How to: 02/03 clutch and flywheel

[prometheum]

step 1: make your car look like this:

step 2: do this









just kidding!

so after 1 or 2 too many AWD launches my stocker was on its way out

• time required: it took me and 2 other friends who have never done a wrx clutch before a good 7 or 8 hours to do including a few breaks
• tools needed besides sockets, deepwells, and wrenches you will need: a punch, transmission jack, torque wrench, pry bar, 1 (one) m6 * 1.25 bolt (the longer the better), in impact gun made life a lot easier, and the clutch alignment tool (should have came with your clutch)
• important torque values (all in ft*lbs) 11.6, 23.1, 36.9, 52.8 these are for the pressure plate, prop shaft, transmission to engine, and flywheel respectively
• clutch (duh!), flywheel, pilot bearing, throw out bearing
• consumables: brake parts cleaner, grease, pb blaster, loctite thread locker
• things you might want to buy: spring pins [(2) these keep the front axles from sliding out], down pipe gasket, all exhaust gaskets from the turbo to down pipe and back
• things you might want to upgrade while its all out not covered in this guide: front sways + endlinks, transmission mount, shifter and shift linkage, shift bushings, transmission cross member bushings, rear shifter stay bushing, pitch stop, transmission and rear diff fluid

disconnect the negative terminal on the battery
remove the intercooler to gain access underneath
disconnect the pitch stop
start disconnecting the down pipe
disconnect all the wire harnesses that go into the transmission
remove the starter


remove the slave cylinder from the transmission
what ever you do don't step on the clutch now!
there's a 10mm hex plug that you will need to remove from the transmission in order to free the clutch release fork. we found it was more accessible from the bottom...its on the driver's side of the vehicle near the top of the transmission
once you've pulled the plug out thread a 6mm bolt (m6 * 1.25 the longer the better) bolt into the hole start pulling (this is the shaft that holds the release fork in place)

this should free up the release fork

now make the interior of your car look like this:

disconnect the shift linkage up from the shift lever

we went ahead and disconnected the front half shafts too even though the service manual doesn't tell you do do it until much later. use a punch and hammer to remove the spring pins on each side (the service manual says you should replace them my passenger side one was really beat up)


disconnect the front endlinks
remove the bolt holding the ball joint from the transverse link


you should with a little bit of muscle be able to drop the front half shafts off, try e

go ahead and finish taking off the down pipe (it would probably be best to take the rest of the exhaust off but we didn't)

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[prometheum]

remove top 4 bolts that hold the transmission and the engine together (the 2 on the left hold the starter on so really just 2 on the right)

now you will need to disconnect the prop shaft

remove the 6 bolts securing the prop shaft protector
important step: make sure to mark the position of how the prop shaft mates with the differential

remove the 4 nuts that hold the prop shaft (if you didn't set the parking brake have someone hold the rear wheels in place while you remove the nuts)

now remove the 2 other bolts that hold the prop shaft up to the body of the car...you should be able to pull the shaft right out now

remove the top 4 bolts that hold the engine and transmission together (the 2 on the right hold the starter on and should be off already)

disconnect the shifter linkage from the transmission, it should be 2 rolds, one where the shifter bushings are and the other right above that, it should just be a nut and bolt for each one

remove the bottom nuts and bolts that hold the transmission to the engine (iirc there are 2 nuts and 2 bolts)

transmission jack time

now remove all the bolts from the transmission crossmembers (air tools help

separating the engine and transmission was a royal pain in the ass for us, we had to lift the front of the engine by jamming a 2x4 behind the cross-over pipe and jacking it up...it finally came loose after yelling some obscenities at it

undo the 6 bolts that hold on the pressure plate to the flywheel, after you get that off if you don't have air tools you'll need something to keep the crank from turning, you can have someone hold a breaker bar + socket on the nut that holds the crankshaft pulley to the crank shaft or jamb a screw driver onto one of the teeth on the flywheel.


hey i've seen that pic already!

[prometheum]

eye candy:
13lbs flywheel compared to 2x lbs stock

pretty worn down

a few hot spots on the old one huh?



install the pilot bearing onto the flywheel lightly tap it into place with a hammer

install the flywheel gradually increasing the torque in a crisscross pattern to a final value of 52.8 ft*lbs
put the clutch alignment tool into the pilot bearing
now slide the clutch on
install the pressure plate 6 bolts once again crisscross pattern slowly increasing the torque to 11.6 ft*lbs
important step: after you've reached 11.6 ft*lbs once on each bolt go over it again since you are putting pressure on the fingers of the pressure plate and actually pushing the plate in it will loosen up all the other bolts you just tightened.
install the throw out bearing...it just snaps into place
remove the alignment tool

y helo thar mr turbo

some grease on the transmission spline

make this happen

jack the transmission back up and engage the splines
install the transmission crossmember, make sure the bolts are really tight!

