Must kill whoever changed clutch last.

493 Views 13 Replies 4 Participants Last post by negativl, Dec 3, 2001

negativl

Discussion Starter · Dec 2, 2001

GRRRRRRR! I got the motor out okay (though it was oddly difficult to get wrench clearance around the engine mount nearest the diff), get the tranny off the motor even. flywheel wasn't even that bad. Then I get to the pressure plate (after trying to not trip while holding my breath and carrying flywheel dropping clouds of nasty clutch dust out of garage), managed to get 4 of the bolts off, but 2 of them are so tight that even when we resorted to the impact wrench (250lbs) they won't budge!

I hate it when "pros" use impact wrenches to torque things on (they typically get the expensive impact wrenches that can go high enough to damage the car).

So right now I can't get the engine on the stand to start working on the seals, and I can't even change the pressure plate to do the new clutch right. I could have saved a lot of time and money if I just wanted to stick a new disc in there without changing the pressure plate. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif

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de motorwerks

· #2 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

use some sockets on the engine stand to space the motor away fartherso there will be room for the clutch and longer bolts ........but if they are that tight u will prolly ring them off cause they are so small........and it might not be overtorked have u ever tried to get a bolt out that has green locktite on it only way is to use heat ...torch.....i would heat them anyway they will come rite out if u get flywheel hot enuf where the bolts are ...so u arnt tring to easyout them next week....i might try pb blaster penetrating oil first ....it dosent burn when heated so u dont have to worry about that

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Vdubs

· #3 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

So you were there when they fitted it were you?
You said a pro overtightened it, well if he was a pro he would have torqued it properly.
The bolts are threadlocked you know.

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negativl

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (Vdubs)

quote:[HR][/HR]So you were there when they fitted it were you?
You said a pro overtightened it, well if he was a pro he would have torqued it properly.
The bolts are threadlocked you know.[HR][/HR]

No, I wasn't there. I just recognize the signs of machine over-tightening. I only got the car a month ago, and I'm doing a tear down and rebuild. I said "pro" because it was probably someone with access to a pro shop, who probably got paid to screw up my car. You don't have to be good to get paid, as nearly anyone who's beeen to a factory service can tell you. An impact wrench generates more torque than a hand operated torque wrench would have tightened, they should have spun right off like the other 4 did.

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Vdubs

· #5 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

By the use of the word Pro you are intimating a gualified mechanic not a jerk in a workshop who daily proves that a little bit of knowledge is dangerous.

PS I'm not being serious.

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negativl

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (vw problems)

Okay, bit of update and clarification.
I already got the flywheel and clutch disc off, along with the releast/thrust plate. I'm not talking about the 3 sets of 3 flywheel bolts, those were easy. The problem is the pressure plate. It's held on by 6 bolts, 17mm (or was it 19? whatever. the size that fits). I managed to get 4 of them off relatively easily. The other 2 are stuck HARD.
I did try heating with a small butane mini blow torch. Got to the point where I could feel the around the side of the pressure plate and it was definitely warming up. Still can't get those last 2 to budge. May have to try(buy) a 500lb impact wrench, or welding something on to the bolt head so I can apply more torque than the socket can transfer to the head itself, but both of those are rather... undesirable. Oh well, have until noon tomorrow to return the engine hoist. Will sleep on it and hope I think of something.

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de motorwerks

· #7 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

smack them with a small sledge hammer one or twice square with the head of the bolts ..and a butane torch isnt nearly hot enuf unless u want to stand there all day heating .........i have welded a nut on a stripped head of a bolt and with the heat and better grip it came rite off ..done it many times that way ...but make sure that the head is striped first.......soak with pb blaster ........just a few more ideas ..if that dosent help email me i have a few more tricks up my sleave

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negativl

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (vw problems)

Didn't have a sledge, but I gave them some hard whacks with a regular one. I heated them about 5 minutes with the butane, yeah, realized it wasn't helping. I soaked them in liquid wrench because that's what I had/found.

We finally got it off though. Rented a BIG impact wrench. Brute force wins.

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de motorwerks

· #9 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

to every one ther is no subitution for pb blaster it is the best hands down nuts off is close but not quite.......nonflamable to boot .....get a can next time u r in the parts store and ...next time u are working on something put a few drops here and there .....before u even start ...makes life so much easier ....but ur rite nothing beats brute force ....just be glad they didnt snap off ....and if it was me i would replace the bolts cause they prolly streached...good luck from here on in

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Vdubs

· #10 · Dec 3, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (vw problems)

Not a good idea to hammer the end of the crankshaft, you'll squash the crankshaft thrust washers.

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negativl

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 3, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (vw problems)

Thanks. I definitely intend to replace all the bolts. There's no way they should have been THAT tight. The good thing about removing bolts with an impact wrench is they have very little risk of shearing the heads, compared to standing on a cheater bar. I will have to figure out how I'm going to torque them on correctly when it comes time to put it back together, though. Any suggestions? I haven't seen a flywheel/pressureplate lock around.

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Vdubs

· #12 · Dec 3, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (negativl)

Hold the crank pulley nut.

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acafounder

· #13 · Dec 3, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (Vdubs)

quote:[HR][/HR]Hold the crank pulley nut.[HR][/HR]

yeah, just toss a ratchet with a cheater bar on that nut on the other side of the crank, and let the cheater rest on the ground. the crank nut is a lot tighter than the 20 lbs that you need for those bolts.

tom

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negativl

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 3, 2001

Re: Must kill whoever changed clutch last. (acafounder)

quote:[HR][/HR]yeah, just toss a ratchet with a cheater bar on that nut on the other side of the crank, and let the cheater rest on the ground. the crank nut is a lot tighter than the 20 lbs that you need for those bolts.

tom

[HR][/HR]

20? Are you talking about the flywheel bolts or the pressure plate bolts? My concern is about the pressure plate bolts, do they only need 20lbs of torque?
I know the flywheel bolts are small and not terribly tight, but the pressure plate and its attendant bolts look like it's expecting to be much tighter...

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