2.3L ('83-'97) Time for a new clutch 96 2.3

[Heather’s94]

Yeah. Lately arthritis is holding me back... I just figure out ways to get around the problem...

Uh huh… Both hands are like this. Twisted and crossing each other. Loads of fun, lemme tell ya…

 

[justinae]

haven't gotten to bell housing bolts yet. it's on today's agenda. the center support bolts took forever. I plan to instead them head side down on assembly.

 

[justinae]

drive shaft is out. came out pretty clean actually. does this center support need to be replaced?

 

[justinae]

ok y'all. i finally reached the bell housing bolts. all were pretty easy except the very top bolt on the passenger side. I've got the goofiest looking connection of swivel and rocker attachment but still can't figure it out. do you come from behind or down from the top and try to make the turn?

 

[RobWigglezz]

ok y'all. i finally reached the bell housing bolts. all were pretty easy except the very top bolt on the passenger side. I've got the goofiest looking connection of swivel and rocker attachment but still can't figure it out. do you come from behind or down from the top and try to make the turn?

I've gotten them from up top in the engine bay.

A tip for standard swivel sockets is to try and keep them as straight as possible. Also remove and rotate the socket a quarter turn on the extension if it's trying to fold as you loosen the bolt.

I really like using the swivel extensions. The male end is rounded and allows any socket to swivel around

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A trick to keep u-joints from flopping... Use an o-ring or two on the joint.

 

[justinae]

i've read about the up to swivel method and the let the tranny hang down and use 3' extension method. One gets me new tools.

Would be interesting to see a poll of who thinks it's easier. I assume re-install is even more tough.

 

[Heather’s94]

A trick to keep u-joints from flopping... Use an o-ring or two on the joint.

I just tape them. 2-3 layers of the cheapest duct tape I can find.

And it’s too late now, but before pulling the driveshaft from the axle? Spraypaint 1 mounting ear, extra sloppy, so the driveshaft to axle phasing stays the same. At the transmission end, a stripe of paint from collar to transmission case for the same reason.

 

[justinae]

@Heather’s94 I did that before pulling the drive shaft. paint pen at all joints for alignment.

for those who come from up top to get the hard housing bolts how long of a flex head wrench do you recommend?

 

[justinae]

Ok tranny is lowered and i can see the top bolts. Actually a pretty straight line but I just can't break em loose. I tried spraying with some Blaster but can't reach. Don't want to put heat on it and sure I could even reach it safely.

Ideas

1. Use my impact driver (not impact wrench) but a little worried about that.
2. Restart from the top and get a different force angle
3. Keep at it

The other bolts were tight but none were seized so I suspect these are the same.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

On the 2.9 I recently worked on, I had the remove the distributor, cut down an old 1/2" wrench, and use a thin tube snipe to break the top 2 bolts loose, from the top.

 

[Heather’s94]

36” 1/2” drive extension, impact wrench. 2 very careful good zaps should spin them out. I break them loose with a breaker bar, but, I can still leg press over 700#…

 

[scotts90ranger]

And it’s too late now, but before pulling the driveshaft from the axle? Spraypaint 1 mounting ear, extra sloppy, so the driveshaft to axle phasing stays the same. At the transmission end, a stripe of paint from collar to transmission case for the same reason.

That step is completely unnecessary, doesn't hurt anything but isn't going to change the balance of the assembly assuming everything was made correctly...

I've reached up from underneath with a 13mm wrench and was able to loosen them before... I have enough extensions and such I just go for it, when they argue like that an 18" 1/2" drive breaker bar is usually enough to convince them to surrender... if not the 24" comes out. With long extensions impacts are near useless.