Uprated Clutch & Flywheel

I'm thinking of fitting an uprated clutch and flywheel for track use, similar to those advertised on the Courtenay website. Hopefully someone can answer this quickly....is replacing the clutch and flywheel an engine out effort or can it be done with the engine in situ?!

No only Vaux dealers do it that way. All the spacialists do it by pulling the drive shafts out and dropping the gearbox down.

Easier to leave engine in , and drop out one side of the suspension and drive.

If you are in Bristol I would give the guys at Top Gear Automotive ( Wolverhampton ) as they seem to be most competitive for clutch and gearbox work. Thats where I had my stage 4/5 upgrades done.

http://www.topgearautomotive.co.uk/

How long should it take to remove the clucth/flywheel?

it is possible to remove the gearbox to swap the clutch, simply remove most of the lefthand suspension and disconnect the exhaust at the cat flange - to allow the engine to drop and the box to slide off. 'how long' depends on whether the person has changed a clutch on a vx before

Thanks for the info. TopGearAutomotive is marginally closer to Bristol than Guglielmi Motorsport who I go to in Daventry for servicing etc. Anyone got any thoughts on the best clutch and f/w to go for (price & performance both considered) if not the ones Courtenay are offering??

Thanks for the info. TopGearAutomotive is marginally closer to Bristol than Guglielmi Motorsport who I go to in Daventry for servicing etc.

Anyone got any thoughts on the best clutch and f/w to go for (price & performance both considered) if not the ones Courtenay are offering??

I have the Helix Group N clutch and a TTV Racing lightweight flywheel. I am extremely pleased with both.

I have a courtenay lightened flywheel and a Helix hybrid clutch but if I had kept the standard gearbox then I would have fitted a standard vauxhall clutch, the 250bhp sc engines have no problems using the standard clutch remember to fit a new slave cylinder, it's very annoying when the 'old one' fails after fitting a new clutch

remember to fit a new slave cylinder, it's very annoying when the 'old one' fails after fitting a new clutch

I'll bear that in mind, thanks! Reason I'm going for new clutch and fly-wheel is that I track the car a lot and want to ensure reliable performance from the clutch, which is now at 38k miles. If an OEM item is suitable, then that sounds like a good cost effective option. Might as well do the fly-wheel at the same time

so is this a clam off job? I've changed a few clutches though not on VXs and usually use an A Frame supported from the upper chassis to take teh engine weight when lowering it since I can't anywhere suitable to mount an A Frame on the VX how are you guys supporting the engine?

so is this a clam off job?

I've changed a few clutches though not on VXs and usually use an A Frame supported from the upper chassis to take teh engine weight when lowering it

since I can't anywhere suitable to mount an A Frame on the VX how are you guys supporting the engine?

IIRC the only mount to the chassis that needs removing is the one ontop of the gear box the engine should be held inplace by the other 3 mounts, unless I'm missing somthing.

The FWD clutches I've changed I've just used one jack under the engine and one under the gearbox to lower it.

so is this a clam off job?

I've changed a few clutches though not on VXs and usually use an A Frame supported from the upper chassis to take teh engine weight when lowering it

since I can't anywhere suitable to mount an A Frame on the VX how are you guys supporting the engine?

IIRC the only mount to the chassis that needs removing is the one ontop of the gear box the engine should be held inplace by the other 3 mounts, unless I'm missing somthing.

The FWD clutches I've changed I've just used one jack under the engine and one under the gearbox to lower it.

Three of the four engine mounts need to come off because the are mounted to the gearbox and the engine will need to be supported. Clam does not need to come off, but the bottom of the rear wishbones need un bolting to pull the suspnesion out the way for gearbox clearence and to remove pop the driveshafts out.

Takes me a day to do the gearbox & fly on my own, but did take me a full weekend first time I did it. As already said, make sure you change the clutch slave cylinder as they nearly alwasy go once fully released (I had to take the garbox out twice because of this!!)

so is this a clam off job?

I've changed a few clutches though not on VXs and usually use an A Frame supported from the upper chassis to take teh engine weight when lowering it

since I can't anywhere suitable to mount an A Frame on the VX how are you guys supporting the engine?

IIRC the only mount to the chassis that needs removing is the one ontop of the gear box the engine should be held inplace by the other 3 mounts, unless I'm missing somthing.

The FWD clutches I've changed I've just used one jack under the engine and one under the gearbox to lower it.

Three of the four engine mounts need to come off because the are mounted to the gearbox and the engine will need to be supported. Clam does not need to come off, but the bottom of the rear wishbones need un bolting to pull the suspnesion out the way for gearbox clearence and to remove pop the driveshafts out.

