When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Your supplies list is missing a rear main seal and transmission fluid. You'll drain the box before pulling it, otherwise be prepared to wear it while it spills out of the axle holes the whole time you're underneath. I always like to have a spare output flange seal (axle seal) or two on hand as well, better safe than sorry if a lip tears upon removal or re-installation of the axles.
Loc-Tite Red on the flywheel bolts, none on the PP bolts. Torque everything to spec. I use Permatex Copper Anti-Seize Lubricant on clutch splines and clutch fork. Put a dab on the slave cylinder contact point too.
Also clean out the bell housing, engine backing plate and anything else that's filthy while the car is apart. No sense in being sloppy.
tbh i didn't even think about the rear main seal... i looked it up on hondafitjazz.com and couldn't find a process on it - i also can't seem to identify a part number. any leads?
You shouldn't need any special tools for the RMS. I typically use a seal puller or a pick, basic tools. Just don't damage the crank surface when prying. Installation is straight forward - gently press the seal around the crank snout making sure the lip doesn't fold over, then tap the seal in until it is flush. IIRC there isn't a set depth, pay attention to the OEM seal before it comes out. FelPro is fine, they make good stuff. Sometimes the supplied clutch grease is in small supply... FYI it may not be enough.
I have always used brake lube for the release bearing. I have been told anti seize is slightly abrasive and can cause premature wear on the release bearing.
You don't need to drop the subframe but the rear motor mount can be a pain. Easiest way I found is to support the motor and pull the drivers side trans mounts first then the bolt that goes through the rear mount. At that point you can move the engine and trans forward enough to make accessing the 3 14mm bolts on that steel bracket a lot easier.
If you are going to support the engine/trans with a jack under the oil pan I would recommend pulling the transmission bolts out from the backside of the block first since the jack will get in the way later on.
I may not completely drop the subframe, but as easy as it is to lower without disconnecting the control arms and steering rack (just five bolts) it is worth it for the extra space and ease of removing the rear trans mount. Here is from when I did my FSB:
geopat is correct, a high quality brake lube could be used too. I haven't had bad luck with the copper paste but choose for yourself if you're short on the Exedy stuff.
quite a while... i did a couple things that made it take longer
-replaced the stupid starter... the upper bolt on which wasn't made to be removed by people with normal sized hands... had to remove the rad fan and push the motor toward the rear to get enough leverage. new starter is sweet though.
-replaced the rear main seal - not hard, and while you need to be careful with the block and whatnot, you cannot remove it using kind words - get in there and dig it out. broke my small hook before i used a hammer and flathead.
-replaced pilot bearing - super easy with a slide hammer and a hooked end. seriously go borrow one - it'll make your life easier. then just kindly hammer it in using an appropriately sized socket
as was stated, you do not need to remove the subframe, and i elected not to. it certainly would've made getting the rear trans mount out easier, but i've got more tools now and it didn't suck terribly this time.
also, if you think it's going to be in the way - remove it.
it's really straight forward, take everything off to make sure the trans is free once you remove the bolts. if you leave the subframe in, you'll need to rotate the top the trans towards the front to get it to drop out the bottom (visa versa to get it back in). clean everything while its out, grease the points (this made a surprising difference in clutch pedal effort - i actually liked it better before but at least i won't be wearing anything metal down for a while).
the one thing i didn't know, is that you will need 12 point sockets, or at least wrenches, to remove the 10mm bolts for the pressure plate, and 17mm bolts for the flywheel. i had wrenches to remove it, but went and got some sockets so i would be sure to torque them down properly. i used a pry bar on the flywheel against the block bell housing to hold the flywheel in place while a friend tightened/loosened all the bolts.
lining it back up is a pain. no tricks here - just make sure its supported while lining it up, push it on, and tighten using the criss-cross method.
yup. cross that one off... might set the car on fire when its time to do the clutch again... but if this one lasts anywhere near the last one (174k) i'll hopefully be in a different vehicle.
Last edited by apexanimal; Aug 26, 2017 at 11:11 AM.
ha, thanks apexanimal. Yah I have a new starter near the front door that needs to be installed before the winter comes. I've heard that upper bolt is near impossible to remove. Did you fashion a very long handled wrench to get it off? I've read it needs breaker bar with handle extensions to get enough torque or a wrench with diy extensions. Thanks for the details on the clutch replace and on those 12 pt sockets.
ha, thanks apexanimal. Yah I have a new starter near the front door that needs to be installed before the winter comes. I've heard that upper bolt is near impossible to remove. Did you fashion a very long handled wrench to get it off? I've read it needs breaker bar with handle extensions to get enough torque or a wrench with diy extensions. Thanks for the details on the clutch replace and on those 12 pt sockets.
i had to use a normal sized 14mm (? maybe) socket, with an extension (can't remember if it was my 4" or 6") onto my 3/8" long-handled ratchet. the trick is that you've got to get far enough away from the bolt to get past the starter, but not run into the coolant hard pipe... and there isn't much of a gap there.
once i removed the pass side rad fan (removing the dip stick tube would help here too), i got my tool on there, sat in front of the car with my face firmly against the front bumper, grabbed the ratchet from underneath, put my feet on the block, and pulled like hell... worked the third time.
i think it should go without saying, but get a good pair of mechanics gloves...
i've never actually seen bolts that require a 12 point socket before... it was quite the sighting. and of course nearly all the sockets i have are 6 point because they don't round off nuts/bolts... oh well.
i had it resurfaced. since there is a factory recommend height between the two surfaces, once the clutch mating surface is done, the pp alignment pins need to be removed, and that surface needs to be resurfaced down.
it looked quite pretty, and i pretended like it was a lightweight flywheel with "all" that material gone my original plan was to get the chromoly lightweight flywheel from mfactory but they decided to discontinue it a few months before i bought everything...
my original plan was to get the chromoly lightweight flywheel from mfactory but they decided to discontinue it a few months before i bought everything...
