Thread: HOW TO: Install a clutch (1996 Infiniti G20t)

Clutch replacement on a 1996 Infiniti G20t (by Dan Raymond)

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 1) Loosen the lug nuts (13/16") on the front wheels.  You do this first so

    the weight of the car will prevent the wheels from turning.

 2) Jack up the front of the car and remove the front wheels to gain access

    to the cotter pins on the axle nuts.  Remove the wheel caps in the

    center of the wheels (you can push them out from the rear) so you can

    access the axle nuts later.

 3) Remove the cotter pins and axle nut caps (cotter pins are cheap but if

    you are careful with them you can reuse them).

 4) Replace the wheels and hand tighten 2 lug nuts per side.

 5) Lower the jack to put weight on the wheels and loosen the axle nuts

    (36mm).

 6) Raise the jack and remove the wheels.

 7) Lower the car onto two jack stands and remove the jack.

 8) Remove the drain plug in the transmission (use a 1/2" ratchet with no

    socket) and drain the transmission oil.  You must do this now or the

    oil will leak out later when you remove the axles.  Put the drain plug

    back in and tighten it.

 9) Remove the left and right side splash shields to make more room for the

    axles to come out (10mm or phillips head screwdriver).  Also remove the

    splash shield underneath the transmission for better access later.

10) Remove the caliper mounting bolts (14mm) and suspend the calipers from

    the struts with some wire.

11) Use a flathead screwdriver and a mallet to remove the dust caps on top

    of the steering knuckles.  Be careful not to damage them.

12) Remove the nuts (17mm) and washers that hold the steering knuckles to

    the struts.

13) Remove the axle nuts (36mm).

14) Detach the brackets (10mm) that hold the anti-lock brake sensor wires

    to the struts.  There are two brackets on each side.  Doing this will

    create a little more slack in the wire.  Without the extra slack the

    wire will limit the movement of the steering knuckle making it harder

    to remove the axles.

15) Separate the steering knuckles from the struts by pushing down on the

    knuckle (be careful not to damage the seals).  Separate the outer ends

    of the axles from the steering knuckles by turning the knuckle down and

    away from the car (make sure the steering wheel is not locked).  You

    may need to tap on the end of the axle with a rubber mallet to start

    backing it out of the knuckle.  Make sure that the inner joint of the

    axle stays fully compressed while performing this procedure.

16) Remove the passenger side axle.  There is a support bearing around the

    center of the axle.  That bearing is attached to a bracket on the car

    by 3 bolts (12mm).  Remove those bolts and rotate the bearing back and

    forth to back it out.  After that the axle should slide right out.

17) Remove the driver side axle.  There is a circlip holding it into the

    transmission.  Use a pry bar to pop it out.  It will come out about an

    inch and then stop.  Use a pry bar again to remove it completely.  If

    you are having difficulty try using a real prybar instead of a

    screwdriver.  A prybar is shaped and angled to make prying much easier

    and more effective.

18) Disconnect the shift linkage underneath the car by removing the bolt

    and nut (both 12mm).

19) Remove the battery and battery tray to give yourself more room to work

    in this area.  Loosen the 2 nuts (10mm) on the battery terminal wires

    and disconnect them.  Remove the 2 nuts (10mm) that hold the mounting

    bracket and remove the bracket.  Remove the 2 nuts (10mm) that hold the

    fuse box to the battery tray.  Remove the 4 bolts (12mm) that hold the

    battery tray to the frame and remove the tray.  You will need to detach

    two wire harnesses from the tray before removing it.

20) Remove the air intake hose to gain access to the clutch cable.  First

    disconnect the two electrical connectors.  Disconnect the two hoses on

    top and the one underneath.  Remove the two 10mm bolts at the bottom.

    Loosen the hose clamp where the hose connects to the intake.

    Disconnect the clips above the air filter.  Lift out the intake hose.

    You will need to separate it from the throttle cable on top and some

    hoses underneath.

21) Disconnect the clutch cable from the lever on the transmission.  Use a

    pair of pliers to hold the adjuster and use a 10mm wrench to loosen the

    locknut.  Now loosen the adjuster and pull on the lever and the cable

    will slip off the end of it.  Remove the two bolts (12mm) that hold the

    clutch cable bracket to the transmission.

22) Disconnect 4 electrical connectors from the transmission.  There is a

    gray one in the front, a gray one in the rear, a gray one on top and a

    black one on top.  The gray ones have a clip you must press in but the

    black one has a clip you must pull out.  There is also a cable tie you

    must disconnect near the connector in the rear.  Remove the ground wire

    and vent tube (both attached to the top of the transmission).

