Cascade Crew

[Twilightoptics]

Anyone replace a clutch in a front wheeler? Girlfriend's '99 ZX2 Escort is starting to wear and it sounds like the throwout bearing is making some noise.

Any tips, tricks, pertinent information native to this model?

Or should the $150-200 in labor be payed?

[Wolffy]

hey Paul from my limited experience with doing clutches on front wheel drives, they are a major PITA usually, lots of times u gotta move the motor to get to the tranny
the g/f Pontiac Beneville needs a new tranny, its FW & the gotta drop the whole front subframe, including motore to get it out, so its worth it to me to pay the $500-700 to have a shop do it, as this all comes out from the bottom of the car, not the top, so u gotta have a lift
but id just try to look at a manual & see what it says first
Shawn

[chevymad]

A rack is extremly helpful in a fwd. Sometimes subframes have to be removed. Most of the time the engine will have to be supported from above while the trans is dropped out of the bottom. Suspension on both sides has to come apart to pull both axles. Watch out on some ford's too, if you pull both axles at the same time the side gears can fall out of the diff and down into the tranny. You need to stick a piece of heater hose into one side after pullin the axle to hold the gear up. I'd say you need to get the car at least 3ft off the ground to do the job.

[Quasi-Traction]

FWD=EVIL

[Fastspec2]

Disconnect both battery cables, negative cable first.

Remove the battery and battery tray.

Remove the engine air cleaner outlet tube.

If necessary, unplug the Constant Control Relay Module (CCRM) electrical connection, loosen its retainers and remove the module and bracket as an assembly.

Disconnect the slave cylinder line from the slave cylinder hose and plug the hose.

Unfasten the slave cylinder line retaining clip and remove the line from the bracket.

Unplug the heated oxygen sensor electrical connection.

Unplug the back-up light electrical connection.

Unfasten the electrical connector bracket bolt and remove the bracket.

Unplug the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) electrical connection.

Remove the halfshafts.

Install Engine Support Bar D88-6000A or equivalent, and attach it to the engine lifting eyes with suitable chains or cables.

Remove the insulator nuts from the left-hand engine support bracket.


Fig. 4: Location of the left-hand engine support bracket nuts-2.0L engines



Remove the front and rear upper transaxle-to-engine bolts.

Raise and safely support the vehicle.

Drain the transaxle fluid and install the drain plug.

Disconnect the A/C line from the retainer located on the engine support crossmember.

Unfasten the engine support crossmember bolts and nuts, then remove the crossmember.

Unfasten the gearshift stabilizer bar-to-transaxle nut, then remove the stabilizer bar and support from the transaxle.


Fig. 5: Remove the gearshift stabilizer bar and support from the transaxle-2.0L engines




Fig. 6: Loosen the transaxle gearshift bolt, then remove the gearshift rod and clevis pin from the input shift shaft-2.0L engines



Unfasten the transaxle gearshift rod nut.

Unfasten the transaxle gearshift bolt and remove the gearshift rod and clevis pin from the input shift shaft.

Remove the starter motor.

Disconnect the lower slave cylinder tube and remove the slave cylinder.

Unfasten the lower transaxle-to-engine bolts.

Position and secure a suitable transaxle jack under the transaxle.

Remove the catalytic converter.

Unfasten the middle transaxle-to-engine bolts and remove the transaxle from the car.

To install:

Apply a thin coating of suitable grease to the spline of the input shaft.

Place the transaxle onto a suitable transaxle jack. Make sure the transaxle is secure.

Raise the transaxle into position.

Install the middle transaxle-to-engine bolts and tighten them to 23-38 ft. lbs. (38-51 Nm).

Install the lower engine-to-transaxle bolts and tighten them to 23-38 ft. lbs. (38-51 Nm).

Install the clutch slave cylinder and tighten the nuts to 12-17 ft. lbs. (16-23 Nm).

Connect the lower slave cylinder tube and tighten the fitting to 10-16 ft. lbs. (13-21 Nm).

Install the starter motor.

Place the gearshift rod and clevis into position on the input shift shaft, then install gearshift bolt and gearshift rod nut and tighten to 12-17 ft. lbs. (16-23 Nm).

Install the gearshift stabilizer bar and tighten the nut to 23-34 ft. lbs. (31-46 Nm).

Install the halfshafts and the catalytic converter.

Install the engine support crossmember. Tighten the crossmember bolts and nuts to 47-65 ft. lbs. (64-89 Nm) and the insulator nuts to 28-37 ft. lbs. (38-51 Nm).

Install the front and rear upper transaxle-to-engine bolt and tighten it to 28-38 ft. lbs. (38-51 Nm).


Fig. 7: Install the engine support crossmember and tighten the retainers to their indicated specifications-2.0L engines



Install the left-hand engine support insulator nuts and tighten them to 50-68 ft. lbs. (67-93 Nm).

Remove the engine support bar.

Install the electrical connector support bracket.

Attach all the electrical connectors.

Connect the slave cylinder line to the slave cylinder hose and install the retaining clip. Tighten the fitting to 10-16 ft. lbs. (13-21 Nm).

Bleed the clutch hydraulic system.

Add the proper type and amount of fluid to the transaxle.

If removed, install the CCRM and bracket assembly. Tighten the retainers and attach the electrical connection.

Install the engine air cleaner tube.

Install the battery tray and the battery.

Connect the battery cables, negative cable last.

Check for fluid leaks and proper clutch operation.

Road test the vehicle and check for proper transaxle operation.


Mitchell bids 6.0 hours for this job not includeing flywheel turning. There not hard, but I wouldn't do it without a rack. You can basically double the bid time without a good shop and a hoist.

[Dewey316]

Fastspec2 --

Where do you work? Service writer or wrench?