Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle Clutch replacement

I'm hoping someone can help me out with this. I need a new clutch, and the local Ford garages are telling me that they have to jig the engine from the engine bay to access the clutch, I read in my good old Haynes manual that the clutch can be accessed from the engine bay by moving the transaxle (chapter 8). Ford swears blind that this is not so.
I am personally going with experience, which says never to trust a Ford garage mechanic, but thought I'd check here to.

2.5L '98 Manual Mystique 120,000 km (~75,000 miles)

Here's a section of my e-mail with them ....

"clutch disc plate and release bearing, including resurfacing your flywheel breaks down to $662.85 in parts, plus $774.30 in labour"

Labour is approx. $55.00/hour and all prices are in Canadian Funds.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rabbit.

Well, I can tell you from experience that the Haynes / Chilton manual method works, although I didn't follow it step by step. In a nutshell, I supported the engine with one of those handy dandy engine support tools, then removed the subframe. After that the job is fairly straightforward.

BUT...

After I finished with everything and reported my work to Terry Haines, the man who rebuilt my trans, I was asked a simple question. "Are you crazy?!" he exclaimed. "It's a whole lot quicker to remove the whole engine trans subframe assembly and deal with it on the ground." Now keep in mind that Terry is a master with these cars. He has forgotten more about them than most of us will ever know. I argued with him a bit but it sounded like he was right.

Upon further investigation into the Mitchell repair manuals on CD (at the shop), I found that the recommended method was to remove only the trans, but as a side note it mentioned that the entire engine assembly could be removed as an alternative to using the engine support tool.

Still not satisfied I took out my Ford service CD, which I had never used at this point, and did some more digging. Ford's own service manual instructs to remove only the trans leaving the engine in place.

It looks to me that it is a matter of preference. Terry is probably right, that it takes less time to remove the entire thing. I suspect however that it would only hold true with repeated experience. In any case this is not a job to be done at home. It requires more space and tools than most of us have lying around. Your best bet is to find a shop that deals in clutches primarily, like Clutch Doctors. They will certainly have experience with these cars as there are quite a few out on the road.

Geez, sorry about the long post. Next time I'll write a book!

Dude, you can buy a centerforce clutch and and the slave cylinder (which has the integrated release bearing required for the new clutch) for less than $550 (US) and $55 dollars/ hour canadien is less than half what every Ford dealer in atlanta charges! If you are going to take it to Ford, that's an excellent price on labor, they all use Chiltons Book time for each individual install so your labor 'time' is going to be the same at any ford dealer and most shops in general, reguardless of how long it'll actually take em' to do it.

Shotwell, I have a chiltons manual but I haven't read the part about clutch installation yet, I cannot believe that they would say that you can get the clutch out just by repositioning the engine/trans!? Anyone who's ever looked at this setup including myself would know better. How would you disconnect the two while they are both in the vehicle still?? That's funny. I'll be doing the Quaife/Centerforce/fidanza install with my uncle in March and I think the way we remove the engine will be decided on the fly. Basically which ever way presents itself as the easiest. As smart of guy as Terry is, I think that he, as with any genious on any subject, forgets how far ahead he is of the rest of us sometimes. It's still great to hear his points of view on contour stuff though, he has helped me a lot in my planning the quaife install to this point and has offered to help even further as the time to install approaches.

Well, apparently I didn't elaborate enough. Of course you have to remove the trans before you can get to the clutch! I meant straightforward as in removing the trans. Once the subframe is out of the way you have lots of room to get it out. I agree with you on all counts ATL, especially about Terry. He did my Quaife install and I couldn't be happier. I also did the Centerforce, the dual friction. I stuck with the stock SVT flywheel though. I was already knee deep in expenses so I couldn't afford it. Good luck all!

P.S. Hey! Your SVT is older than mine!

Thanks for the great and informative responses.
I really am impressed with the labour cost around here to be honest, coming from England where the labour cost is about 55 GBP per hour, which is about $77 USD and about $130 CAD per hour, it's pretty damned amazing !!
It actually turns out that the Ford cost is a little more though, I'm using a Nissan dealer to look after my baby, as they seem to be the most competent that I've come across so far.
On a side note, my wife's Escort had suspension that was so shot, I could push the front end right down with hardly any effort what so ever. At speeds of +100kmh (60mph) it would become so unstable that it actually became scary to drive !! A slight gust of wind could blow me over the road. One Ford dealer told me that this was fine, and that there was no need to replace anything. I went to see a second and they quoted me some $350 per shock to only replace the springs, totalling $700 for only the front-end.
I enquired one place about installing the new oil pan from BAT and was told some 6 or 7 hours labour, plus they would order the pan in and I couldn't order my own.
As from this, and my past experiences in Europe, I find Ford garages hard to trust now. Maybe it's just me though.

Anyway, I rant now and am well off the point so ..........

The clutch price is a little iffy for me, as I was looking in the BAT catalogue earlier at the Sachs kit, for $365 or so USD. It would work out about the same, although I'm not sure the exact difference, as clutches are mystifying little beasties to me. The cost did seem a touch high for parts as far as I'm concerned too.

Thanks again,

Rabbit

i just got a new clutch installed for just about $1260.. it hurts man...

im no terry haines but i got my c/f dual friction for 350.00 the slave cylider w/ throwout bearing 60.00 and the fidanza flywheel 395.00. total is 805.00 maybe some tranny fluid few bucks. i have a lift at my dads garage so me and a friend droped the sub frame used a makeshift engine support. once you drop the sub frame it becomes very easy to remove the clutch. with the two of us some air tools and a lot of b.s. with a lunch break, it only took us a lil under 10 hours. the dealer calls for 15. so just to give u an ideah it can be done cheaper.

How did you pull the Flywheel for 395???? terry haines cost is around 450 to 500....And they retail fo around 550.

I'd like to know...not that it much matters anymore...lol


Roz

not to burst you bubble but there is a place called sp motorsports ya know that sells them for 399