23) Jack up the engine to take the weight off the mounts.  Use the aluminum

    (upper) oil pan not the steel (lower) oil pan as a lift point.  Then

    remove the 4 bolts that attach the rear (firewall side) mount to the

    transmission.  There are two medium length bolts: upper (17mm) and

    lower (14mm).  The upper bolt is right next to one of the engine to

    transmission bolts (the 17mm one).  There are two 14mm bolts in the

    center: a long one and a short one that you can't see inside an access

    hole.  You'll need a ratchet extension for that one.

24) Remove the 3 engine to transmission bolts.  There is a 17mm one near

    the mount (mentioned above) and there are two 14mm ones along the

    bottom of the transmission.  The one towards the front of the car is

    the shorter of the two.  If you have trouble with these try raising or

    lowering the engine.

25) Remove the three bolts (14mm) that attach the driver side mount to the

    transmission.  There are two long ones at the top and a short one at

    the bottom.

26) Remove the 2 starter bolts (14mm).  They are accessed from the

    transmission side.  The starter will fall back about an inch and rest

    on a bracket underneath it.  There is no need to disconnect the wires.

27) Remove the 5 transmission to engine bolts.  They are all 17mm and they

    are all the same length.  The rearmost bolt holds a bracket with two

    wiring harnesses attached to it.  Disconnect the wiring harnesses and

    remove the bracket.  If you leave it in there it may get in the way

    while removing and/or installing the transmission.

28) Remove the transmission.  Lie underneath it and work it off the guide

    pins and pull the input shaft out of the clutch disc.  Have an

    assistant help by pulling the housing away from the engine from above.

    When the input shaft clears the pressure plate lower the transmission

    and remove it through the wheel well.

29) Remove the pressure plate.  There are six 12mm bolts.  Have an

    assistant keep the engine from turning by holding a wrench on the

    crankshaft pulley on the other side of the engine.  When the pressure

    plate comes off the clutch disc will fall out so be prepared to catch

    it.

30) Remove the flywheel.  There are eight 12-point 14mm bolts.  Again, have

    an assistant keep the engine from turning.

31) Pry out the rear main seal.  If you look at a new one you will see that

    there is a groove where you can drive a flathead screwdriver through it

    to get behind the metal part of the seal.  Use the crankshaft as a

    fulcrum and you will be able to pry it out.  Make sure you are using a

    heavy duty screwdriver because it will take a fair amount of force.  Be

    careful not to scratch the crankshaft or the retainer.

32) Apply some oil to the new seal and drive it in with a hammer and drift.

    The original seal was mounted flush with the retainer.  You can drive

    the new one in as far as it will go (which will be a few millimeters

    past flush).  This will cause the seal to ride on a different part of

    the crankshaft.  This may help prevent an oil leak since the old seal

    may have worn a groove in the crankshaft.

33) The input shaft does not ride in the pilot bushing so there is no need

    to replace it.

34) Have the flywheel resurfaced if it is scored or there is heat

    discoloration.

35) Put the flywheel back on and tighten the bolts to 65 ft-lbs.

36) Insert the alignment tool through the new clutch disc from the

    transmission side (the side which protrudes further).  Insert the

    alignment tool into the pilot bushing in the crankshaft so that the

    clutch disc lies flat against the flywheel.

37) Attach the new pressure plate and tighten the bolts in a star pattern.

    Do it once to 10 ft-lbs and again to 20 ft-lbs.  You can remove the

    alignment tool now since the pressure plate is now holding the clutch

    disc in place.

38) Detach the throwout bearing from the clutch lever.  Transfer the clips

    to the new throwout bearing and install it on the clutch lever.  Use a

    small amount of grease between all contact surfaces.

39) Apply a small amount of grease to the splines of the input shaft and

    remate the transmission to the engine.  Get an assistant to help you

    and take your time.

40) The rest is just the reverse order of removal.  You will probably need

    an assistant to hold the starter in place while you bolt it up.  Use

    the engine jack to make sure the mounts are lined up properly.  Don't

    tighten anything until all the bolts are installed.  The driver side

    axle might give you a hard time but you just need to use the axle like

    a slide hammer and pop it in.  Adjust the clutch cable so there is a

    small amount of free play in the lever (so the throwout bearing is not

    in constant contact with the pressure plate).  Refill the transmission

    through the upper plug (use a 3/8" ratchet with no socket).  You will

    need a transmission funnel and just under a gallon of 80W-90 gear oil.

    It won't quite hold a full gallon before it starts coming back out of

    the hole you are putting it in.