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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Should I replace a clutch, or pay someone.

Jan. 5, 2011 8:00 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

In the past, I would never have considered changing a clutch myself, but after an engine swap and some head replacements, I may actually posses the skills and tools to make it happen. Also in my favor is that the clutch in question is in the wife's Mitsu Mirage. The 1.5 liter is really small, simple and there's a lot of room to work, so perhaps the clutch is no biggie.

So am I crazy? Is this too much for a shadetree mechanic? Are there special skills involved? Do I have to drop the engine or sacrifice a chicken or something?
Jan. 5, 2011 8:31 a.m. pilotbraden Reader

Do it, you will have to sacrifice a bucket of chicken and a box of beer however.
Jan. 5, 2011 8:35 a.m. Javelin SuperDork

FWD? Heck no! Pay someone!
Jan. 5, 2011 8:37 a.m. Zomby woof Dork

Do it.

If you were able to do those other jobs with success, you should be fine. The more experience you have, the better off you'll be.
Jan. 5, 2011 8:37 a.m. Brett_Murphy Reader

I'm not all to familiar with the Mirage, but I say get a good manual and go for it. Nothing builds confidence like doing "big" jobs and saving money. To sweeten the pot, get an estimate from a reputable shop for the job and compare that to how much you wind up spending to fix it yourself.

The more confidence you have, the more big jobs you're going to be willing to try. I went from not knowing how to do a tune up when I started driving to looking at rusted out hulks of old cars thinking "I can fix that". My wife refers to the time I spend working on my beater projects as "grease therapy". There is something relaxing and satisfying about doing your own work.
Jan. 5, 2011 8:54 a.m. Entropyman New Reader

Do it! As was mentioned above, get yourself a good shop manual and take your time. Read through the process first and try to find any potential tool or part issues before they happen. Trips to the parts and tool stores are real momentum killers. Try to stay organized and see if you can find an extra pair of hands to help/ moral support. Front wheel drives aren't as scary as they seem.
Jan. 5, 2011 9:12 a.m. poopshovel SuperDork

Do it, do it, do it!!! You're good enough, you're smart enough, and it's just a clutch I'd recommend grabbing an alignment tool. A spare set of hands will be really helpful. The tranny shouldn't be super heavy, but installation might be really clumsy and frustrating if you're trying to do it on your own.

Why would you pay someone to berkeley it up for you when you're entirely capable of berkeleying it up yourself?
Jan. 5, 2011 9:17 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

The guy that will charge you $65/hr. has two hands and can read.

Next question.
Jan. 5, 2011 9:22 a.m. scottgib New Reader

In my experience a disc allignment tool is essential and sometimes comes with the disc. They are cheap.
Jan. 5, 2011 9:26 a.m. mndsm Dork

If I can drop a subframe and swap swaybars on my ms3 WITHOUT a manual- you can do a clutch with a Haynes. To date the only car I refuse to work on any more is the wifes' MINI, and after the last trip to the dealer, that may well change.
Jan. 5, 2011 9:43 a.m. Osterkraut Dork

I seem to have bad luck with clutch jobs... While they're simple (RWD manuals) in practice, man, they're annoying.

Like that time I changed the diff oil in the Land Cruiser and it ended up looking like the famous SR20 scene in F&F...
Jan. 5, 2011 10:02 a.m. ShadowSix New Reader

Dude, if you did an engine swap you can do a clutch. I second the recommendation to find a buddy to help out. The separation and re-installation of the transmission to the engine block can get sketchy without the extra set of hands.

An engine hoist will come in handy if you have access to one.

Good luck
Jan. 5, 2011 10:12 a.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

It all depends. If you want to get more experience, want to save a couple of bucks and you have the time, then go for it. If it seems like a pain in the butt, pay someone. I used to force myself to do everytyhing, and I still hate to pay someone to do something I know I could do. But truth is, I'm not a great mechanic and I mess stuff up. I sometimes have to go back and do something again. So if it's a daily driver thing and I'm not really interested in learning more about it, I'll pay someone. I work long hours and have two kids, so I try to weigh my time better these days.
Jan. 5, 2011 10:40 a.m. Toyman01 SuperDork

What fast_eddie said. It's probably not too hard, but it is time consuming. Figure a day in labor. I hate working on daily drivers because it cuts in to my time for working on other things.

