Removing the gearbox

Thats it you have done it once now so even if shit happens you know you can deal with the job in hand .... i always get nervous after a big job starting it up or whatever its natural anxiety wether it all works or not .... its just being methodical in what you do .... like double checking bits as you go on ... and taking your time .... its not a race.... id rather take my time and know its done properly .... how did you get the bolt out in the end ????

First of all so far so good only way to learn is to do it so well done. Don't start the car again untill you check everything. Tell me more how you did it. You tried clutch in and got all gears ok with engine off ? You got gear box and transfer box oil in ? How did you take clutch slave off bolts on box to save bleeding it ? What clutch did you fit etc ? 

A lot of questions I know but just rather ask now to help you. If it helps txt or ring me I can answer a few questions if your unsure. But as said possibly just nervs

how did you get the bolt out in the end ????[/quote]

Basically I soaked it in Plusgas most of the day whilst I was filling the G/box ect with oil, doing bolts up. When it came to getting the bolt off I ran the engine up to get heat into the area as per my other post. Unfortunately I couldn't double nut it because their wasn't enough thread for 2 nuts, so I thought i'd try and tighten one nut up to the shank of the bolt and with the help of a breaker bar, I managed to get the stud to move up through the flange which broke the seal then I welded the nut in place and it came straight out. I turned out to be easier than I thought i was going to be so happy day's. I need to replace the gasket at some point though.

johnny gtir wrote:First of all so far so good only way to learn is to do it so well done. Don't start the car again untill you check everything. Tell me more how you did it. You tried clutch in and got all gears ok with engine off ? You got gear box and transfer box oil in ? How did you take clutch slave off bolts on box to save bleeding it ? What clutch did you fit etc ? 

A lot of questions I know but just rather ask now to help you. If it helps txt or ring me I can answer a few questions if your unsure. But as said possibly just nervs

Yeah I can engage all gears with the clutch in and engine off. I have put about 4.2l of oil into the G/box and 1l into the transfer box, I unbolted the slave cylinder and just tucked it to the side so that I didn't have to re-bleed it, the reservoir is full of fluid. I used a Exedy Sports Organic Kit https://www.evo-parts.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1007_1018_1282&products_id=7738&zenid=5647350f3ac1aa0d371152e9f9332b42.

If someone can tell me how to put pics up i'll show you the pic of the clutch installed on to the car. I also reinforced the clutch fork while it was off the car as per the guide and info on this site.

Thanks for taking the time to ask me though johhny and others it's most appreciated. I have to pop out a minute to give my mate a hand with something but when I get back I'm going to double check everything and try to engage the clutch and then see if it will drive.

Upload pics to photobucket.com then copy and paste the link that has [img/] at the start and end...

Thanks Stu.

Here's the original clutch.


Here's the release bearing.


My attempt at reinforcing the clutch fork.


And finally the new clutch installed on the car.

Ok so I've had a go at engaging the clutch and it will engage and I can select gears. With first engaged when I release the clutch I get quite a bit of shudder but the car will move forwards and back wards, but their is some kind of noise almost like a worn release bearing noise but it happens when I try to release the clutch not with the clutch fully out like a faulty release bearing symptoms.

I installed the clutch with a centering tool and made sure that the friction plate was not touching the cover plate around the edge. Is this just part of the bedding in process or does it sound like something isn't right?

I've had a nose down through the clutch fork hole and I can see the cover plate spinning ok also the clutch fork seems to be seated ok the little ball bit is sitting in the pivot point and the retaining clip is where it should be.

The revs are still wanting to drop but im not sure if that is clutch related or it's something else. I need to get hold of a deep 32mm socket so that I can do the driveshaft nuts up properly vbut other than that I'm struggling to think what I may have done wrong.

How far is the biting point from the floor?

About half way up the travel.

Like I said it will drive but I get quite s bit of shudder through the whole car. I'm just a bit reluctant to take it for a drive up the road especially since the hub nuts are not fully done up and I don't want the embarrassment of having to push it up the road if something goes wrong. The car has been attracting quite a bit of attention since I've been doing the work lol.

