How easy is it to replace a clutch?

adam cool dude said:
I presume the clutch is cable operated on the matiz? If so it will be mega easy to do.

Some hydraulic clutches have really weird positioned slave cylinders making them a right pig to bleed. When I did my Saab 9-5 the slave cylinder is built into the release bearing so you have to do a special technique to bleed it and only really know if it has worked once you have everything rebuilt. Any mistake and you have to take the box off again....

I would never do a clutch change without an engine hoist and a vast arrangement of hydraulic jacks though. I bench pressed an MX5 gearbox once and it nearly gave me a hernia.
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@adam cool dude which generation on mx5 was this, and did you do the job with the car on stands?
 
I've done it on an ST220, absolute **** of a job, the worst bit was actually mating the box back up to the block.

Several hours in 30c heat, sweating profusely, damn thing just would not line up.

Worst job i've ever done.
 
Lopéz said:
I remember doing my first box replacement on a MK1 Fiesta on axle stands and I'd not really appreciated how awkward it can be trying to maneuver even a fairly small gearbox like that into place when you're on your own, on your back, laying on gravel.
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Should have bought a Triumph Herald. :D The whole job can be done from the drivers seat (well almost).
 
Hagar said:
Should have bought a Triumph Herald. :D The whole job can be done from the drivers seat (well almost).
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Ha, many years ago my mate's dad bought a collection of parts that was once a Triumph Herald and every time the car came up in conversation he would mention that :D
 
Lopéz said:
Ha, many years ago my mate's dad bought a collection of parts that was once a Triumph Herald and every time the car came up in conversation he would mention that :D
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I owned one in 1974, the first thing to go was a rear drive shaft but a replacement was found from a scrappie. Money was short. However the gearbox and clutch were accessed from under a removeable cardboard transmission tunnel and the whole front of the car came off with a few bolts allowing engine maintenance sitting on the front wheel.
:)
 
I had a Herald back in the 70's. You're right about the whole front coming off, mine did after a rather sharp stop at a junction :D Pulled all the wiring apart but after hooking the bonnet back on I managed to drive home down pitch dark back lanes with just the light from a flashing left indicator. I did the clutch from inside too in an afternoon. Got rid of the Herald as whilst i was working away the single transverse rear spring snapped on it as the wife was driving over a level crossing, luckily a local with a tractor dragged her clear.
 
If this was your weekend toy, and you had the space to properly work on a car and had a set of quick jacks and a nice cosy garage you could keep the car in while you worked on it - I'd say go ahead and learn to do it yourself. Watch some youtube videos, buy some tools. take your time, get to know your car better etc..

But this is the wife's daily. You don't want your wife's daily in bits and parts over the kitchen floor. Recipe for divorce that is. Just pay somebody to do it.
 
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