I'm fixing to need a new clutch finally, getting pretty near the end of this one...

Figure I want to replace pressure plate, disk, throwout bearing, etc... prob getting a kit would be good...

Any clutch recommendations? This is for a 93 2.3L M5OD. I am thinking about changing the slave cyl while I have it apart... although past experience on other vehicles says change master and slave at the same time... just cause it always seems to work out that way...

While I have it out, I was wondering about the possibility of changing bushings in the top cover to fix the sloppy shifter... Anyone know anything about that? I saw some references to it, but no really useful info.

Thanks!

 

Agryphon,

I have a '94, 2.3L, 5spd. Last year it was ~ 220K miles and the clutch was beginning to be noticably weak. I marked the driveshaft at the rear yoke then removed it. I removed the floor shifter from inside the cab and unplugged the two wire connections to the trans. With the help of a floorjack and a 4$ tool (to remove the slave cylinder hydraulic line connection and secure the line out of the way at the side of the frame), I pulled & removed the trans.

I replaced my pressure plate, clutch disc (with a Centerforce I pressure plate [part # 360014] 8.5" diameter, 1" diameter x 23-spliner connection, ~125$; and Centerforce I clutch disc [part# 381113], "street use", organic & sprung hub, 8.5" diameter, ~65$) and while I had the trans out, I changed out the trans rear tailhousing seal and the rear main seal (they weren't leaking, but they weren't very much $$ & couldn't be any easier to get to).

I considered changing my clutch slave cylinder [throwout bearing], but it looked and was still acting fine yet, so I decided not to spend the 80+$. Thought about changing the roller pilot bearing to a bushing, but since it wasn't giving me any problems and looked fine as well, I decided not to hammer on the crank end to remove & replace it.

I lightly scuffed the flywheel surface with some abrasive paper, and with a 5$ "clutch alignment tool", I aligned the clutch and pressure plate on the flywheel and bolted the pressure plate on. Use loctite on the pressureplate attaching bolts and torque it via a cross-pattern to ensure it gets evenly secured.

With the help of the floorjack again, raise the trans up and wiggle it around until the trans imput shaft slips into the clutch splines and into the pilot bearing. Start the top trans mounting bolts first, then the bottom ones.

With the trans bolted back in, replace the driveshaft [aligning the marks so it goes on the yoke in the same place], slave cylinder line, shifter and wires.

It worked for me -- Good Luck!
BarnieTrk

 

I spent a while researching the shifter bearings, it's apparently been talked about quite a bit on here and other places. I got some part numbers, and will try and source them from a local Ford dealer tomorrow.

Also found clutch kits locally, a LUK kit for $199 with pressure plate, disk and bearing, and a RhinoPak for $149 with pressure plate, disk, throwout bearing & alignment tool.

Any experience with them; ie is one better then the other?

 

Be VERY CAREFUL when shopping for clutchs only by price......... I've heard some horror stories of the overseas stuff being junk and that you may end up pulling it out again because of improper balance or fitment!

GOOD LUCK!
BarnieTrk

 

I have the lifetime clutch kit from autozone in my 4.0. When OD went out they gave me a new kit when I asked about replacing the disk. They told me to just bring the whole thing back and get a new one. works well has 20K+ on it no problems.