geoff.doctor

Well my 93 SE has something wrong with the clutch. When it is all the way out, it still does not engage right. The RPMs jump up like mad and it smells after awhile. I figure something needs to be replaced. Does it need the whole clutch, or is there one part that is causing this problem? I really need some help, I am not very mechanically inclined. Is a clutch replacement very difficult? If so, what is involved. Any information or even some kind of tutorail available?

Thanks in advance!

GRNMAXDMON

iTrader: (1)

sounds like time for u to change ur clutch plate. it isn't difficult to change a clutch but since ur sayin' that ur not mechanically inclined just take it to a shop and have them change ur clutch plate.

geoff.doctor

Well I figured it was just the plate. I would like to do it myself however, as I am trying to learn more about cars (I have bought, fixed, and sold 3 already) I have an Audi 100 I can drive until this one is done. So if I get the plate, can I take it off with a set of socket wrenches? Also, how long will the car be off the road for. And j/w, is a plate off of a 90 SE the same, or are they different as well.

Thanks in advance!

GRNMAXDMON

iTrader: (1)

the job should only take about 3-4 hours if im correct. to perform the job u will need a good set of sockets and a pry bar. but if u can get access to air tools that will make ur life a whole lot easier. the car will be off the road normally for a half a day.

garbury

iTrader: (4)

3-4 hours?!?! He has little mechanical experience and has never done a clutch job.

If you have a set of half inch drive wrenches with breakers to get the axle nuts off, and a basic hydrolic jack, you should attempt it, but I would use a friend.

My first piece of advice is to get a FSM, I screwed up the internals of my transmission because I did it without one, and it cost me 200 bucks to get it fixed.

Matt Blehm has a pretty good writeup on 4dsc.com that I used in place of the manual for the entire process. It is pretty easy but time consuming. Basically you remove the airbox and battery tray above the transmission plus the various sensors and cables attached to it. Then, you drain the gear oil and remove both tires. You then need to break loose the axle nuts which require some force (air tools or impact wrench may help). Then its all about removing the spindles from both sides to free the axles, and taking the axles off. There's the two transmission mounts and the trans/engine brace as well. Then you have about 12 bellhousing bolts and the tranny slides off. This is where you need a friend, without a proper tranny jack (which I didn't have and assume you don't have as well), pulling the tranny alone sounds insane. It weighs about 100 pounds. The rest is all about taking off old clutch, pressure plate, and TO bearing and bolting the new one on, and then installing in reverse order.

Some tips I used were that I bolted a metal strap to the tranny case so I could have someone lift the weight from above while I dropped it on the jack. This made reinstalling MUCH easier as I could reach down and line up the driveshaft perfectly (this is possibly the hardest thing about the job).

It took me from about 12 A.M. to about 6 or so off and on to remove the tranny, replace the clutch, and put it back on. Then i realized it was broken so I had to take if off again, but I would give it at least 8 hours. The process sounds quick on paper but little stuff is tedious and takes time.

So, get a manual, a friend, and get to work... You'll save about 500 if you buy an OEM clutch from ebay or somewhere cheap. I paid 125 shipped for the daikin/exedy and it was fine.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

if you're not very mechanically inclined, then expect to take all weekend to replace the clutch.

after you do it a few times and have the proper tools, it's a 3 hour job.

be sure to get the flywheel resurfaced while you're in there.. it'll keep down on chatter when you get it back together. cost is an extra $35.

I can get you an Exedy OE replacement clutch for fairly cheap, (around $115 or so), or I can get you stuff that's much beefier and will hold up to 500hp if you need it. shoot me a PM if you want me to get you a clutch.
(and yes.. aftermarket Maxima clutches are the same from like 85 up to 2001.. the OEM ones have slightly different materials and torque capacities, but they are all the same overall shape and the aftermarket clutches are all the same.)

geoff.doctor

Ok I'm not as worried after hearing this. So the wheels do have to come off? Because the car is on ramps now. I assume any hydrolic jack will work for the tranny? And I have a FSM for 89-91 SEs, is it similar enough that I can use it for this job?

Thanks in advance

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Yup.. you gotta pull wheels off and axles out. think about it for a few minutes. what do the wheels attach to? the axles. what do the axles attach to? the tranny. if you want the tranny out, you're going to have to pull the axles.


open up your FSM and take a long hard read at the clutch section and see if you're capable of doing it before you try to do anything.

garbury

iTrader: (4)

Do what Matt said.

The hydrolic jack will be to lower the tranny after you pull it. There's a "transmission" jack which would make it easier, but I just used a shop jack. Any old hydrolic jack won't stabilize the tranny well, but a few odd sized pieces of wood and an extra person make it a LOT more manageable.

