Flywheel install and tec..., etc..., etc...

[secondchance]

I started to feel/hear light clanking as I would engage the first gear – faint but definitely there. Paul thought it was U-joint but I wasn’t sure. Also, the shifter was bobbing excessively but when I checked the front C-beam plate they were torque ok.
So, I concluded with 130,000+ miles, perhaps, it was time for a new flywheel. Thought about Fidenza but decided that I prefer quiet OEM piece. Luckly I found one out of a 5000 mile car.
Also, while depressing the clutch it felt as if the pivot point was shifting as opposed to being smooth and progressive. I figured a clutch fork pivot bolt being excessively worn out could create this sensation so, just in case, I ordered a new pivot bolt from the Power Torque System.
Then thinking and talking it over with other WAZOO guys one thing led to another (since we are in there…) and ended up with rear main seal replacement, tranny front seal, clutch slave cylinder, drive shaft U-joints, additional Daynamat for the tranny tunnel.
We got together at Rich’s around 8 and upon Mark’s arrival, there of us with Paul entertaining started to unbutton. Exhaust removal, tranny removal (thank you!-Darrin2!, Rich and Mark), clutch cover, rear main seal housing. Shifter bobbing was due to rear C-beam plate/bolts not being torqued properly (silly me...).

Here is a pic with flywheel removed. Over the years caked on gunk inside the housing was so thick it took 4 cans of Brake Clean, a lot of scrubbing and Simple Green to see the cast aluminum again.
Our resident Guru, Phil, shows up and I rely on Phil to remove the seal housing and the seal followed by rear main seal install using Phil’s custom tool.

Inspection of the flywheel revealed about 1-1/2” movement between the two pieces of the flywheel as opposed to ¾” for the new one. Also, the old one has a slight movement laterally. Some heat checking was on both the pressure plate and the flywheel but Phil thought they were normal – nothing to be concerned.

Note drill holes around the edge? According to Phil these holes were drilled to balance the flywheel upon manufacture.

Then the trim weight was added after the install on the LT5 to minimize the engine vibration. In my case, the old and new weight location was off by about 5 degrees and we elected to keep the trim weight on the new one where it was. To remove and reinstall the weight would have required a torch expand, remove, drop in and cool, from what I understand. Also, I would have been somewhat leery at high rev – what if the dang thing fell out?!

Here is Mark and Rich wrestling with U-joint removal – I know Rich, Mark – a real b***h to get them off – THANKS!!!

This is what happens to the clutch fork pivot bolt after 130,000 miles. I recommend that you get one if scheduled for a clutch replacement work.
Of course, while in there, although the old slave cylinder did not show any sign of leakage, I elected to replace with a new one Phil brought. Before the new one was bolted in, we flushed the system with new GM Hydraulic Clutch fluid. Of course, leave it to me to install the new one w/o lining up the rod on the fork and having Phil to rebuild the plunger while hanging from the car.
Since the car was on the lift and the tranny out, I took the opportunity to access the rubber shifter boot from the bottom to slip the driver side of the rubber boot over the lip on the tranny tunnel. There is no way to do this from above unless one is willing to disassemble the black plastic piece under the console and removing the side panel of the console. From the bottom a brake tool (looks like a large flat head driver with top 1” bent at 90) worked like a charm to slip it over the lip. Result? – drastic reduction of hot air being sucked in from the tranny tunnel heating up the console turning my Coke hot in the cup holder.
Finally we had the car buttoned up (by now it’s 6:15 pm) and everyone is relieved that my laundry list had been completed. No more clunky noise ( and a fear of something snapping while driving), no more oil seeping out of the rear main or front of the tranny, smooth and predictable clutch take-up.
Oh, what a feeling!!! Thank you Rich (for hosting , busting U-joints out and patience), Mark (for all your hard work…), Paul (for all the spare parts and humor), David (for staying clean and keeping us organized) and Phil (for all your incredible knowledge, labor, custom tools and supplying hard to find parts).

One unusual thing we observed. Upon inspection, although mine is a 94, the tranny was of early cars with a tag that says "remanufactured for GM". Not sure this was awarranty replacement or what. More interesting is that my 91 had an early ZF6 and I remember this tranny being rattlely and noisey. My current ZF6 is much more civilized. So, I now know I have higher torque rated early ZF6 with civilized misdemeaner - Great!