DIY Clutch Replacement Video

Definitely doable alone. Your neighbors might avoid you for a few days with the number of curse words, thrown tools and empty beer bottles in your garage, though.

I have pulled my tranny several times and I use the 2 bottom studs to help you guide the tranny back in. Also make sure you have that harness plug out of the way when you put back in the tranny. I was under my car using every trick I knew to get the tranny in. But, I couldn't get the last 2 inches. After fighting with the tranny for about 20 minutes I get from under the car and see the plug had fell between the engine and the tranny and was keeping me from install the transmission. I moved it and the transmission popped right in. Hope that helps.

We wrapped up a couple hours ago.

 

Ultimately, we ended up jockeying/tilting the motor for and aft along with a similar technique at the back of the transmission. Same approach on the way in.

 

Notes:

- I can't imagine doing this alone.

- 1/2 inch socket and drive set are essential.

- We were able to remove the flywheel bolts with the standard (non "Plus") torx T50, albeit **very carefully**. I would have preferred the Plus but could not find them locally - bad planning on my part.

- Used a transmission jack, but it only tilted for and aft, not side to side.

- Actual work time was 14 hours. We consciously took our time and were extremely organized.

- Biggest obstalce is transmission separation and realignment, followed by turbo placement. These can be overcome with patience and ingenuity.

 

Thank you all for contributing to this thread and to Scruit for making an awesome how-to!!

 

Off to continue break-in...

 

Cheers

PBing the crap out of those alignment pins for a couple days prior to the pull, and heating (think Bernzomatic torch) the area around the pins when it comes time for the pull works. Put some neverseize on them when you put it back together. Helps overcome the dielectric corrosion between the steel pin and the aluminum tranny mount points.

I imagine that it only gets easier for a non-turbo 2.5i? Anything notably different in the steps besides ignore IC and turbo dodging? Can I reuse my tranny fluid if I replaced it only a few months ago with the good stuff? Also, I would love to add turbo kit but haven't done any research yet. I heard that going with a lighter (single mass) FW would give easier rev but might make it harder to maintain idle revs for steering etc. Is this an issue? I like to drive hard and would like more pep. Not sure how much work/$$ to add turbo but thought I'd gear this clutch job around that prospect. TOB is seized. Rule of thumb is replace FW or inspect and make call? Quoted ~$800 for stock parts and labor at a respected shop.

^ as for adding turbo, I considered it with my 2.5RS Impreza, and everything I read and was told, was basically to sell the NA and buy a WRX. For the cost and reliability of adding a turbo to a NA engine, it wasn't worth it. Or do an engine swap to a turbo 2.5. I'm guessing that will be the general consensus here.

I imagine that it only gets easier for a non-turbo 2.5i? Anything notably different in the steps besides ignore IC and turbo dodging? Can I reuse my tranny fluid if I replaced it only a few months ago with the good stuff? Also, I would love to add turbo kit but haven't done any research yet. I heard that going with a lighter (single mass) FW would give easier rev but might make it harder to maintain idle revs for steering etc. Is this an issue? I like to drive hard and would like more pep. Not sure how much work/$$ to add turbo but thought I'd gear this clutch job around that prospect. TOB is seized. Rule of thumb is replace FW or inspect and make call? Quoted ~$800 for stock parts and labor at a respected shop.

 

AFAIK, aside from the obvious, the only difference is the 2.5is have clips to clip the TOB to the fork.

 

You'll only lose trans fluid if you pull the axles. I lost about a quart when I did mine.

 

I have a LWFW and I would not recommend it for a DD due to noise issues.

Thank you so much for this video. I finally got everything bolted back up under the car and got it off jackstands at 12:30 this morning. That was day 5 and 19 hours of work (not including breaks and several runs to the store for the 14mm hex socket, torch, and putty knife/chisel/prybars). 9 of those hours were spent wrestling with the trans/engine connection, 4 to remove and 5 to bolt back up.

 

I am working alone, so it could potentially be faster with an experienced helper, and it will go faster if I ever have to do this again. I just have a couple house left with the top side of the engine, and then I should get to drive her today, day 6. I can't wait. Carpooling with my wife to work sucks. So much for getting this done over my nice long holiday weekend.

Edited July 7, 2011 by spec.B Dream

^ Yeah - you really need to have some time-realism checks when you're doing this alone for the first time. Having local members to assist is always helpful.

LWFW and noise issues ?

 

I have one if not the first Spec Clutch LWFW and it don't hear any noise at all. FWIW, my LWFW came off a guy's desk because the first batch of them was not ready to ship yet. It's been in there since June 26 07.

