comet909

My 85 GSL-SE's clutch is slipping. 118,000 miles, I have know idea how old the clutch is.

The car is pretty much stock.

I just replace the clutch master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder. Car was fine for about a week and then started slipping. Could these events be related?

I've never replaced a clutch before but I plan on doing this one. Would I be best served to do it somewhere with access to certain tools like an air compressor, impact gun etc?

I suppose I'm fine with a stock replacement from mazdatrix. Should I relace anything else while I'm at it?

Sometimes it makes a little noise when it's in neutral when the clutch is not engaged. I think that might be the throwout bearing. Would it be a good idea to go ahead and replace that too?

Thanks for any help and guidance.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

Definitely easier with lift/stands and air tools. The flywheel nut can be a
biotch to get off without air or leverage.

Figure on replacing the clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing and pilot
bearing. Also a pilot bearing puller might be in order.

While your in there check the rear main seal and replace that as well.

Also check the input shaft to see if the tranny front seals could use replacing
and while you have the tranny out do the rear seals. Be a good time to look
at your driveshaft ujoints as well.

comet909

Anybody have a recomendation as for who to get parts from. Do I save money by buying a kit such as this one...

http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.co...versal:0)&sv=0

or this...

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...&parentId=12-0

It seems like these kits include a bearing. Is that the throwout bearing? Any one buy a clutch kit that they'd recomend? Thanks.

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

I bought a CenterForce Stage 2 clutch/pressure plate from Mazdatrix. It really works well for me. Some folks don't like CenterForce tho. Another good alternative is ACT. If you just want to go cheap then the Exedy ones sold by the retail auto parts places will work too.

Both those kits look like they supply the throwout bearing but you really should replace the pilot bearing as well. Because it will probably be in pieces when you pull the tranny and look at it. It gets a lot of wear and should always be replaced.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Centerforce gives a nice stiff pedal on early cars but the '84-'85 had a redesigned clutch pedal for longer travel with a "helper spring" and thus less effort is required (lever action like you learned in school). When I tried a centerforce pressure plate in the '84, it was so soft it felt pretty bad. I also had an HD disc in there that was brand new and very grabby. With such a soft light pedal, driveability sucked because it was extremely difficult to feather the clutch due to the pedal being so light you couldn't feel it. Then I tried the centerforce in the GLC with a stock disc. The pedal effort went up due to the mech shorter pedal travel and lack of a "helper spring" but the driveability is superb thanks to the springy marcels of the stock disc; not grabby at all and feels just right for the car; about a 5 on my personal scale of 1 to 10 in clutch pedal effort (yes I created a scale). The '84 then received an RB street strip pressure plate and a stock disc. Now the pedal effort feels a lot better and the drivability is a lot better. My REPU got the HD disc and a stock p-plate but the pedal travel is short and makes the friction point too narrow so it's coming out soon. Pedal effort is just about right, though. A stock disc will be perfect.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd use the SS p-plate and the HD disc in the '84 as I believe that combination would work best. Enough pedal effort to feel where the disc starts to grab, and the narrow friction point of the disc would feel longer with the long pedal travel. Heck I could get away with a race pressure plate and 6 puck clutch like what hyper4mance2k got for his '84 and probably not hate it.

Since you have an '85, you too have the long pedal travel. You could daily drive a street strip pressure plate and an HD disc and not get tired of it. However if you're used to stock parts and don't want to change, then by all means get stock replacements. Don't get high performance parts based on what I say. Get them because you want them/need them.

Oh one last story. In my '81, I tried the SS p-plate and an older slightly thinner HD disc once. Oh man I hated it because the pedal effort was so darn high it was unpleasant. Kinda like doing a one legged squat thrust every time you press and release the clutch pedal. For this reason I'm considering against using the new HD disc in the '81, but I feel like I should go for the a SS p-plate at least due to the high HP I plan to have. I believe a stock disc, with its springy marcels, will act kind of like a power clutch pedal and reduce the monumentous effort with my short pedal travel.

The thinner the disc, the higher the pedal effort. If your current disc is really thin due to age, your pedal effort has likely gone up. Just stuff to think about.

comet909

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll be sure to replace the pilot bearing as well.

I'll probably go stock instead of the high performance route. But I like to make an educated decision so thanks.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Just a bit more FYI, my bro had a GSL-SE and got one of those cheap clutch kits from Al's/Grand Auto like ten years ago (they're now Checker/Schuck's/Kragen) and the pedal effort went from about a 4 on my scale, due to the thin old disc and stock p-plate, to about a 1.5 with the new parts. It was not very easy to drive after that. His motor mounts were really soft and old too, though. Just some information in case you do go with cheap aftermarket stuff from an auto parts store. I prefer a little something under my foot, but anything more than about a 5 for daily driving gets old in traffic real fast.

I'd recommend a Daikin/Exedy pressure plate for '86-'88 (this is what's in my REPU and feels like a 5 on my personal scale, if you're interested, and may translate to about a 3 in an '84-'85) or the '88-'89 model (this should also fit perfectly and be slightly stiffer, maybe). As for the disc, an OEM type Exedy disc will feel and perform marvelously in your situation.

comet909

Found an Exedy kit for crazy cheap on amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/EXEDY-10008-OE.../dp/B001B592A2

$99 free shipping. Same kit elsewhere seems to run $150. I think I trust Exedy over an autozone brand. Can't help but think I'm crazy to buy my clutch from amazon.

comet909

I ordered it. Same part number as the one that Atkins sells below for $169. 10008

http://xcart.web.aplus.net/store/pro...cat=676&page=1

I'll post the results once the job is done. Thanks again guys.

boyee

iTrader: (3)

Along with the replacement parts to look at already mentioned, you should get (if your kit does not come with it) and replace the pilot bearing seal. I believe a typical kit includes a pilot bearing but not the seal. Should cost under $5. Good luck. Post your progress and document if you can! That'd be nice to see.