Julie & the clutch.....

[juliemac57 at hotmail.com (Julie Macfarlane)]

I wanted to change the clutch, the cable and seals on the new car. I read 
the Bentley at lunch to remember all the steps in proper order, what tools 
were going to be needed etc. (Being the only american and female in a 
software dept filled with H1B gentlermen, it raised a few eyebrows)
Mark & Dave supplied all I needed and Sat morning I started......

I moved Draco out of the garage and got to stripping all I needed to remove 
to do the job. I even remembered to remove the back up cable AND the speedo. 
I am sooooo proud  :) (GD its a 2 part cable! I thought that stopped on the 
MKI!)

The transaxle out the flywheel removed easily. The clutch plate its self was 
not that bad after all. the rest? "It WAS going to be an easy job! ( I was 
sooo happy). WRONG.

The pressure plate bolts REFUSED to loosen. AFter a call to Cathy, I was 
able to borrow a compressor for my air hammer. Several attempts later the 
bolts still refused to move. So off to Walmart for a torch to heat those 
suckers.
I heated and wrenched, heated and wrenched. Still stuck and not releaseing. 
S**T.
My language would have frightened a seasoned Marine.....

Then. I saw the problem. Want to know the awnser? Go ahead ask...

The hammer has 2 settings. "F" and "R". Please check these settings before 
giving up hope. Once set correctly, the bolts spun out.

Reassembly is the reverce of disassembly. EXCEPT when putting the transaxle 
back in. The lights in the garage are on a motion/timer. Just as I was 
struggling to get it back in, the lights went out. The transaxle fell on my 
leg, stripping the fleash from the bone. Well, not that bad, but it hurt.

The Marines that had assembled to learn effective cursing (due to my 
previous efforts), scattered like leaves in the wind....

These lights would turn on and off for the rest of the reassemble ( I had to 
go out side and wave at the f**kin sensor).

Got the car started, but there is no reverce, so back under the car I go 
later today to check the linkages and put the metal work bolts back in (that 
I forgot).

In retrospect I found something I hate MUCH more than rear brakes. Next time 
I'll pay some poor sucker to do it.

Julie Macfarlane
"Its not just a car! Its an adventure!"
DSM4 entry: "Masochism: See Scirocco"
1981 MKI 2L 16v w 2Y
1985 MKII 1.8L 8v w 9A Wolfsburg
Amsterdam NY