Takes me a day to do the gearbox & fly on my own, but did take me a full weekend first time I did it. As already said, make sure you change the clutch slave cylinder as they nearly alwasy go once fully released (I had to take the garbox out twice because of this!!)

so how did you support the engine Vocky?

having removed the gearbox some 5 or 6 times now there are two methods; 1- remove the clam, remove the complete exhaust, remove driveshafts, remove most of the l/h suspension, use an engine hoist to hold the engine and drop the box 2- remove most of the l/h suspension, remove both driveshafts, remove the downpipe section of the exhaust, hold the engine with my big trolley jack and drop the box with my smaller trolley jack I removed the clam when first fitting the 6 speed box, when the slave cylinder failed and whilst fitting the throttle bodies I swapped the kevlar clutch for a Helix hybrid item. I just dropped the suspension when changing the pressure plate and then again when adjusting the M32 slave cylinder spacer. thankfully the clutch is now finally sorted, I hope

having removed the gearbox some 5 or 6 times now there are two methods;

1- remove the clam, remove the complete exhaust, remove driveshafts, remove most of the l/h suspension, use an engine hoist to hold the engine and drop the box

2- remove most of the l/h suspension, remove both driveshafts, remove the downpipe section of the exhaust, hold the engine with my big trolley jack and drop the box with my smaller trolley jack

I removed the clam when first fitting the 6 speed box, when the slave cylinder failed and whilst fitting the throttle bodies I swapped the kevlar clutch for a Helix hybrid item.

I just dropped the suspension when changing the pressure plate and then again when adjusting the M32 slave cylinder spacer.

thankfully the clutch is now finally sorted, I hope

I've removed the g/b 3 times now (3 times too many!!), but I do it a little different to vocky. I leave the clam and exhaust on and only remove the 2 bolts on the bottom of both wishbones (no need take the drive shafts out of the hubs, just the gearbox). You can then pull the wishbones back to release the driveshafts and to get the clearance required to drop the box. This method means you don't need to mess around disturbing ball joints/shims. The dampers needs to come off and gearbox cable slackened off, but these are only 5 minute job.

I support the engine with a engine hoist, but a trolley jack will suffice. Beware - the gearbox is a tight fit between the engine and subframe and can be fiddly putting back

Certainly not an engine out or clam off job though

I intend to do mine in the next few months and will knock up a full guide with pics and all. Just do get a rough outline of what to do i will attempt a list 1. Jack the rear end of the car up 2. Prop the car up on axel stands 3. Remove both undertrays 4. Remove both rear wheels 5. Unbolt the bottom wishbones from the chassis 6. Remove the coilovers 7. Unbolt the drive shafts from the gearbox 8. Remove the nearside engine mount 9. Remove the exhaust down pipe 10. Disconnect gear linkage 11. Support engine with jack 12. Support gearbox with 2nd jack 13. unbolt gearbox from engine 14. lower gearbox out of the engine bay 15. Lock the flywheel 16. unbolt the 6 bolts from clutch retaining plate 17. Remove clutch 18. unbolt flywheel 19. Put new kit in 20. put it all back together 21. Bleed Clutch Have I missed anything?

Edited by SteveA, 01 August 2008 - 12:16 PM.

I intend to do mine in the next few months and will knock up a full guide with pics and all. Just do get a rough outline of what to do i will attempt a list

1. Jack the rear end of the car up
2. Prop the car up on axel stands
3. Remove both undertrays
4. Remove both rear wheels
5. Unbolt the bottom wishbones from the chassis
6. Remove the coilovers
7. Unbolt the drive shafts from the gearbox
8. Remove the nearside engine mount
9. Remove the exhaust down pipe
10. Disconnect gear linkage
11. Support engine with jack
12. Support gearbox with 2nd jack
13. unbolt gearbox from engine
14. lower gearbox out of the engine bay
15. Lock the flywheel
16. unbolt the 6 bolts from clutch retaining plate
17. Remove clutch
18. unbolt flywheel
19. Put new kit in
20. put it all back together
21. Bleed Clutch

Have I missed anything?

...thats just about it

You will also need to undo the inboard end of the track rod arms, disconnect the clutch line and unplug the reverse light switch. You will also need to unbolt the front/rear engine mounts as they are bolted through the gearbox bell housing. Don't forget you will also need to drain the gearbox oil whilst the car is flat on the ground.

Edited by N17VES, 01 August 2008 - 07:48 PM.

Cheers N17VES So what about special tools? I have all the regular stuff but assume I will at least need a flywheel locking tool and something the keep the clutch in place while I rebolt the mounting plate. Did you use anything else out of the ordinary, pulling tools etc?

Torque Wrench

Regular stuff as far as i'm concerned. I meant more stuf that is only for this job. Clutch lining up tool etc.