My 1993 FSM doesn't specify VE or VG for the tranny removal, the instructions are virtually the same (Hence the reason people swap VLSD VE trannies, into VG cars. It's the same setup).

goon9

iTrader: (13)

It took me 8 hours to tear out and rebuild. Without any fsm, or experiance. Just a couple of large go-nads and a few tools.

Travis92se

iTrader: (2)

Does anybody know exactly what size the big axle (hub) nut is so that I can get started on this project? I assume that is metric but I would like to find the exact size as I don't have anything close to that big.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Hmmm. I had always thought the VE and VG trannies were different. So, auto tranny for VG and VE same? 5sp Tranny for VG/VE same? Except for VLSD?

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

The easiest way to break the axle nut loose without air tools is to do so with car on the ground. Have a helper press the brake pedal, use a long breaker bar, and it is cake.

The size is 1 7/16". You can find them at Sears.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

They are different. The axles are different. But to the best of my knowledge, the axle nuts are the same size.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Thanks pervis. I can confirm that the bolts are the same as I've worked on both. I understood in this thread (Garbury) that the VG/VE autos are interchangeable and VG/VE 5sp's are interchangeable? I always believed they were not. I just don't do trannies! Clarification? If axles different, then shouldn't the tranny's be different and not be able to swap VE for VG regardless?

twinkle

iTrader: (1)

you CAN do the swap, you just need to swap more parts. But the bell housing (the part that bolts to the engine, and houses the clutch/flywheel/pressure plate sandwitch, or the flexplate, and tourque converter, has the same bolt pattern, so it bolts up. you just need different axels, and hubs.

garbury

iTrader: (4)

I believe the axle nut is 36 mm, but the standard one will work fine.

Chris, I was talking about the 5 speed trannies. I know nothing about the autos, but yes you can put a 94 5 speed into an 89 auto. Twinkle pretty much explained it fully.

milano36

Do any companies offer a clutch kit (clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, bolts)? My '89 SE has 183K. I don't know when the first clutch was done, but I've got Red Line in it (stock viscosity) so everything's smooth. Time's likely just around the corner, though. Rate a clutch job on a scale of 1-10 for difficulty. I had an Audi quattro, and a shop did it for $750 parts and labor (ouch!). I was there an entire Sun., even helped bleed it for more than an hour. I'd like to try this one myself, but how tough is it for a FWD car?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

it all depends on the tools at your disposal.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

it's not that bad actually.. took me a full day the first time I pulled a tranny in a Maxima, but now I can have it out in under an hour.

the hard part is the shift linkage. there's not a lot of clearance back there to get to some of those bolts. I find it easier to remove the Y pipe sometimes to make more room to get to the tranny bolts.

As for clutch kits, I can get you one- anything from an OE type replacement to a 6 puck metallic disc.. shoot me an email (sales@mattblehm.com) with what you're looking for on the clutch and I'll make you a deal.

Site

Hey all, I replaced my clutch (with the help of many of you through your posts here!) on my 93 SE about a month ago. Every now and then, after the car has sat for a few hours, the clutch seems not to engage when I initially shift into 1st gear. Here's how it happens:This happened nearly every morning the first few days after I replaced the clutch. Now it happens about once or twice a week.

Any clues as to why this might be happening?

At first, I thought that maybe some grease or residue was on the flywheel after the clutch replacement, and that it needed some friction to burn off before the clutch engaged the flywheel. But I decided that's most likely not the problem, because it shifts into reverse just fine, and after 3 weeks any residue on the flywheel should be gone.

My thanks for all of you contributing to this forum. It's a great resource.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

This problem may be the clutch fork and/or release bearing are binding up...Did you replace the release bearing when you did the clutch job???Also,did you lube the pivot point on the clutch fork????

Site

Thanks for the reply, MyGreenMax!
I did replace the release bearing (also called the throw-out bearing, right?); but I did not lube the clutch fork pivot point. It's also likely that I rinsed off any grease that was formerly lubricating the clutch fork's pivot point, so it makes sense that it would be binding some. When it happens next, I'll try pumping the clutch pedal some to see if it helps unbind the clutch fork.

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

Yes release bearing = throwout bearing

Also, there's a little "V"-shaped spring that helps hold the clutch fork to the pivot ball, I suggest replacing this as well...you can get it from the dealer. I tested mine before reassembling, and the fork kept snapping off of the pivot ball before I replaced this spring. In additon, it's a good idea to replace that rubber boot that goes around the fork if it is damaged.