Clutch Plates

Greg and Shona Powell · Post by **Greg and Shona Powell** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:32 pm

The clutch plates on my 1991 MX 5 are getting worn and I am thinking about
having a go at replacing them myself.
Has anyone had a go at this and if so any pointers or direction to reference
material would be appreciated.

I saw a manual for the MX 5 in Supercheap auto for about $56 but sealed in
polythene so was unable to check
whether or not it would be suitable for a keen beginner like myself. If anyone
has bought this manual I would be interested to hear
if it is user friendly or not.

GRP

Wayne Sinclair · Post by **Wayne Sinclair** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:53 pm

I have the Haynes book (61016) 1990 through 1997 all models. Covers most tasks
including clutch removal, inspection and installation. Some things covered in
the book are pretty much common sense, but others are very well covered. It
only takes one hour of garage repairs saved to cover the cost of the book.
Well worth it in my opinion.

Regards
Wayne Sinclair
Invercargill
0274 318171

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Haven't tried personally, but it involves dropping the transmission ...

http://www.miata.net/garage/clutch.html

On 6/20/05, Wayne Sinclair <sinclan@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
[...]

DBM58 · Post by **DBM58** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:42 am

I don't recall the specifics, but I have heard that this is possibly a job for
trained professionals. Can anybody confirm or deny this?

Regards

David Moughtin

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If you are well equipped with a good range of tools, and can get the car
up on high enough stands to be able to drop the gearbox, it can be done
in half a day.
However, the main gearbox to engine block bolts are very difficult to
get at and are tight, which can make them a real pain to get undone.

The best manual is the Mazda Miata Enthusiasts Shop Manual. It's a bit
more expensive than the Haynes, around $75, but is really good for
advising on the tricky bits.
I got mine from Technical Books in Auckland.

Keith Jones

________________________________

From: e-admin@mx5club.org.nz [mailto:e-admin@mx5club.org.nz] On Behalf
Of David Moughtin
Sent: Tuesday, 21 June 2005 8:42
To: MX5List
Subject: RE: Clutch Plates

I don't recall the specifics, but I have heard that this is possibly a
job for trained professionals. Can anybody confirm or deny this?

Regards

David Moughtin

r.v.boxall · Post by **r.v.boxall** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:18 pm

Greg,

Almost regardless of the type of car, clutch replacement requires removal of the gearbox, and the drive shaft. The gearbox is bolted onto the back of the engine, and is much heavier than it looks. It has an input shaft that runs through the middle of the clutch, normally supported by a bearing in the end of the engine's crankshaft or the middle of the flywheel. When you remove and replace the clutch plate, you disturb the alignment of the splines in the clutchplate and the support bearing. Trying to realign them using the gearbox, under the car, is a very frustrating job. You can buy an alignment tool, or, if you know someone with a lathe, copy the end of the gearbox mainshaft in metal, or a reasonably hard wood, to align the clutch plate with the support bearing before you re-fit the gearbox. That's the only really tricky bit to do.

As with all mechanical repairs, the key issue is to have a very good idea of how it all works, before you try to fix it. Otherwise, you'll hava a lot of bits than will not go back together!

So, yes, an amateur mechanic can replace the clutch on the MX5, but he needs to know what he's getting into before he starts. If you actually drop the gearbox onto a concrete floor, you'll probably have to replace it, or strip that down and buy some new casing parts, as well as replacing the clutch!

Good luck,!

Ron Boxall, BRG V-spec, MYATA
[...]

Lloyd · Post by **Lloyd** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:03 pm

Greg
I had the gearbox replaced and the clutch done on my 1990 BRG Mx5 by Don
from over in Hamilton some months ago, excellent job and Im very happy with
both the price and the fact that he has access to the parts close by, as in
some ways you dont know exactly what you need (gearbox) until you get into
it. My feeling was thats its one part of the car thats not worth getting
involved with unless your confident you know what your doing. Leave it the
pros! Of course we have in the Mx5 network an excellent web of advice and
support and contacts to ensure that your not going to get ripped off. Thanks
once again Don for your effort and assistance.

Lloyd Ashworth

EricW · Post by **EricW** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:08 pm

Having done a few of these, though not on an MX5, my sincere advice is, unless
you have all of the tools and know what you are doing, leave it to someone who
does.

In theory it is not a particularly difficult job, and, with the right gear, it
is a doddle on a rear wheel drive car. But the amount of room you have to play
with, and the weight of some of the components involved, along with the need
to closely align these heavy parts, means that it is far from a safe and easy
"one man" job unless you have some specialised gear.

It is vital to be able to precisely control the weight of the gearbox as you
take it out, it is heavy enough to do you some real damage, and also to be
able to adjust the angle at which it mates with the clutch on the back of the
engine, in all three planes, as you put it back.

I am not sure about the MX5, but often, with a rear wheel drive car, the
engine and gearbox are mounted as a unit, with at least one of the engine
mounts on the gearbox, thus the rear of the engine drops down when you remove
the gear box mount. In other cases you have to drop the back of the engine off
it's mounts to get the gearbox clear. This is handy when it comes to aligning
the gearbox spline as you replace the box, but you have to be able to control
the weight as it comes down, to avoid injury, or damage to the car, and then
you have to be able to get all that combined weight precisely back into place.
This is a dangerous place for inexperienced fingers to be, it only takes one
thing to slip at the wrong time.

Unless you are very motivated, very confident and well equipped, it is one job
that is worth paying for, and it should not be that expensive. Properly tooled
up, I reckon it would take about three hours to do.

Hope that helps

Eric

Mikkels · Post by **Mikkels** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:51 pm

Hi there

Good on you for having a go. I have had the engine out of
my 5 a couple of times to sort out my 1.8 conversion and
will be doing so again in a couple of months to install an
aluminium flywheel. I have a good set of tools which are a
must if you want to make things easy. The reason I would
take the engine out is that. I have done this job before
and most of the work is stand up under bonnet stuff which is
easier. The prospect of dropping the heavy box out the
bottom is daunting unless you have access to an equipped
workshop with hoist etc.

Happy to talk and assist with advice and the odd tool. I
have a clutch alignment tool for instance.

Cheers

Don

[...]

Greg and Shona Powell · Post by **Greg and Shona Powell** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 9:14 pm

Thanks for your advice all. Given my beginners status, the lack of propert
tools (and pit or hoist) I think I will take it into the shop.

Lloyd - you mentioned that you had clutch done recently. Can you recall the
cost?

Greg

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