install the bottom 4 fasteners that hold the transmission to the engine
36.9 ft*lbs

install the prop shaft pretty self explanatory
23.1 ft*lbs for the bolts that hold it on to the rear diff, just remember the orientation

install the exhaust back on now i believe the torque value for all those is 26.7 ft*lbs

install the front half shafts, the service manual recommends you use new spring pins
install the transverse link and ball joints
connect the front endlinks
connect the shift linkage

lower the car
install the starter, and the rest of the bolts holding on the transmission to the engine, same torque values as the bottom ones

remember that crazy 10mm hex plug?
now we need to align the release fork and that shaft that holds it in place

the shaft only goes in there one way so you're going to have to turn it and play around with the fork, you can take the boot off and shine a flash light down in there to make it a little easier it took is a little while just be patient

install the pitch stop

mad tight jdm bling yo!

connect all the harnesses back to the transmission (should be 3 plugs + 1 ground)

install the slave cylinder
install intercooler
put shift linkage in side the car back together

profit!

cliffs:
take old clutch out
put new one in

edit: any technicians want to chime on how to tips on how to separate the transmission from the engine?

[SMUwrx34]

Originally Posted by prometheum

edit: any technicians want to chime on how to tips on how to separate the transmission from the engine?

There is a special Subaru tool where it isn't needed to take the center console apart. It will un-clip the clutch from the engine. Takes off like 3ish hours. I think all said and done with my clutch install from my old WRX it took me 4 hours all said and done.

[FuJi K]

I've done 15th trannies from NA, WRX, and STi. I have been dropping them but now I just move them back and don't have to take the driveshaft or axles out of the tranny, but I do disconnect it from the rear diff or in the middle on the STi's. I do drop the whole exhaust so I don't have to worry about midpipe gaskets etc, just the header gaskets or the turbo to DP gasket.

Looks fun!!! lolz

[djerickd]

Nice write up!!!!!! what pitch stop is that? nice!!!

[edo2000]

Good writeup and pics. I have my engine out right now and was wondering what the procedure was for getting the clutch release fork and shaft installed and working again. This will help a lot. Thanks!

[soldmyboxster]

A little info about the clutch release fork....

First, before you go fiddling with the shaft the fork pivots on, you must get the fork into the release bearing. PRIOR to installing the clutch, become familiar with the bearing.



The bearing is in the center of the pressure plate, and it has two tabs that stick out and curl around, into a pair of square tabs. You'll see I spun the bearing so the tabs are at 9 and 3 o'clock. This helped a ton.

After the trans is bolted on, you need to use a flashlight to look down the shift lever hole. Spot the two square "holes" in the release bearing and put one prong of the fork in each one. It's a little difficult to tell if you've got it right, but here's how to test: start sliding in the pivot shaft. If it binds up, the release fork is incorrectly installed. Keep in mind you will probably have to lift up a little on the fork to get the shaft through it.

The shaft (that's held in place by the 10mm allen plug) engages a tab inside the transmission. I believe this tab is aligned vertically. You'll find, as you try to install the shaft, it often won't slide all the way into the hole, but a portion will block the threads where the plug belongs. Solution, pull the shaft back out a bit, rotate one direction or the other 25 degrees or so, then jam it back in. Eventually it will go all the way in.

Once it's jammed in far enough that the allen plug threads are clear, check the fork again. It should now have very limited movement, none of which is up/down or side/side. Only a little fore/aft.

Remove the M6x1.25 bolt from the shaft and install the allen plug. Install the two bolts for the slave cylinder. Note: The slave cylinder engages a small notched recess about halfway down the release fork, NOT the hole. The hole is for the fork return spring.

Testing the completed install: Now (and not before now) you can press on the clutch. Do it very slowly to ensure the slave cylinder pushrod engages the proper notch on the fork. Have a helper guide it if need be (watch your fingers). Since the piston was probably retracted a bit, you'll need to pump the clutch several times before it will work normally. Watch the lever action of the fork. Does it pivot smoothly and quietly? Does the clutch actually engage/disengage? Why did Britney Spears shave her head? Does it make any abnormal noise? Does it "feel" normal from inside the car?

Other notes:



In this pic you'll see we put grease on the prop shaft slip yoke seal. This was done to prevent damage to the seal as the prop shaft was reinstalled. This is VERY important. You shaould also clean and lightly grease the shift fork shaft to ease installation. Also apply a small glob of grease to the tip of the transmission mainshaft for the pilot bearing, as well as a light coat on the splines.

Great success!

[fastwrx25]

thanks for the awesome tutorial. I love you.

bookmarking this for my own super fun install.

also is that a new stock clutch? or exedy sport?

