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View Full Version : Trying to replace clutch on SR20 Nissan...


Downshift
10-14-2007, 01:01 AM
I have a '95 200SX SE-R with an SR20VE. The car has a cable clutch for some stupid-ass reason.
So earlier this week my clutch went out. Stopped at a light while the car the car was still engaged in 5th gear, heard a spinning/grinding noise then a snap or pop and the car stalled.
There was no clutch pedal feel after that and the clutch is always engaged so if I start it, it lurches forward and moves. Can't shift, obviously.
We checked the system and the cable is fine and reacting to the pedal, and the release fork is moving fine also, leading us to believe the issue lies inside the tranny case.
I had a trusted Nissan mechanic check it and he seems to think the problem is the clutch itself; most likely a busted spring.
So I go pick up an OEM clutch kit from Nissan and we proceed to swap the clutch.

Everything has gone smoothly; removing tires, axles, mounts, bracing engine and tranny, and removing all engine-tranny bolts.
So now the car is in pieces in the garage, all the bolts are out, there is about an inch separation between the engine and tranny case, and the metal gasket is exposed and hanging down off the drive shaft, yet the tranny will not come off the engine so we can lower it.
We're fairly certain it's because the clutch is still engaged against the flywheel and cannot be released. There is only another inch or two between the tranny case and the driver side wheel well, and we've tried prying on the tranny case from all angles and it will not come off.
We're thinking we need to remove the bell housing or just start removing other parts that are in the way, but there has to be an easier solution we're overlooking.

So has anyone replaced a broken clutch who might have an idea of what snag we're hitting or how to release the tranny from the engine?

THX

-Dan