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Any one changed a clutch?

Discussion in 'Subaru Sambar' started by mikeh1975, Jul 31, 2011.

  1. mikeh1975

    mikeh1975 Member

    hi all

    sambar is a little bit jumpuy when pulling away in 1st and slips a little at top end, so purchaced a clutch, only thing is i dont know what to do, ive asked at a few garrages but there not wanting to do the job as they dont know whats involved, so was wanting to know if anyone has a how to guide like the timing belt one thats on here, even i could follow that, and may want to do my own clutch id it have a similar guide, even our local uk subaru agent doesnt know the car so didnt want the job

    thanks
    mike
     
  2. joe

    joe New Member

    It was one of the easiest clutches I've changed but the engine and transaxle we're already out when I got the truck. I don't know why any shop would shy away from this task other than they don't have shop manuals for your sambar.

    Very Basic steps:
    Probably want to start by draining coolant and engine oil, remove the bed (there is a coolant line running through the bed), remove intake and exhaust, disconnect coolant, fuel, and vacuum lines. Disconnect coil, and wiring harness from the engine (Label them as needed). Remove nuts/bolts connecting transaxle to engine, loosen motor mounts, get a fiend (don't really need a hoist with this engine) and carefully pull the engine out checking for any lingering connected lines or wires.

    Remove old pressure plate and clutch, clean flywheel with brake cleaner or acetone or something like that, install new clutch and pressure plate, i used a turkey baster as an alignment tool :cool: Disconnect clutch cable from transaxle, install release bearing in the transaxle side (its pretty simple when you look at it).

    Then reinstall everything in reverse order and adjust the clutch cable!

    While the engine is out its a good time to do any other maintenance like timing belt, cam and crank seals, gear oil in transaxle, etc.

    If the basic list hasn't frightened you off, i have some pictures from the job and the Sambar shop manual with diagrams and more detailed steps but it really wasn't that much help to be honest.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2011
  3. mikeh1975

    mikeh1975 Member

    Any help/pictures would be great just to let me know where to look and what to do, ive done the timing belt so a clutch shouldnt be too hard:confused:



     
  4. captain_dc

    captain_dc New Member

    Any more tips or pictures/instructions would be helpful if you guys did this already...I'm looking at doing mine pretty soon.
    Thanks
     
  5. Yuuto

    Yuuto New Member

    Yes I just did mine. I am still puting every thing back together.

    1) get 2 friends
    2) 3-4 jacks
    3) 4 jack stands.
    5) tools tools and more tools. We used 3 different impact wrenches all with different stragth. Some times they where not powerful enough so we got out the breaker bars, Hammers, pry bars(to get the axle out of the trany you need a pry bar and a punch.)
    6) disconnect everything and drop the engine and trany at the same time.
    7) clutch
    8) reverse that order.

    Also The timing bets is easy compared to the clutch. Timeing bet is take of a wheel, plastic plating, the cover and your in.
     
  6. Yuuto

    Yuuto New Member

    Here is a more detailed version. If you need i can get pictures of the manual for you. We found it quite useful.

    THIS IS A 2-3 PERSON JOB.

    jack car up using the back bar.
    Put on jack stands.
    take off wheels.
    Take of air filter housing.
    Take out the Spring pins in the axle close to trany.
    Use pry bar to take axle out of the trany
    take Out the drive shaft (4WD only)
    Take our drain plug for Transmission fluid ( we forgot to do that and got a face full of trany oil)
    Take of the 2 bars under the engine.
    take out the anti-saway bar
    Drain collent
    Take out starter (after unplugging that battery again i forgot and well almost welded a wrench to it)
    un do gas line
    depresherize AC and un do the lines (i took it out at this point as it takes away like 3hp form the 5 that we have LOL)
    Undo all wire
    Undo engine ground
    Take off bumper.
    un do the needed Vacuum and coolant lines.
    undo accelerator cable
    undo Clutch cable
    undo both(2) sift cables after making shoure car is in neutral
    Get a jack. jack up to the pumpkin on the trany.
    un do the bolts for the back mount (4 in total)
    losen bolts from the under side of the tray ( dont take the skid plate off you will need that)
    get a Jack place on the far end of the trany but not on the black bar.
    Get a jack place somewhere on the engine (there is no good place the exhost manifold works though,
    there are 4 bolts on black bar you will need impact wrench for this we tried with out it did not move ass the engine is now resting on this.
    Undo the 4 bots on the black bar (you will find 2 each side they can befound at the end and accesed though the wheel well)
    and bam you now can lower the engine and trany at once.

    Get engine on to ground

    Separate trany from engine We had to use pry bars
    The rest is strait forward.

    Good luck
     
  7. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    Thanks for posting. I'm in the middle of this right now. I wanted to perform some rust repairs on the bed so I removed that first. I highly recommend that you take the bed off first (for KS4) if you do this because it will save enough time to offset most of the time removing the bed, Plus, you can inspect for rust and fix and spray the frame and underbid with liner very easily. I found rust on top of my gas tank I wouldn't otherwise have noticed so it was worth it. Also, if you have a late '92 MY on you will not have pins retaining your axels, they are retained by internal clips. They will most likely be seized and you will need a giant pickle fork style CV removal tool to get them off. This is what the truck looks like with the bed off:
     
    Reese Allen likes this.
  8. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Kap,
    Just wanted to make sure that you know this thread was started July 31, 2011 and the last post was on April 22, 2013! Just to let you know, in case you don't get a response, FYI! Feel free to post and keep updates!
    Limestone
     
  9. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    Yup, well aware! It’s one of the only places with any info on the topic so figured I’d add a little more info that I’ve just gleaned. Cheers!
     
