I would never have a transmission out without replacing the rear main seal on the engine or the front seal on the automatic. That’s risking hundreds of dollars worth of labor over $20 in parts.
Amen Brother
And I have $5 that says the speedo cable housing will be permanently mated to the cast aluminum tranny housing. Doing this correctly will require the ability to retap and helicoil the cable port and replace the cable. And bolts that would come right out with an impact wrench will probably break with a breaker bar.
That’s basically my point. This truck is at an age where work of this magnitude is best not attempted by a novice. But, than, I guess I’m not as adventurous as I used to be.
Mountainbike, the speedo cable for this truck has a knurled nut that holds the cable to the gear housing attached to the transmission. No need to remove the gear housing, just unscrew the nut to disconnect the cable. Easy peasy.
HB, no plate over the rear main seal. with the flywheel off, it comes out as easy as a wheel bearing seal. Just put a screwdriver in there and pop it out.
As far as a clutch job is concerned, this Toyota truck is probably among the easiest to do. Not to say that pulling a transmission is ever really easy, but this truck makes it as easy as it gets.
Yeah man… Its a great learner clutch job for sure and I am happy to know he will roll up his sleeves and do it himself. He will love that truck all the more when its done and he knows he did a good job. Hell this is how I started doing this stuff…just jump in there and DO IT… Have confidence in yourself and pay attention to what you are doing and its rather easy actually.
Good call on that speedo cable too…I dont think about them much other than to lube them every now and again. They always get my attention when the speedo needle jumps up up up and down down down…that drives me nutz
I just want the OP to do it right, with the right parts. Because without one of us or an equal experienced wrench available, he may not notice the signs of the flywheel etc… You know? and for the small change of the new parts it will save the guy a monstrous headache down the line…
Blackbird
Most crankshafts have a mounting flange for the flywheel or flex-plate that prevents “just popping out the rear main seal with a screwdriver”…The rear main is usually a two-piece deal…
I have not purchased anything yet and I’m a she, but not afraid to get greasy and have worked on my 84 mercedes, so not completely inept… I have asked a friend who knows a bit more to help me though, so should be fairly easy… I will look into the LUK clutch kit, get a new rear main seal and check the flywheel befor I reassemble everything. Thank you all for the advice and tips, it will make the job easier!
Don’t forget to drain the transmission before removing the driveshaft. Might make things a little less mess and the transmission oil probably hasn’t been changed recently.
Caddyman, I had a car and a truck with this engine in it. The car had one clutch replaced. My truck had two clutches replaced. The rear main seal is a one piece rubber ‘donut’ that taps in, like the front crank seal or wheel bearing seal. Nothing like the two piece rope seal Buick used to use, or the two piece rubber seal Chevy uses. Remember, this is a Toyota, not a Caddy. Even my 3.0L in-line 6-cyl Supra uses the ‘donut’ seal on the rear main that just pops in and out. Of course, it needs to be tapped in with a bit of effort, but I’ve never had one slip out before.
Tmf4207, I withdraw my concerns. Your latest post suggests that your expectations are realistic, you have a good head on your shoulders, and you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty or to ask for help. Sincere best. Let us know how you make out with this.
PS: being a lady has absolutely nothing to do with it. Women are no more or less capable of doing this type of work than men.
One thing you’ll need is a good set of tools - how are you set?
I’ve never seen a woman who could replace a clutch in a P/U truck or anything else…They probably exist, but I have never seen one…It’s just not in their DNA…
As for the rear main seal, it is indeed a common round seal, but how the flywheel is secured to the end of the crankshaft is somewhat of a mystery…The bolt circle looks considerably larger than the seal diameter…There must be a flange attached to the crank with a center bolt and the flywheel bolts to that…
How to replace a clutch: Watch somebody else replace a clutch first…Then help somebody replace one. Then try one yourself…
“I’ve never seen a woman who could replace a clutch in a P/U truck or anything else…They probably exist, but I have never seen one…It’s just not in their DNA…”
Caddy man My favorite mechanic now retired had his daughter working with him through the years, She is a teacher at the local technical college, and a sponsored mechanic on the radio at the she where she now works. I have run against automotive ignorance on the male and female side of the fence, but it is not a DNA thing but a personality, experience and desire thing imho.
Just saw a rear seal like this replaced on “Wheeler Dealers” - the 6 or so bolts holding the flywheel come off and, like HondaB said, the seal’s just sitting there. They plucked it out and put in a new one, piece of cake. I was surprised how big it was.
The car was a Delorean, but the clutch/flywheel/seal looked just like the Toyota pics I found.
As long as the seal is bigger than the flywheel bolt circle, that would work, a better design than the 2-piece set-ups…
For many years, the control room of aircraft has been called a “cockpit”…But I have a photo of 4 young ladies sitting up front in a C5-A…They referred to that compartment as “The Box Office”…
I’ve never seen a woman who could replace a clutch in a P/U truck or anything else…They probably exist, but I have never seen one…It’s just not in their DNA…
When my daughter went to MIT…one of her class mates was getting her degree in mechanical engineering. She started at MIT at 15…At the good old age of 17…she designed and built a 2-barrel carburetor…Every part was hand made by her…I saw the carb…and it was a thing of beauty. She actually installed it on an old GM 4-cylinder car and drove it the last 2 years of school.
Designing and building carburetors is one thing…Pulling transmissions, especially without a lift, is something else again…
Caddyman, perhaps you need to get out more.
I myself cannt lift a tranny…or even a gallon of paint. I’m disabled. Are you suggesting that because I’m disabled and cannot left a tranny (or even a gallon of paint) that I’m incapable of working on cars?
Not at all…I’m suggesting that the woman who owns this truck, who is NOT a mechanic, not attempt this job herself…But now that you mentioned it, maybe you should not attempt it either…We each have our place in the big picture…
“I’ve never seen a woman who could replace a clutch in a P/U truck or anything else…They probably exist, but I have never seen one…It’s just not in their DNA…”
“Designing and building carburetors is one thing…Pulling transmissions, especially without a lift, is something else again…”
Can I assume than that these were misstatements?