Re: [DML] Clutch replacement advice

["Ryan Wright" <ryanpwright@xxxxxxxxx>]

John,

Bill touched on most of what you need, but I'll reinforce two points:

1. The car must be completely level, and you need it high in the air.
If you don't have a lift put it on four jack stands. Note that this is
not a safe thing to do. Once it's on the stands you're OK but getting
there is dangerous, IMHO. I recommend you use extremely heavy duty
jack stands. A 5,000lb Wal-Mart Special collapsed on me, had I been
under the car instead of behind it I'd have been dead. I bought four
big 12k pound stands from Schucks to finish the job. Go slowly,
working front to back, one notch on the jack stands at a time. Do not
attempt to lift one end significantly higher than the other to save
time. Again, keep the car level! It will make the transmission removal
& reinstallation a thousand times easier.

2. Buy a proper transmission jack. Do not attempt this job any other
way. I removed the tranny with a floor jack, then tried to reinstall.
After 4 to 6 hours worth of fighting it between myself and a buddy, I
caved and bought a transmission jack. The tranny slipped right in with
maybe 15-20 minutes work. You can buy a small, inexpensive scissor
type tranny jack at Harbor Freight that uses a standard socket wrench
to move up and down. I think I gave $60 for mine. You just can't line
it up properly otherwise.

Those are the two key points, really. The hardest part of this job is
sliding the transmission in & out and lining the splines up properly.
Having the car level and having an actual transmission jack will make
this go smoothly.

By the way, you don't have to spend the entire winter on this project
if you don't want to. A weekend's worth of hard work would more than
suffice. With a proper lift I think I could do this job all by myself
in a day's work, easy. Maybe as quickly as 4 hours. While you're in
there I advise replacing the clutch line with a stainless braided line
if you haven't already. I also replaced both the master and slave
cylinders, rear main seal (actually any seal you can get to, replace
while you're there), heater control valve and a lot of other difficult
to get at original parts.

-Ryan


>  My winter project this year for 3760 will be the clutch.  I am
>  currently in the process of researching whether to go with the Valeo
>  OEM or something else.  I have R&R'd a few clutches in the past,
>  mostly on Camaro's, but this is the 1st time with my Delorean.  Any
>  helpful tips, problem bolts to access, etc..  I do have the workshop
>  manual but that can sometimes fall a little short at times.  Anyway,
>  any Tech tips would be appreciated


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