  10. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    OK, all, basically everything other than this is WrongTül for removing the axels on one of these Sambar with Circlips. If you have it you do not need to split the axle like I did to remove the engine. I needed to keep moving so I split the axels and dropped the engine but 30 seconds after receiving the pickle forks I had the axles properly off. It's $30 for the pair on Amazon.
     
    Reese Allen likes this.
  11. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    When I did my transmission removal I just used a pry bar and they came out easy ( scary easy) I guess I was lucky , I needed a win on that “ I got no clue if this is going to fix it “ project
     
  12. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    Glad it worked out for you! I feel you on that "Need a win, here" sentiment. I was super frustrated because all the tech articles imply that it should go as you describe but I dared not pry any harder or pound any more so I looked for alternatives and eventually asked a mechanic friend who would have been doing the work had I not already pulled the bed and drained the coolant and he said "yeah, that sounds like a typical subaru axle, get these." So, since this is one of the only resources I can find on changing the clutch in a Sambar I wanted to help the others like me of which I know there are probably many.
     
  13. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    I’m going to pickup a set as I just ordered a remanufactured motor from Japan today for my “parts van” I got it in case my ECVT was screwed beyond my repair . I ended up not needing it so instead of parting it out I’m fixing it and sell it .
    I don’t think I’ll be as lucky the second time around
     
  14. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    Good plan. In other news, despite me giving the parts supplier the exact specs and them requesting and getting a photo of the clutch cover through the Starter opening they managed to send me the wrong clutch kit. Now I need to wait for the correct parts. Good news for the forum though, I think a Justy kit will work so I ordered one from Rock Auto for $77. I can’t stand how much the mini truck parts suppliers gouge you. Stay tuned. I already confirmed you can buy a Justy oil filter for $3.65. Yeah baby!
     
  15. Koffer

    Koffer Active Member

    The rear main oil seal for a justy is the same too I ordered 6 when I did my power clutch in mine , I figured it was still 1/2 the price for just one from the mini truck parts supplers and I could screw up 5 times
     
  16. Kapium

    Kapium New Member

    Good to know. I’m going to leave my working one right where it is for now.
     
  17. David Price

    David Price New Member

    So I am looking to have to do this project on my 1990 Sambar. Where did you find your clutch kits?
     
  18. David Price

    David Price New Member

    Did the Justy clutch kit work for your Sambar?
     
  19. cop on my back

    cop on my back Active Member

    I got mine off of Ebay, I don't think a Justy clutch will work. Toughest part of the job is the awkward shape of the transmission. If you removed the entire motor/trans assembly it will be easier, but I was lazy and just removed the trans to do it.
     
  20. David Price

    David Price New Member

    Just ordered my clutch kit. How hard was it to just remove the trans assembly. I'd rather not have to drop the whole unit if I don't have to (yes maybe I am a little lazy :), just don't want to disconnect more than is necessary.
     
  21. cop on my back

    cop on my back Active Member

    Its not that hard, but you will have to support the engine. I used a 2X4 across the upper engine access opening with a chain. I twisted it to get the height I needed. It is just really awkward with the overall shape of the transmission. Be patient. I ended up getting the wife to adjust the jack while I manhandled it from above to slide it back on. That was fun.
     
  22. rkrenicki

    rkrenicki Active Member

    Did you find the link to the Exedy clutches for these vehicles in the Sambar References subgroup.. or did you end up ordering a Justy one?
     
  23. David Price

    David Price New Member

    I ordered a Aisin unit out of California, because I was trying to get it quicker. Still haven't gotten the unit out yet as this is my first go at something like this.
     
  24. David Price

    David Price New Member

    Do you still have your pictures from the job and the shop manual diagrams? I would appreciate seeing them if that's possible.
     
  25. rkrenicki

    rkrenicki Active Member

    The clutch instructions are near the end of this document.
    http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subar... English Service Manual/11 - Transmission.pdf

    Hopefully that Aisin clutch is the correct one for your model, there are three different and incompatible clutches for the 1990-2012 Sambars. As for time, the Exedy clutches from Amazon Japan generally show up in about 7-10 days.
     
  26. David Price

    David Price New Member

    Thanks for that link, that helps alot. Yes the Aisin one I recieved matches the one I am removing which was in really bad shape. Now to just put it all back together :)
     
  27. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    Under lessons learned: it is sometimes easier to drop the engine/transmission/subframe out than to decide Germans are space aliens with an extra hidden wrist, because none of the bell housing bolts can be easily accessed in the car.

    Take a long hard look at what you have to do to pull just a transmission, as opposed to the engine and transmission, or the complete subframe. On a lot of vehicles with the engine/transmission/half shafts hooked together, on one subframe, and the factory installed the complete subframe as a unit. On those it may be almost impossible to pull the transmission separately, just because you don’t have enough room to get wrenches onto bolt heads.

    I had to swap a new engine into my nieces Volkswagon Jetta. It took two full weekends and five nights in between to get it done. Ran into a guy who owned a Volkswagon specialty shop, and asked him how to do the job. He said to undo the exhaust flange, clutch cable, speedo cable, and the wring harness from the plug on the fire wall. Then undo the six bolts holding on the subframe, then get a helper and lift the entire body by the fenders and roll it away from the subframe. He could R&R an engine in four hours, as opposed to the fifty or so it took me.
     
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