I'm hoping it will help with a new jack. I centered the clutch the best I could by eye and the centering tool but I could be a little off. I have a jack under the motor to lift up and down as I've tryed that to help with different angles. What's the best way to line the tranny up to the motor before pushing it on? Guide pins in the holes? I don't wanna start pushing the tranny if the input shaft is gunna it something and cause more damage

 

Crawl out from under the car and look at it from the front of the car too

 

^Don't bother to take all that stuff apart. You'll get it. Make sure the trans is in neutral. You'll have to re-check as you shake the box around--sometimes it slips into gear when it touches other stuff. Don't worry about bolt holes until you hit pay dirt with the splined shaft. The bolt holes will take care of themselves. Get it lined up, and shake that sucker in. Don't give up.

If you can't get it and have completely exhausted your arms, I'll tell you plan B. Don't let it get to plan B, dammit.

 

Having all the seals replaced is the thing I'd most definitely replace, which it looks like you are. You can replace the clutch release fork or just the bushings on it and the master/slave cylinders at the same time for added insurance if you feel up to it. Is it necessary, probably not, but while you're in there for the job it doesn't hurt. Otherwise, maybe just do the bushings on the throwout arm. If you look at our tech article it shows you the location. Here it is with the new bushings.

 

Lol

He can do it!

 

I'm using the bolt holes to help me line up the shaft....is that not the best way? That could be another problem I'm not sure if the trans is in neutral or not that would help the splines spin to slip in right? After 3 hrs last night I could barely lift the trans again

 

If your arms are too tired better get your fiance under there to lift it for you...

 

She can't lift enough to help much. If I can't get it with the new jack I'll call someone to help lift and such. So what's the best way to line up the input shaft with the clutch? I've been using bolt holes but that's proving to be difficult on its own

 

Im sorry, I can't remember what exactly I used to make sure it was lined up. I've done maybe 100 clutches on stealths and 3000 gts, but only my Mini last june.

You just need to look at all of it, from the front and the side, make sure the angle of the tranny matches the angle of the engine. Maybe helix has more detailed advice but that's really all there is too it.

 

That's exactly what I'm doing. I was having a had time keeping the trans flat (top to bottom) but other than that I'm doing everything you guys said so hopefully the new jack makes it alot easier

 

You've gotten plenty of good advice. I'll add my encouragement: You can do this. Just a couple tips that might help. I too have done several clutches with less than ideal tools and found 2 things helped:
1. Modify your jack by adding a small piece of plywood. I removed the jack saddle and found I could slide a 1 - 1.5" piece of flat aluminum under the jack saddle. I had maybe a 10" square piece of plywood that I bolted to the aluminum with some carriage bolts so it was mostly smooth on top. I added a packing strap to hold the transmission on the jack/plywood platform. The tranny was not super tight with the jack, but the jack managed most of the weight and the tranny could be maneuvered to mate up.
2. Angle the engine down a bit toward the tranny and the tranny balanced on the jack so that it angle up slightly.
The angles were not severe and I don't know how you are supporting the engine, but the slight angles seemed to help.

 

I'll post pics of what I got going on when I get home in a couple hrs and you guys can tell me what you think

 

OK guys this is what I got going on. Im getting the jack tommrow cuz harbor freight is having a sale. So I may tinker with it a little bit tonight if you guys can give some good tips as to what I'm doing wrong. The clutch seems to be a little off center but I can't get my fingers in there to feel around. Any good ways to keep it on center?

 

 

 

 

Finally got it guys. Went ahead and got a tranny jack tonight and it made life a whole lot easier. It only took about 15 20 min. Minis about half put back together gunna through the sub frame in and hook the rest of the drive train up and make sure the clutch and trans is working as it should. So happy right now. Finally get my mini back!!!! Yaaayyyyy

 

Cool, glad you got on this time. Great feeling when it slides in there lol

One thing I have to comment on though is the removal of the intercooler. Mod mini takes it off in his video, and from the pictures you took yours off too. Can't figure out why though, it's not in the way of anything. Ehh whatever...

Don't forget to take it easy on your new clutch.

 

Thanks. Yes it was a great feeling when it slid in. Like a big relife.

I fallowed his video since it was my first time ever working on a mini and doing a clutch. I found myself hanging it on the radiator mounting points/bumper mounts to get it out of the way depending on what I was working on so I didn't damage it or anything. It's a reallllyyyyyyy annoying piece.

I will definitely be taking it easy. Is there a clutch break in period? How do you do it?

 

Generally people say just no hard launches for the first few hundred miles. I waited until around 500 miles. My old clutch was slipping really bad so it was hard to wait. It was like getting a new car after that

It's ok to get on it while you're already moving though.

 

Okay cool. I already know it's going to be a completely different car now since I imagine when I got it the clutch was already gone. I might go ahead and do a supercharger oil change and a oil change while I'm already at it. Any recommendations on oil? If I go synthetic how long should I let the oil drain out since I have no idea what oil is in it now....

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ge-how-to.html

Only use the special sc oil

 

Yeah I got that. I'm talking motor oil synthetic. In order to make sure all the oils out of the system how long should I let it drain? 24hrs 12hrs??

 

Run the car for about 10 minutes or so to get it and the oil warm, turn off car (I put that in there in case you are a literal fellow), release drain plug, drain it....release the oil filter canister and more will drain out...remove oil filter canister. Go get a soda or lunch - come back an hour later and just about everything you can get out will be out. It's okay if some is left in there - it won't be much.

You don't need to wait any longer than that.

 

Even if it doesn't have synthetic oil in it already? I'm not sure what oil is in the car. I've heard some horror stories about synthetic oil and regual oil mixing together and clumping up causing major issues. Or do minis come with synthetic from the factory?