Does anyone have a How To or know where to find a How To change the clutch and flywheel on a 2002-2006 Mini Cooper S? Starting from the very beginning to the very end like other how tos.

I don't need one yet but would like to know before hand so if i have any questions and to give my self the courage to do it.

Once I do it once I can do agian alot easier.

 

Buy a bentley Manual it will have all the directions you need. Otherwise write a check, a clutch is a big job. I do one about every 3 weeks and still don't like doing them.

 

That's no joke. it is one heck of a job. I'm actually right in the middle of it right now and am a little stuck. i've been posting my progress and issues as i've been going along over the last week. I've got links to the write ups that i'm following, but they're not 100% explicit. here's the link to my thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nd-clutch.html

If it wasn't for the fact that my R50 is an '03 w/ 113k miles on it i don't think it would be as difficult as it has become. The rubber in the socket joint ends of the bowden cables on top of the trans. were pretty dry-rotted and one of them broke as i was trying to pry it off the transmission ($140 part for my A-type shifter box, becasue there's no rebuild kit for the socket joint. it's all integral to the shifter cable.. at least, not one that i've been able to find.)

other items that need to be removed that aren't explicitly mentioned in the write-ups:

1) intake box
2) battery box (but i asssume that both of those might be a little different since you're supercharged)
3) carrier bearing on the passenger side axle
4) DRAIN THE DIFF FLUID BEFORE YOU YANK THE AXLE.. amature mistake, i know, but it is what it is.
5) GET THE TOOL FROM MINI to pop the shifter cable. there's a picture of it in the thread that i link to in mine, but it's not real clear what the part # is, i can make out "23 4 010 05-02/03" stamped on the handle, but only the first 6 numbers are really part of the part #. Dealership here in tampa made me feel like i didn't know what i was talking about, but he called me back an hour later with the info on it. it's a $60 tool from them and has to ship from philadelphia.
6) i reccommend using a ball joint puller tool, and not one of those pickle poles or wedges or what ever they're called to pop the bottom ball joint on the spindle. the pickle damaged a piece of the rubber (that's a $76 part) when i popped it off on my driver side.. or just be real freaking careful.

there may be other little nit-picky things that i'm missing, but i'm not even 1/2 way into the job yet, really. and now that i busted that shifter cable i've got to wait 5 days before it will even ship.. and it's a non-returnable part so it's not like you could order it ahead of time and then return it if you don't end up needing it.

another couple of specific tools you'll need:
1) a 16mm socket.. my mechanics kit skipped from 15 to 17, but luckily i had one in my impact set. used a lot in the subframe removal and on the calipers and differential drain and fill plugs.
2) an E8 torx socket, it's like a T-value torx, but its a female socket, not a male post. this is for the pressure plate bolts.
3) an engine hoist, or one of those spanner bars that sit on the frame and hold the motor up.
4) two hydralic jacks.

other maintenance/upgrade items that are a good idea to be prepared to do:
1) brakes/rotors
2) CV bellows
3) power steering fluid (it all comes out in one assembly with the subframe, but once it's out it's super easy to get to, so you might as well flush the fluid while it's right in front of you)
4) struts/springs.. you end up being only 4 bolts aways from freeing both sides.. and they're WAY easier to put back in when you're not restricted by the axle and spindle being set in their places.
5) front sway bar (pulling the sub frame exposes the factory sway bar)
6) short shifter (you're already up off the ground, all you really need to do for this is to drop the back side of the exhaust and move a heat shield to expose the bottom of the shifter box.. and i'm going to have to do this anyway to replace my broken shifter cable)

don't think for one moment that this is a comprehensive list of things that could go wrong or need to be done wile you're in there...

I'm the kind of guy who doesn't trust any one to wrench on my cars. I'd rather break crap and replace it myself, than to think that some other impatient guy is forcing my parts back in. slow and steady wins this race. I can't tell you how many issues i've seen arise from techs forcing parts into their places and stripping wires and vacuum tubes and the like.. AND, besides other than the amount of time it's taking me to do this job, i'm saving over $1k

you can PM if you have any specific questions. I can point you to my other resources.

good luck!

 

good write up here:

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...04-mini-cooper