Reinforcing the clutch fork you have to go down the sides also as this is what gives it the strength from bending welding the front is what helps the pivot ball not going all the way through .... what did the flywheel look like did you get it skimmed or checked ????

Yeah dont drive it until you have done the hub nuts up .... are you only getting the judder when bringing it up on the biting point ????

The revs dipping whilst I was trying to engage the clutch may be due to the fact that I drive a diesel as my daily so I probably wasn't keeping the revs up enough.

If I can't find out what's happening I may just do the hub nuts up once my deep sockets arrive and just man up and take it for a spin whilst praying to baby Jesus for the cars safe return lol.

Sorry mate what was the clutch you fitted ....

I did try to seam weld the peice of metal I used but to be honest my welding isn't great, also I welded in a 16mm washer around the pivot point, but when I welded it I did blow a small hole through the fork so I filled it with weld then drilled out a dome for the ball to sit in. Wasn't ideal but I think I did a good enough job.

Yes nomad it's only when I bring the clutch up to biting point. Do you think that where the car has been sat for a few weeks now that the brakes could be adding a bit to the vibration or is that just me talking nonsense?

Also I didn't get the flywheel skimmed but it looked ok to me and I did give it a good run with some emery cloth at the advice from Ian @ Ian cuddy motorsports. Nice bloke btw.

Exedy sports kit from Ian cuddly motor sports. I did put the link up in one of my earlier posts. It certainly looks beefier than the one that came off. Unfortunately I couldn't stretch to a helix so I found that one at a decent price.

If its just the biting point i wouldnt worry to much maybe you just aint give it enough revs fella ....

Yeah I hope so nomad. With a bit of luck it's just my lack of experience making me worry. I'll get those hub nuts done up once my sockets turn up then I'll try to take it for a spin.

Thanks for your help guy's and I'll report back after my maiden voyage.

That clutch you had fitted which broke looks like one of them fake exedy clutches. You can tell them quite easily as the spring plate is very poor quality compared to the original item.
We've had a few in lately which have all suffered the same fate with broken springs and plates snapped.

Did you try wriggling the input shaft on gearbox as it's possible you may have badly worn bearings which would have been a factor in helping break the clutch centre plate, if there's excessive play in bearings then obviously the shaft will not run true

Oh dear! No I didn't Bob not much I can do about that now, I suppose I'm just going to have to drive it and see what happens.

When the clutch did go I had no warning I was taking it for a spirited drive and went to change gear and nothing, couldn't change gear at all, no bangs, no crunch it just wouldn't change gear. The release bearing has been shot since I got the car though.

Let's just say that it is gearbox related what sort of cost am I looking at to get it refreshed?

I'm fairly certain it's not in bad nick i.e. it'll engage all gears with no dramas. The gearbox that is on the car has come from Johnboy from what I can make out but judging by the story that go's with it i'm not so sure the previous owner took much care with the car I think he was just out to make a bit of money whilst having some fun at the next owners expense.

But anyway I'm commited now so I want to get this car running right without having to spend stupid money doing it. It's a shame I live so far away from all you guy's I bet you would identify the little niggles straight away.

It's fitted now fella so tbh I wouldn't worry about it just hop in and drive it, hopefully everything's ok.
It may judder for a while a little until bedded in but if it continues then I would suspect trashed bearings in the box to be the real culprit 

Why Nissan never used a spigot bearing and protrusion on end of input shaft I just don't know

Took it for a drive today and it was juddering a fair bit in first gear then a little bit in second but I think it's just a case of bedding it in thank god.

I did go up the road with it and everytime I took my foot off the accelerator the car would want to stop which alarmed me at first then driving it back I could feel the car struggling. So I got her back home after suspecting the rear brakes to be binding and low and behold the passenger side rear brake was red hot. (note to self don't touch a hot caliper again it really hurts lol)

Anyway I'm reasonably confident that the clutch will bed in and the judder will go away so tank you for all your help guy's.