Advice on clutch fitting.

[Corin Denton]

I am about to fit a new clutch to my 400 Chimaera on Friday , I am a mechanic and will be doing it on the ramp at work so no problem there , all I want to know is there anything I want to watch out for , any special sequence etc... My copy of the bible arrived this morning but does not go into great detail on the subject.....comments please.

[shpub]

quote:
Pretty straight forward really, but I've always done it with the engine and gearbox out of the car, don't know if it can be done with the engine in situ but I imagine someone will enlighten us.
Quinny

The reason why there isn't much in the bible is that for most owners this is way beyond their capabilities and I was asked by the factory not to go into much detail as they had been involved in several arguments/discussions where owners had screwed this up and then tried to blame the factory. It happens a lot of the time which is why they can be very suspeicious and difficult to deal with.

It can be done with the engine in but it is a tight fit. Basically drop exhaust, undo propshaft and remove gerabox the only tricky thing is what to do with the gear lever. Some people disconnect in situ and drop the box as there is less sticking out to catch on things. Some remove the transmission tunnel to improve the access at this point. If you have a nice ramp then it makes life a lot easier.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

Also take care of the reversing switch wire and speedo sensor connection (if fitted). Easy to damage if not removed.

[Corin Denton]

Thanks for the advice , it's all gone a but bananas in work at the moment so it's gonna have to wait intil next week but I'll let you know how I get on .
Corin.

[Corin Denton]

Deed is done , the lad is up and running , fairly straightforward job , roll on summer !!! Thanks for the advice Steve.

[MikeyT]

quote:
Deed is done , the lad is up and running , fairly straightforward job , roll on summer !!! Thanks for the advice Steve.

Come on Corin, it couldn't have been that simple ... ? I want to hear of scraped knuckles, lots of swearing, bolts left over ... otherwise why are the dealers charging the earth for a clutch change ... because they can?

And how much are you gonna start charging fellow PHeaders to do it at your place when all the bosses have gone home (oh yeah, you are the boss).

[beljames]

I have to say that drawing on the encyclopedic knowledge I have of the underside of my car (I have seen far more of it than the top side) it all looks fairly straightforward. Still, despite having done a clutch on one of two 'normal' cars in the past I would be too scared of breaking the Chim - and the words 'fairly straightforward' have been the curse of many a DIY mechanic.

My bonus just came through, and I am currently trying to talk the wife into letting me buy a proper vehicle lift for the garage. Machine Mart do a nice looking 2 poster for £2,000. However, she keeps using funny words like 'why?' and 'what for?'. I have tried to explain that it means I could look underneath my car, and all those cars of my mates'. She doesn't unerstand my need to do this and keeps irrationally saying the word 'holiday' instead.

[MikeyT]

Hello James *mate*

[beljames]

Mike,

I don't ever want to look under your car again.

It was better than mine. People with cars that are better than mine will not be allowed to use my new ramp (that I haven't got and won't be allowed).

[Marshy]

quote:I am currently trying to talk the wife into letting me buy a proper vehicle lift for the garage. Machine Mart do a nice looking 2 poster for £2,000.

Without wishing to alienate myself by seeming to side with She Who Must Be Obeyed, wouldn't it be easier to dig a pit?

(ducks, runs)