Toruki

I got the master and slave cylinders from RockAuto (a day earlier than expected) and got them installed/filled and bled. I bled the system at the slave before it was installed onto the bell housing...with all of the stock stuff around that area I can't imagine how you could do it otherwise. And what an awkward hand twisting installation that is, especially with the slight angle of the tapped holes. Maybe I'll put in studs when the next time comes.

But, holy crap, this was totally worth it. The difference is night and day.

GSLSE, t_g, Jeff, KC, LongDuck: Thanks so much for all of your professional advice, sharing your experience, and most important taking the time to respond. Your advice was like gold.

Summary of Parts Bought, Original List

• Clutch Kit is an OEM replacement, no performance aspirations: Exedy Kit 10025. This came with the pressure plate, friction disc, pilot bearing, alignment tool. Conspicuously missing is the pilot bearing seal. (Bearing insertion tool from Mazdatrix).
• Pilot bearing seal ordered separately, Beck Arnley 052-3471 Seal,
  
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• Eccentric shaft rear main seal is Mazda part 1668-10-556A, https://www.atkinsrotary.com/store/6...8-10-556a.html
• Transmission seals front 0603-16-103, https://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.a...m=16-1030-0603
• Transmission seal rear 0437-17-335A, https://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.a...m=17-335A-0437
• Starter is a Bosch from RockAuto

Extra parts along the way

• Replacement tranny front bearing clearance shim, from Mazda Dealer. If not ripped up, just keep and reuse. If destroyed, then measure the thickness with decent calipers and replace with same. Part numbers are 9996-36-315 is for the .15mm/.006in part, 9996-36-330 is for the .3mm/.012in part.
• New clutch master and slave cylinders. Slave was blown out, parts are cheap. I used DOT4. I've read that DOT4 and 5 are compatible but the guy at the store says no, DOT4 was good enough back in the day, so I'm cool with it, all new fluid anyway.
• FYI: Racingbeat sells both seals and the front cover gasket in a kit, Transmission Seal Kit for 79-88 Non-Turbo - Racing Beat for $21 +SH
• More annoying than it should have been: Exhaust gaskets for front pipe to cats, and from mid pipe to muffler pipe that jumps over the rear axle. Nothing I could find online listed the actual dimensions. Went to Autozone with a tracing and this part fits: Bosal #256-535.
• Replacement muffler bolts for midpipe to muffler (front pipe studs/nuts were super clean!). Ended up using grade 9.8 M10x35mm 1.50 pitch thread. Original was M10x40mm 1.25.

Tools (beyond the "normal" stuff I had)

• Had to get a thinner walled (non impact style) 14mm socket to reach the bell-housing to engine bolt that is inset behind the starter, ~$5 at Ace
• Slide hammer/blind bearing puller, HF Item 62602, $73 list so get a 20% off coupon.
• You should buy a seal pull tool for the front transmission seal, it will save you an hour of frustration, the bonus is you will not damage the seal seat with a grinder (i was careful and didn't but it would be easy to wreck the seat).

That Damn Mid Boot :P

• Reinstalling the shifter was not as awful as I thought it would be, just had to be persistent. The mid boot was glued in, so no dice moving it without possibly ripping it up, and I was completely against the idea of trimming it, even slightly. So to prepare, I poured in "enough" gear oil into the shifter linkage (it pooled up a bit), greased the ball end of the shifter and a bit of grease where it goes in the tranny. With the mid boot still covering the 3x 10mm bolts would go, it looks like this (photo before cleanup etc.)
  
  • grease up the top bushing enough to stick it in place on the top of the ball, aligning the keyway in the ball with the bushing's detent (as described earlier in the thread).
  • pop the ball end into the linkage with the bushing riding along, aligned as above, inserting the ball's keyway onto the guide pin and shoot for he right hand side of the spring.
  • of course, now you can't see the alignment, so you have to go by feel.
  • gently move the shifter into 1st gear position and slide the back edge of the cover into the boot, it is difficult as the hole is small.
  • work the lip of the boot up and over the sides.
  • move the shifter to 4th, work the rest of the boot up and over the cover.
  • now, gently but firmly hold the cover down and move the shifter to feel for proper, smooth operation. If the cover won't sit flush or there is binding don't force it. You'll have to start over.
  • rotate the cover to align the holes, bolt it on with enough pressure to hold it, not getting medieval on it, just secure. Check for smooth operation.

I got lucky and it went in aligned and worked smoothly.

Next steps, fix the cat heat shield, don't have a TIG, can I braze it? Maybe cat delete with a test pipe (and keep the parts in the ever growing "stock room").

I could not have done this job without this forum, what an awesome resource and community. Thanks so much!

Tom