I think this is what I was hearing when I pressed the clutch inwards, because the old throwout bearing still looks, and turns well. I will be replacing all of these parts however anyway as preventative maintenance.

Being that mine apparently is missing the pilot bearing seal, I have no idea how it supposed to go together. When installing the new pilot bearing, do I just press the rubber seal into the eccentric shaft and put it directly in front of the pilot bearing and then is lithium grease ok to use on the inside of the seal?

 

When you order a new pilot bearing it should come covered in lube. The dust seal just presses on after you install the bearing. I was able to get lucky and the bearing puller I rented from Advanced Auto parts made the pilot bearing pretty easy to remove. But there are also lots of other tricks on here to get it out just do a search. It can be a real bitch...

Cudos to you doing all the preventative maintenance. Replace all those seals, bearings and get you a stainless clutch line while you are at it too.

 

I noticed my OEM flywheel has a few hairline cracks. I've read threads that surface cracks are normal and can be removed during a flywheel resurfacing. Please don't recommend an aftermarket light weight flywheel as I have already looked into this and cannot afford it. If anything i'd buy another used OEM flywheel

Cracks were pretty small, I had to magnify the picture to actually see them and here they are:







Can it be resurfaced?

 

This might sound like a silly question, but when I fill the tranny up with oil, do I need to put into the shifter section as well? I ask this because I noticed that when all the tranny fluid was drained out, there was still oil in the shifter section almost as it it has its own separate compartment.

 

Yes, the shifter needs to be lubricated.

 

Wow I totally messed up the question, that's not what I meant. I meant to say do I need to put transmission fluid into the shifter section as well. After draining the tranny fluid, there was still tranny fluid in the shifter hole when I pulled it out, and dont understand how that works, or if I should top it off

 

The FSM says grease, but some people use oil. I use grease because there is an oil seal separating it from the rest of the gearbox and all oil seals leak sooner or later. With grease it will stay in place when that happens, with oil it will drain down and leave the shifter ball dry.

Dave

 

Ok, just finished R&R'ing the pilot bearing and removing the flywheel. Next thing im doing is replacing the rear stationary gear O-ring. First thing first, im setting the engine at TDC. In order to do that, the main crank pulley will have 1 notch in the pulley that will line up perfectly with a pin roughly at the 11 O clock position, is that correct?

 

Ok I got the stationary gear off, replaced the O-ring and the engine still turns fine. I had a hell of a time trying to use the screw driver to pop the throw out bearing apart from the pressure plate even though it suppose to be easy.

I'd like to reinstall the tranny tomorrow...whats the easiest way to reattach the throwout bearing to the pressure plate, should I do it out of the car, and then reattach the pressure plate bolts through the inspection hole once the tranny is in, OR should I tighten down the pressure plate first, and try to attach the throw out bearing to the pressure plate through the inspection hole? I'm wondering which one would be easier

 

i have done it both ways and they both are a pain, and simple at the same time. If you bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel first, its more of a clearance issue where maneuvering the bell housing over the whole assembly might knock off the collar and ring. If this happens you have to go digging for the ring through the PP and then put it back on the collar (super pain).

Putting the assembly on outside of the car might be easier because you don't have as much of a clearance issue and you don't have to worry about the ring and collar getting knocked off. Just make sure you torque the PP down on the flywheel to spec and all should be fine.

GL

 

What I do is bolt up the clutch/pressure plate assembly to the flywheel installed on the car. Make sure the slave cylinder is not on the transmission. Get the transmission installed then use pry bar to push the throw-out bearing into the wedge collar. Then hook up the slave cylinder.

As long as you don't knock the wedge collar out of place when installing the transmission, this goes pretty quickly.

 

JUST in case... Is my clutch installed correctly? Just wanna be sure it's not backwards since both sides look almost identical. I believe the "Flat" part of the clutch spline is supposed to face outward (toward the engine) and the other part that looks like a tube/spline will be facing inward (toward the tranny) is that right?

 

service manuals are awesome :P

 

You didnt look at your old clutch when you removed it? That is wrong. The flat side of the clutch faces towards the flywheel, the side with the protrusion faces towards the pressure plate. Also, most clutch discs will be labeled to prevent any confusion.

 

not sure if the exedy ones say the direction or not, i know the act ones say the direction. but either way..it only fits 1 way

 

Thanks, thats exactly how I have mine hooked up. Its hard to see from the first picture, but the pressure plate is already attached to the throwout bearing and is already installed behind the clutch. This is exactly how I took out the old clutch. The second picture better shows the "FLAT" side of the clutch inside the bell housing facing outward and will face toward the flywheel, and the side with the protrusion, I put that side facing "Toward" the pressure plate. Now the next step is to physically install the transmission FINALLY.

 

Im also replacing my backup switch and I noticed the new switch I have doesnt have an O-Ring or washer for it, is it ok to reinstall it like that, or does it need some kind of thread sealant to prevent leaks? I found no information about this in the FSM

 

when reinstalling the starter back into the tranny, I don't have to do anything special to line the teeth up do I? Also, when reinstalling the shifter, I noticed it has a curve to it, does it matter how I put it back together?

 

Does anyone know if the clutch is installed backwards, would it cause the trans from going into gear or make it very hard too?

 

Check this thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/clutch-problem-have-searched-any-knowledgeable-suggestions-669426/