That said I'm helping my daughter change one Saturday in her Camaro. Not because I want to, but because she doesn't want to pay the $400 in labor to have it done. It will also be a learning experience for her. My son and father will also be helping. A day of family wrenching is kind of fun.
Jan. 5, 2011 11:20 a.m. Ian F Dork

I agree with fast_eddie and Toyman. It really depends on available time and space. Can you take your time and accept that it'll probably take 2x as long as you think it will, or will you be pressed to get it done ASAP in order to go to work the next day. If the latter - pay.
Jan. 5, 2011 11:33 a.m. Karl La Follette HalfDork

Find a trans mech shop lurk around at lunch follow mech to 7-11 and offer side job to him , or post ad on Chuck wagon /roach coach that visits mech shops . Wanted tranny mechanic for side job , also hit up Craigslist
Jan. 5, 2011 12:51 p.m. poopshovel SuperDork

But truth is, I'm not a great mechanic and I mess stuff up.

More likely than not, neither is the guy your paying to do the clutch, and he messes stuff up too.

What's the likelihood that he's going to take his time, making sure everything is clean and free of debris? Is he going to check the specs for each bolt and use a torque wrench when buttoning everything up? Doubtful. When was the last time you saw someone at the tire shop use a torque wrench on your lugnuts?

That's what I have a problem with. I've been burned so many times that I'd rather screw it up the 1st two times and get it right on the third than to pay someone to screw it up the first time and then charge me again to fix it.

I hate doing maitenance, to the point where I've said "berkeley this E36 M3, next time I'm just taking it to a shop" too many times to count. But 9 times out of 10, I'm disappointed with the quality of the work and customer service. I don't mind paying good money for quality work, but good money for sloppy work sends my blood pressure through the roof.
Jan. 5, 2011 1:06 p.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

Yeah, I don't think I'm any worse than some guys who make a living at it. But there are plenty of folks who are a lot better at it than I am. I'm lucky to know a good shop with some very good mechanics. They're expensive too. I had them put the water pump on the MR2 when the cheap-o part that came on my cheap-o rebuilt engine pooped out. I had no interest in that job. And I once again learned the same lesson- the cheap-o stuff costs more than the good stuff. I could have had that shop rebuild my engine for me for as much as I paid for the engine and the water pump job. Water pump on an MR2 is not a small undertaking.
Jan. 5, 2011 2:47 p.m. Brotus7 Reader

The most annoying part of the whole adventure is going to be getting the transaxle back in. For that, make sure you have an extra set of hands.

I've only done a clutch once with the engine in the car, it it was annoying. The worst part was getting the tranny back in. The other times in my VW's and my MR2, I did the clutch when I already had the engine out for some other nonsense. This spring will be time for the clutch in the TDI, and I'm not looking forward to it, but it'll cost 1k to pay somebody to do it for me.
Jan. 5, 2011 3:32 p.m. pilotbraden Reader

poopshovel wrote:

But truth is, I'm not a great mechanic and I mess stuff up.

More likely than not, neither is the guy your paying to do the clutch, and he messes stuff up too.

What's the likelihood that he's going to take his time, making sure everything is clean and free of debris? Is he going to check the specs for each bolt and use a torque wrench when buttoning everything up? Doubtful. When was the last time you saw someone at the tire shop use a torque wrench on your lugnuts?

That's what I have a problem with. I've been burned so many times that I'd rather screw it up the 1st two times and get it right on the third than to pay someone to screw it up the first time and then charge me again to fix it.

I hate doing maitenance, to the point where I've said "berkeley this E36 M3, next time I'm just taking it to a shop" too many times to count. But 9 times out of 10, I'm disappointed with the quality of the work and customer service. I don't mind paying good money for quality work, but good money for sloppy work sends my blood pressure through the roof.

This hits home. I recently nedded to change the engine and transmission mounts on the F-100 that lives at my families hunting camp. The freeze plugs were also looking wet. I decide to give this simple job to the local guy that I buy fuel from. They have done several things for me over the past 12 years on the truck, usually welding. I pay for the repair and drive away without any problem. A friend stays at the camp to do some work for us while I came home to work at my job. My friend is hauling firewood when the battery jumps into the fan. When I get back up to camp I ask him where is my large battery and my home made aluminium tie down. He says that this is the battery and there is no tie down. Local professional took my battery out, replaced with smaller one and did not secure it. I have not saved any time.
Jan. 5, 2011 3:57 p.m. fast_eddie_72 HalfDork

Just on behalf of mechanics (I am certainly not one) they're like any other profession. There are good ones and bad ones. Like I said, I have a very good one. I have never had a bad experience and have several times had them do more than they though I needed just so I wouldn't have to worry about it down the road, i.e. replace rotors rather than turn them.
Jan. 5, 2011 5:24 p.m. RioRacer Dork

I did a cluch on a 1977 Toyota pick up, it was the first "big job" I did. If I didn't mess that up back then, you should not a problem.

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