Tom Deutsch

I removed the tranny, removed the pressure plate, got up and looked at the manual, and it says to mark the location of the pressure plate with a dot of paint or a scribe BEFORE you remove it. Oh.
Does this matter if I'm replacing the pressure plate anyway? (I'm using a more or less stock Daikin kit.) I want to make sure I get everything oriented properly. So are there several "wrong" ways for me to install the pressure plate?
I know I saw a thread on this months ago that described the guy (or gal maybe) installing the new clutch, then having it not work. I REALLY don't want that to happen.
(I looked for that thread but couldn't find it.) If anyone has any tips or pertinent threads, that would be great. I looked at a bunch of clutch replacement threads but didn't see anything about the orientation of the pressure plate being a factor.
Thanks.
BTW, my car is a bone stock 85 GS with just under 80k on the clock.

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

There are two pins on the flywheel that align the pressure plate. Two of the bolts that hold the pressure plate to the flywheel are doweled, and need to go in two specific holes, but I'm not sure exactly which ones. Just make sure you use the clutch alignment tool when you bolt it all up and you should be fine.

NCross

iTrader: (18)

I didn't mark anything. It will only go on one way. There are little notches that pin the plate in place. Just use your alignment tool and dab some grease and anti-seize on the appropriate parts and your good. Don;t be alarmed if you hear squeaks and chirps coming from the new disc for the first few miles. You also want to clean off your flywheels with brake parts cleaner and take some sandpaper to it in small circles to rough it up a bit.

Starfox07

I didn't mark anything, I think it can only go on one way man.

Just make sure you put your slave cylinder rod in the correct way.... Its a common mistake (seemingly) to put it in backwards which will actually work for a short while...then your clutch pedal will go straight to the floor when the rod pushes through the release fork...

So remember: Nipple-like end faces towards release fork!!

Tom Deutsch

Mine has three pins. I think you guys are right - the plate will only go on one way.
Reading all these clutch posts has me paranoid. There must be dozens of threads where the poor wrencher finished the job only to find that he's worse off than he started - then gets to sort through a bunch of theories about the origin and remedies. Thanks for the nudge.

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

I think that's usually regarding a misaligned clutch, which is easy to do if your Johnny Eyeball-it. That's why most clutch kits come with an alignment tool.

Starfox07

See I don't see how you can even stab the trans if the clutch isn't aligned though?

NCross

iTrader: (18)

If the engine and trans are both out of the car you could I guess.

Tom Deutsch

OK, update and question.
Update: Installed and aligned the new clutch and pressure plate. Stabbed the trans. Installed the starter and slave. Did it while laying underneath the car and didn't crush my skull or break my jaw or anything! (but whoever said it is "light" or "easy" this way must have much bigger muscles than mine! The engine comes out next time!)
Just for sanity's sake, I temporarily installed the shifter, wired up the battery, put it in gear and turned the key. Looking at the back of the trans, I could see the output shaft (just below the shifter, no driveshaft attached yet) turning counterclock in the forward gears and clock in reverse. Stopped spinning only with the clutch in. Sound right? It still turned in neutral though. Is that because there is no fluid in the trans and maybe enough gummy stuff to spin things? I'm hoping that since it stops spinning when I press the clutch pedal that I have everything installed correctly. I'm hoping the weight of the driveshaft and some decent tranny fluid would cure the "still spining in neutral" problem. Is that a realistic hope?

jinxed4dub

iTrader: (7)

it was just the momentum of the clutch spinning. You should be fine. Just bolt every thing back up. car won't move in neutral.