[prometheum]

Originally Posted by fastwrx25

thanks for the awesome tutorial. I love you.

bookmarking this for my own super fun install.

also is that a new stock clutch? or exedy sport?

exedy stage 1
act pro light flywheel

[prometheum]

Originally Posted by djerickd

Nice write up!!!!!! what pitch stop is that? nice!!!

beatrush, rallysportdirect.com has it

[WRXBob]

When I swap in my 6sp, I left the clutch fork with the throw out bearing installed in the transmission, align the clutch and move the trans in. But may be your way is a little bit safer, but you have to fish around to install the fork. Good write up!

[edo2000]

Originally Posted by fastwrx25

thanks for the awesome tutorial. I love you.

bookmarking this for my own super fun install....

Yeah, thanks guys. Your tips and documentation are MUCH appreciated. I think I love you too.

[Firestrike]

I just did a clutch in an 02 WRX. I followed this guide for the most part, along with my previous experience. I did a few things differently.

I didn't mess with the shifter up top, just took the linkage apart down below, no problems moving them around.

I was able to put the shift fork and pin in before reinstalling the transmission. A little quick jab after tranny was stabbed and the throwout was set into place in the clutch.

As for the removal of the transmission, it was a pain, but I wound up having to hammer a real thin screwdriver into the top seam, moving it left and right to get a gap started, then I used a pry bar for the rest.

The hardest part, was stabbing the tranny back into the engine, solo.

[bigboy]

Good write up..i am doing my clutch this weekend and will probably use this as a guide!!

thanks

[udelslayer]

Originally Posted by FuJi K

I've done 15th trannies from NA, WRX, and STi. I have been dropping them but now I just move them back and don't have to take the driveshaft or axles out of the tranny, but I do disconnect it from the rear diff or in the middle on the STi's. I do drop the whole exhaust so I don't have to worry about midpipe gaskets etc, just the header gaskets or the turbo to DP gasket.

Looks fun!!! lolz

Would you be so kind as to elaborate how you're doing your installs? I've seen two methods: 1>remove trans, 2> remove rad/fans move motor forward. I havent been able to find any people that have done the second method on a WRX and would like to avoid dropping the transmission if possible. Can somebody provide pros and cons of that method?

If I didnt have to remov ethe axles, that would be even better. I'm wondering if there is enough wiggle room to do that.

Also, does anyone replace the rear main? I know I should have a full compliment of exhaust gaskets on hand, but what other pieces are recommended to be replaced?

thanks
J

[udelslayer]

Why do you remove the bolt in the ball joint/transverse link?

[prometheum]

Originally Posted by udelslayer

Why do you remove the bolt in the ball joint/transverse link?

thats what allows you to remove the front cv joints

[bigboy]

this sticky helped out a lot when i did mine..i followed it pretty much dead on....we dropped the tranny onto a floor tranny jack and moved it back about 2 feet and installed the parts

dustin

[EJ2point0]

WOW....

GREAT Write up!

[chapstien]

Nice.

I started always putting on anti-seize on the matching surfaces so it comes apart the next time. You know - when you shatter 2nd.

[Mooneyes13]

in for this thanks

[ballitch]

If you make a mark or your top strut bolts (the eccentric one) you can just loosen the bottom ones and slide the axles off the tranny stubs. Obviously you need to jack the car up to do this. Then after tranny is back in, you slide axles back onto tranny stubs, line up your orientation marks on your struts, and tighten the bolts down.

But I hate having to put ball joints back into the knuckle.



~Josh~

[youtellme]

Ballitch, what you are referring to is the camber bolts. i popped those off (used a paint marker to mark the placement of course) and the shafts popped right out of the tranny...
The main problem i had with the swap was always the clutch fork. if you do not release the clutch fork from the throw-out bearing the tranny WILL NOT come out no matter how hard you yank on it cuz there's a retaining ring on the other side that locks the bearing to the pressure plate. I installed the tranny a little different where i slid the throw-out bearing onto the fork on the input shaft before i mated the tranny and engine, the MAJOR thing you gotta remember here is that you HAVE TO push the fork forward hard enough to push the throw-out bearing far enuff into the pressure plate to have the retaining ring lock on. Otherwise no matter how much you step on the clutch it wont work...(this is with a ACT Streetlite flywheel/clutch combo install)

Also for those of you who like to take off bolts and just push it aside into one pile, the starter bolts and the bolts that hold the transmission to the engine are similar but not the same. the bottom starter bolt is a little shorter than the top one and also shorter than some of the transmission/engine mounting bolts. If you switch those around you'll have about half an inch gap while the bolt is tightened down so dont go thinking that the threads are clogged or something and accidentally strip it out.

[schroder]

Ok, I am doing my clutch install and ran into a problem...I didn't look at which side of the clutch faced towards the tranny...can someone help me out??? Its my first time doing the clutch install on the Subaru, and its completely different than my old mitsubishi...Thanks!