have them check to see if there is still enough meat to take another turning.

Put the turned flywheel, new clutch disk, new throw-out bearing and new pressure plate in container/s where they cannot get oil/grease contamination before they are installed.

Wash your hands like you were going to perform surgery. Install the flywheel, it only goes on one (1) way, so if the bolt holes don't seem to lign up rotate it until all of the holes lign up. Torque the flywheel bolts to spec.

Now re-clean the flywheel surface with a clean cloth soaked in alcohol.

With the plastic/wood centering tool mentioned above put the throw-out bearing, pressure plate with clutch plate sandwithced between pressure plate and flywheel. VERY IMPORTANT - the clutch only goes on one way, if you get it backwards you get to take it all apart when you think you are done. This is tough for me to admit but I actually did this once - OH MY what a bummer. On this site we laugh with each other NOT at each other. My buddy installed his fan backwards recently and asked me to see why his engine was overheating. We just rolled in the grass laughing when we realized the fan was backwards.

Next start all of the pressure plate bolts by hand and then evenly tighten them down. If you do one bolt all the way down while the others are just started you will bend things all out of shape. In a cross pattern tighten them evenly, maybe one turn per bolt in a cross pattern sequence.

Put the bell housing back on and pull the plastic/wood centering tool out. The clutch plate will stay in position now as the pressure plate has it held. Do NOT actuate the clutch now as the clutch disk will fall out of place.

The advice above about using studs to get the transmission in position is very important. Go to a hardware store and purchase threaded rod stock the same size as the bolts that hold the transmission in place. Cut yourself from 2 to 4 threaded rod sections aboujt 6 to 8 inches long. Dress down the ends so they will thread into the rear of the bell housing by hand.

With the guide rods in position maneuver the transmission up and on to the guide rods - MAKE SURE THE TRASMISSION IS IN NEUTRAL. Turn the tail shaft by hand while you slide it into postion so the splines line up.

With nuts on the guide rods pull the transmission into final position. If things seem to be binding do NOT keep on forcing the nut tightning. You can tell when things are going okay, the transmission will continue to yield to the tightning of the nuts - tighten them evenly.

Once the trasmission is in place with no gap between the transmission and bell housing take one guide rod out and replace it with the original bolt. Do them one at a time.

This is really hard and dirty work but a labor of love so enjoy and understand each step you are performing.

John


, make sure you get the plastic/wood centering spline shaft for the transmission you are installing, it makes sure the clutch plate is centered in the pressure plate.

John sure was through in his discription of the process! but you know I like to think that we all clean our parts when we take things down prior to reinstallation. You know what Iike to do if I can is always go to a car wash and get under the car prior to working and try and clean as much as possible off before the actual work is started. It just seems to make things go easier. my .02 also dont forget to block or support the rear of the engine when you get ready to pull the trans. the jobs really not that hard. My twin 16 year old boys have done a couple of trans and clutch swaps by them selfs! Good luck

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Pete,
You see how easy it is to do it yourself. You know, I bet if you keep this up long enough the guys will have it changed for you and you won't even have to get your hands dirty.

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My added tip from experience - be sure the clutch pilot tool is a REALLY good fit and be sure it is straight, not "drooping down" when you tighten the pressure plate.!!!
I had one that seemed good - just ever so slightly loose in the pilot bearing - could NOT get the input shaft into the bearing until I relocated the clutch disc.

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One other thing to watch for. The friction disc can only be installed, correctly, one way. Usually, the new disc is marked "flywheel side" and "pressure plate side". Don't install it backwards!!!! If it is not marked, find someone with experience who can tell you which way it is installed.

One more thing, when you take the cross member out let the back of the trans down slowly, the distributer may hit the firewall and break your cap (been there, done that).
Good luck, Ron

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70 Chevelle SS396, 71 Z28-RS, 95 Z28 Convertible. Aces 3081

The other option, instead of laying on your back for 1/2 day, is to pull the engine. I usually do this, since I have that down to a science now. You still have to get under the car to undo a couple of tranny bolts, the clutch cross shaft, the exhaust, and the starter. You can leave pretty much everything else on the engine. In my opinion this is much easier when changing the clutch on a 4wd truck, rather than disconnecting and trying to heft the transmission and transfer case. Lisle makes a really nice clutch alignment tool that you can use for virtually any clutch. Also, one other thing, if you have to replace the pilot bushing, don't try to hammer it in with a plastic clutch alignment tool with the end sawn off. I did this once, only to break off the end of the tool inside the end of the crank! GM has a really nice roller pilot bushing that you can get instead of the bronze one.

Here's a neat trick for driving out the bronze pilot bushing. Pack the cavity behind the bushing with as much grease as you can. Shove it in till you can't put your finger in the hole. then, using an old trans input shaft or a metal line-up (not plastic) tool with the proper size pilot, insert the pilot into the bushing as far as it will go. Then tap it with a hammer. The bushing will be pushed out due to the hydraulic action of the grease acting on it. This will work with some, but not all, roller bearing type pilot bearings as well.