Replacing Clutch Components on 98 Explorer OHV

[Betsy98Sport]

I'm going to be replacing the pressure plate and disc and the notoriously failing slave cylinder on my Sport. This has been an issue for almost 2 years and I just lived with it. But it's getting worse (and stressing out my wife) and it's time to replace it.The operation of the clutch is off and on. It will be great one day and then the next, I can not get into 1st gear. Then I top of the fluid reservoir and its good again. I've always noticed some oily residue at the inspection hole on the tranny, but I'm now just realizing that the oil was coming from a leaking slave. Plus I hear a rattling/rubbing noise at idle. I think the flywheel may be getting jacked up from a warn disc. I may have to replace it, but hopefully not and I'll be able to just resurface it. The clutch disc has 160,000 miles on it now so I wouldn't be surprised.

I've already purchased a LUK clutch kit with slave cylinder from GripForce Clutch:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400066162115&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMESINDXX%3AIT
comes with Pressure Plate, Disc, Slave Clylinder with throwout bearing, pilot bearing and also a small washer which I dont know what its for

Anyone know what the small washer may be and is it necessary to replace the flywheel and pressure plate bolts or can they be reused?

 

[RangerX]

That's the O-ring that goes in the hydraulic line quick disconnect, Remove that red nipple-like cover on the slave cyl fitting shown in your picture, and it goes in there.

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Thanks RangerX.

1) Anyone know if it is necessary to replace the flywheel and pressure plate bolts or can they be reused?

2) Anyone know what kind of flywheel bolts they will be? Torx? 12 pt.? Hex?
-98 Sport 4.0 OHV

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Do I need to replace flywheel/pp plate bolts?

bump

1) Anyone know if it is necessary to replace the flywheel and pressure plate bolts or can they be reused?

2) Anyone know what kind of flywheel bolts they will be? Torx? 12 pt.? Hex?
-98 Sport 4.0 OHV

3)Should I bench bleed the slave before I install it or just put it in and bleed it? If I shold bench bleed, how do I do that? (I read in other threads about bench bleeding)

 

[team]

reuse the bolts, and you can gravity or vacuum bleed the slave cylinder on the vehicle. You read about bench bleeding the clutch master cylinder.

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Thank you team. Appreciate the response. So I assume I don't have to bleed the slave individually, just the whole system itself.

Anyone know about the what kinds of flywheel bolts will be on my Ex so I won't be surprised when I take it off and have to get a new tool?

 

[RangerX]

Should just be hex head bolts.

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Thanks RangerX. I start this tomorrow. Any advice before I start?

 

[RangerX]

Yes. If you're doing this yourself at home, rent a transmission jack. well worth it!

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Yes. If you're doing this yourself at home, rent a transmission jack. well worth it!

I acutally have transmission adapter that goes on top of the jack. Should be fine. hopefully. I didn't a get a chance to start yesterday, but I will tonight. Praying everything will go smoothly, God willing.

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Well, one of the passenger side exhaust manifold-to-Y pipe bolts start stripping the manifold threads as I was pulling it off. I just took the same bolt off with ease last week when I replaced the head gasket and heads.

I was still able to pull out the Y pipe off still attached to the manifold, by taking the manifold off the head. I then took the front driveshaft off and was able to slip out the Y pipe with the passenger side manifold still attached by one bolt. I marked the drive shaft with whiteout so I will put it back where it was before.

Sorry, no pics. It was too dark last night to take pics on my phone I'll take pics of the result of that today and post them.

I have to figure out now how to remove the manifold bolt off. Not sure how to do that exactly. It stuck in there pretty. I noticed the manifold start to strip. The bolt seemed fine as it came out but pieces of metal were coming out the hole as the bolt slowly moved out, but I was afraid of breaking the bolt so I stopped.

 

[Betsy98Sport]

I'll start in the morning again by taking off the T case and tranny. Still not sure what to do about the bolt stuck in the manifold. Maybe buy a used manifold?

 

[Betsy98Sport]

I got the tranny off. Now I'm having a heck of a time trying to get the flywheel bolts off. I tried using a 12pt socket but it almost stripped everything off the bolt. I had to stop working on it tonight. I'll get 6 pt socket in the morning.

I soaked it in PB Blaster before I went to bed.

1) Anyone know what size the bolts are (E12, E14...)?

2) And any ideas on making this part easier (heat, hammer...)?

3) Also how do I do lock the flywheel in place?

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Now just need to clean and install

Well. I went and got a 3/8" drive reverse torx socket set and some HELP brand GM starter shims from Autozone. The size of the flywheel bolts are an E12.

I used the shims to lock the flywheel in place by putting a tranny mating bolt and a pressure plate bolt through the shim. I'll show you later in my pics. It locked it in place real well and I used a breaker bar with the E12 socket. Came off with a good push, no problem.

Hopefully I'll finish tonight.

As for the flywheel, I took it to Southland Clutch in National City, CA. They resurfaced it for $30 and put the pilot bearing in free of charge.

I then went down the street to Motor Machine machine shop and they were able to remove the bolt that was spinning and not coming out on the manifold. They also re-threaded it for me ($40). Also went to the Ford Dealer and got 2 new bolts since another one was broken off at the end (~$13 each).

 

[Betsy98Sport]

Done with clutch replacement

I had actually finished this a month ago, but I haven't posted results.
The clutch works well. I don't lose pressure in the slave anymore. It's stayed tight after about 1000 miles now.

The only problem I have is therea grinding noise coming from the clutch housing area. When I push the pedal down the grinding noise goes away. But when I let the pedal up (clutch engages), I can hear the noise again. When I'm slowing down and drop it into 2nd or 1st gear I hear the noise again as I slow down. The car feels like it's jumping in the clutch and the noise will resonate right along with the jumping.

I have a brand new pilot bearing, throwout bearing, pressure plate, disc, and new resurfaced flywheel.

The thing is that the noise was there before I put the new kit in but now it's louder. When I pulled the old one out, the pilot bearing was fried and non-existent. I have a feeling that it may the pilot bearing again and possibly the input shaft may be damaged from before. I rushed the project so I may have overlooked the shaft.

Also I only hear the grinding when I'm in 1st and 2nd gear, It's not in 3rd, 4th, or OD.

Anybody have any suggestions or ideas?

I'll post pics and walk through soon