Problem.... to pull or not to pull?

[USDM_OneVia]

Well..... driving home a couple of days ago in the beater (the 91 fastback) I went to come to a stop off the highway. I reached down for the clutch pedal and it was gone! I am like WTF?? So I reached down with my hand and it is stuck to the floor. No big deal I thought... just a messed up Clutch Master Cylinder, just 24 bucks at autozone and a 30 minute fix. Easy right.... WRONG!!!

I get the car towed home and I finally get to work on it today. I put in the new clutch master cylinder and then go up underneath the car to modify the hardline to bypass the stock damper box. There is no way I am going to spend 3 hours bleeding a clutch when you can bypass that stupid box and have it done in 2 minutes. While looking at the slave cylinder I noticed it was kinda ****ed to one side. It wasn't pointing straight onto the clutch fork, it was kinda pointing towards me on the passengers side. I figure, just unbolt it, and then bolt it back up correctly. So I unbolted it and it immediately grenaded in my hand. Springs, pistons, lever arms, and clutch fluid are all laying in my hands. So I run up to Advance Auto again and become 18 dollars poorer. I get back, bolt on the new one. But then I notice the clutch fork is not lined up to the slave cylinder and there is a TON of play in it. I kinda had an idea on what had happend and I was preparing for the worse. I took the dust boot off and looked inside the transmission and my fears were confirmed.

Not only was the clutch fork no longer on the pivot bolt, the damn pivot bolt had sheared off inside of the clutch fork. I mean it is sheared CLEAN off. Crap! I am finally starting to get some parts together so I can park the coupe (CA18DET powered) and get all my go fast parts on it while still having the beater to drive around and now I have to focus on the beater and get it running again.

Here is my question. Which is the easier route to fixing the bolt? Pulling the whole motor/transmission combo or just dropping the transmission. I work in my garage and space is very limited and I usually work alone on my cars, so which route would you guys go?

I hate bone stock beaters that prevent you from working on your projects.....

Joe

[float_6969]

First of all, DON'T replace it with the stock unit. I've sheared 3 of those darn bolts, 2 were on stock clutches, stock motors. Spend the extra dough and get the NISMO unit. Having said that, I don't see the nessesity of pulling the motor out. Just drop the transmission. The only thing is that you will almost definatly need another person. If nothing else to call 911 if you get hurt. I've dropped and replaced them by myself on these cars in the parking lot of my apartment, but it's not something that I call fun. The transmission is an absolute bizatch to put back in, regardless of whether you have help or not. But I still think it's less hassle than pulling the motor and doing it. OH! and if you do drop the transmission, just go ahead and take the whole driveshaft out, I've tried leaving the back half in and it ended up getting in the way. Good luck!

[nab911]

Hey ryan, how did u get the transmission back in? I tried once on my ka and ended up having it towed and put back in because the bell housing hti the bottom of the car and it WOULD NOT FIT. A lot of people have said its easy to loosen the motor mounts and jack up the front of the motor...

*lol its ryan*

[float_6969]

It's not easy by any mean, but yea, you have to loosen the mounts and get the motor low. I don't think I've had to lift the front of the motor at any point, but I don't remember for sure. I know that it can be done, and is STILL easier than pulling the motor.

[nab911]

Yeah, im going ahead and swapping the turbo, manifold and clutch befor i put my ca in because i never want to do a clutch job again...

[240 Trainee]

When I dropped my transmission, I jacked up the front of the engine by the Crank, then put a fence slat between the Valve cover, and the lip of the firewall, and had sopmeone pull it donw as far as it would go before breaking. lol. It still took me forever. This is assuming you have loosened the engine mounts, and having a transmission jack makes it easier.

[float_6969]

you could also lower the front subframe, which would make it real easy, but you'd have to get the car realigned after you did it.

[240 Trainee]

yea, lowering the subframe would have been nice. But that whole alignment thing. The gist of it is that it is a pain in the rear. But, easier I think to drop the Trannie, than the whole engine.

[Nismo1182]

On davids CA, I loosend the motor mount nuts, then placed a wooden block and a jack on the front of the motor and jacked it up. It still didnt get it perfect enought, the input shaft was about 1/2" away. So we put a big piece of pipe over the downpipe and used the lower frame rail as leverage to tilt the motor back a bit further. Worked like a charm.

[float_6969]

Thats the ONLY complaint I've got about working on the S13, the transmission is a biatch to get in and out.

[Nismo1182]

I did the clutch on my KA and it was a pain. I thought the CA would be easier since it has a smaller bell housing.

[float_6969]

I've done CA, KA (s13 e&de, and S14). Never done an SR, but I don't see how it would be any different. I think it's just because they tried to get the motor back twords the rear of the car farther so space is limited. Damn good handleing! Hehehe.