Edited July 7, 2011 by Max Capacity

consider yourself lucky! mines rattling on decel. there's a huge thread about it

My dual mass and OEM single mass did that. I have an Exedy LWFW now and it's silent.

Ok, have to take the front and mid exhaust off in one piece for non-turbo. Just watch those O2 sensors. Took the drive shaft off as in the video but reinserted it again later to plug the hole while doing the rest of the work. No leaking and we left the axles in. Using floor and bottle jack (me and my experienced friend), we had the bell housing cracked about 2 hours in (took maybe 20 minutes to bust it open). There is a place to wedge a large screwdriver across the top of the bell housing from the passenger side so we could pry back on it and get a screwdriver tip in the crack. This didn't do much for us in the end but it might be a start for some. Clutch kit coming UPS today. TSK1 sleeve was definitely needed. Also found a hairline crack from the right axel hole past the center seam underneath on the gearbox. It's got me a bit concerned but its not leaking. Who knows how long its been there.

FWIW, I found it easier to put a 2x4 and a piece of 3/4 molding between the timing belt cover and the radiator fans to hold the engine back in the normal position so it didn't fall forward. Doing the job myself, it kept the engine from moving around.

What's the risk of the input shaft seal leaking after this job? I'm gonna replace the rear main/shaft seal for good measure but is there anything to worry about as far as the input side?

maybe it's just me, but somehow I managed to shred 3 t50 bits trying to get my old flywheel out. I would also like to point out that it is still in place for now.

Are you using T50 "Plus" bits? There is a difference and the DMFW uses the (+) versions.

 

T50 Torx

http://i4.quinbyhardware.com/6214662.jpg

 

T50 Plus Torx

http://www.mactools.com/Portals/1/aspdnsf/images/PRODUCT/medium/XTP50BS.jpg

Edited September 12, 2011 by SBT

not sure mine look more like the plus though. i'm just going to drop my tranny all the way tomorrow and work from underneath. better leverage and all.

Wish I had somewhere too do this kind of stuff, my last residence, I had enough space for about 12 lgts to get their clutches done and my landlord got the bright idea to build I cvs and yet another strip mall in new jersey...

not sure mine look more like the plus though. i'm just going to drop my tranny all the way tomorrow and work from underneath. better leverage and all.

 

The spline shanks on the "plus" are much thicker and blunter, whereas the "regular" versions are much thinner and have a more pronounced, sharp-edged "star" type pattern down the spline shanks

 

What's the risk of the input shaft seal leaking after this job? I'm gonna replace the rear main/shaft seal for good measure but is there anything to worry about as far as the input side?

 

I'm planning to replace my input shaft seal when I redo the clutch, due to all of the chatter that's been going on with the ACT HDSS clutch.

Okay, so I'm a fairly green shadetree mechanic...and have done only basic stuff (brake jobs, alternators, oil(duh) & belts (double duh). I've always been under the opinion that any can do anything if they put their mind to it and have time to learn. That being said, 20 hours or spanning 5 days is alot of time to save $500 in labor...This is a bit more complex than anything I've even done...am I crazy for even thinking about doing this?

 

How much should this cost to have done by a local shop?

 

DRum

Edited September 19, 2011 by DrDRum

$600 bucks or so should cover the install by a regular shop. I've seen some Subaru shops do it for $450 or so.

 

Doing it yourself is not a big deal, but it is time consuming, especially if you do it without help or without the proper tools.

 

If you're unsure, ask someone in your regional forum for help.

Okay, so I'm a fairly green shadetree mechanic...and have done only basic stuff (brake jobs, alternators, oil(duh) & belts (double duh). I've always been under the opinion that any can do anything if they put their mind to it and have time to learn. That being said, 20 hours or spanning 5 days is alot of time to save $500 in labor...This is a bit more complex than anything I've even done...am I crazy for even thinking about doing this?

 

How much should this cost to have done by a local shop?

 

DRum

 

I was pretty much in your boat. I feel like I can do anything myself, and I'm stubborn. If I had help, I would have been able to get it done in a weekend. I did it partly to save the $ but more so to learn about my car. I'm not looking forward to doing it again, but I'm glad I did it once.

I got quoted 350 in labor to have a mechanic do mine. After 5 days working by myself, $100 in stall fees, and 3 stripped flywheel bolts I decided it was time to let someone else finish the job.

 

This is not for the faint of heart or anyone short on time.

FWIW, I think Fredbeans has bolts to take the place of those stupid OEM screws.

 

I think they sell the plus bit too.