clutch_job_900_till

CLUTCH JOB SAAB 900 - 93 & 94 CV

This document describes how to replace the clutch on the Saab 900. We recommend to use the factory turbo clutch kit for both turbo and non turbo applications on cars up to 1990. (90 and up have separate clutch kits, aren't interchangeable turbo to non turbo and do not include a slave cylinder or release bearing) The part # is 8781346 and cost around $200.00 from the Saab dealer. You should replace the pilot bearing located in the flywheel, the rear engine seal, and the seal at the transmission end of the clutch. The pilot bearing and the rear engine seal are not included with the kit and must be purchased separately.

Getting Started:

Parts:

8781346 The clutch kit
9175902 The rear engine seal
8346868 The pilot bearing
8791618-10 The special tool

Remove the hood. 12 mm bolt at the hinge, one on each side. Put a blanket or pad on the roof and transfer the hood to the roof. TIP: Put the air tubes, covers and other parts in the hood on top of the Saab as you take it apart.
Remove the negative battery terminal
Remove the intake air tubes that cover the black plastic protective clutch cover
Remove the protective cover: It has a 12 mm bolt at each side down low and two 10 mm bolts in the face near the center and right side. The side of the car is called as you set in the drivers seat. You may need to remove the brackets that hold the battery cable and remove the positive cable from the starter to get the cable out of the way.
THE SPECIAL TOOL: Get a pair of channel lock pliers "The one in the tool kit in the trunk works well." Have a assistant push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor, bite down on the extended neck of the release bearing, release the clutch pedal and push down slowly as you insert the spacer ring "special tool " into the pressure plate. Now it is safe to remove the hydraulic supply line at the slave cylinder as well as the three 5 mm Allen screws that hold it on. TIP: If you don't have a assistant to help, get a pogo stick type tool, a 2*2 works...jam it between the seat back and the clutch pedal and adjust the seat back to tighten up the pedal to the floor. I used this method for 10 years.
Remove the spring clip at the end of the clutch shaft cover and extract the cover. Tool Technique: Use a 15/16 shallow socket and a long 8 mm* 1.25 bolt. Put the socket end over the gear the clutch shaft resides in and stick the 8 mm bolt with large washer through the center of the socket to use as a clutch shaft puller. Note: you must remove the plastic end bushing to screw the tool 8 mm bolt into the clutch shaft.
Remove the clutch pressure plate 13 mm mounting bolts. Pry the pressure plate free of the flywheel as it is also retained by 3 short dowels.

EXTRACTION:

Now push the slave cylinder forward into the pressure plate and cram it all together. Pry the works out through the left side. Tight fit huh? It helps at times to turn the flywheel relevant to the dowel pins.
After you get the assembly out, remove the Special Tool. You need a press or make shift squeezer to collapse the pressure plate to get the tool out and insert the new tool into the new pressure plate.
Remove the 7 17 mm bolts that hold the flywheel on and pry it out. Note: The position of the flywheel dowel pin and position it at 11:00.
Remove the bearing in the center of the flywheel use a driver or a punch to knock the old pilot bearing out. Note: How the bearing is positioned relevant to the outside edge of the flywheel. Use the old part as a driver to hammer the new one into place. Don't install the new bearing till you get the flywheel back from the machine shop after it is resurfaced.
Remove the rear engine seal. Use a old screw driver or seal extractor to pry out old seal. Now a tricky part: Install special tool and push seal into place. Or you can hammer the seal into place and it is a job in such close quarters. If you mess up here the result is a bad oil leak and it will contaminate the clutch disc so be careful and make sure you work it in, little at a time, working around the outside edges. Use a razor blade to clean the end of the crankshaft off. Pry out the clutch shaft seal and pound in the new one supplied in the kit. That little seal Is in there tight and will take some doing to get out. Careful not to gouge the housing.

INSERTION

Clean the threads on the bolts that hold the flywheel to the crankshaft with a wire wheel or brush and apply some sealer to each. We recommend Permatex # 518 anaerobic sealer for any sealing purpose on engines and transmissions. Install the flywheel and the bolts that retain it. Get those bolts snugged down quick as the sealer starts setting up as soon as you screw them in and it could interfere with the torque values. Work quickly, use a torque wrench set to 45 ft lbs. Tighten in a cross pattern a little at a time.
Clean the surface of the flywheel and clutch parts with brake cleaner. Put the release bearing on the slave cylinder. Now put the clutch together "like a sandwich" Note: The bulk spring section of the clutch disc faces the pressure plate and the small spring hub faces the flywheel. TIP: Use a small tapered reamer and clean out the three small holes the locating dowel pins slide into to ease installation. Look at the old pressure plate to see locations of the holes. Insert the works. Lube the splines on the clutch shaft with a good quality grease "synthetic or moly" and insert it into the end of the transmission and through the clutch assembly. Use several small screw drivers to help lift and position the clutch disc to get the clutch shaft end into the pilot bearing. Once the shaft enters the pilot bearing force the shaft home with a good push or a tap from a brass hammer. Screw in the plastic end bushing into the clutch shaft and install its cover. A slight amount of silicone sealer on the rubber ring on the cover helps to ensure against oil seepage. Now install the bolts that hold the pressure plate and tighten to 18 - 20 ft lbs. It is a good idea to put a dab of blue LocTite to the threads of each bolt.
Install the three 5 mm Allen bolts that hold the slave cylinder on and use a slight amount of anaerobic sealer on these also. It will help to use a very small pair of channel locks to turn the Allens in most the way and finish off with a Allen wrench that is hard to position into the bolts.
Screw the hydraulic hose into the slave cylinder "bottom hole" and put the bleeder nipple in the top hole. BLEED THE SYSTEM: Bleeding is best achieved by applying a positive pressure where you put the brake fluid in while slightly opening the bleeder nipple. TIP: LoL... I have in cases of emergency "on the road and the pedal fell to the floor".... Take a clean rag and clean off the area of the filler cap on top the master cyl. Take your mouth and apply a positive pressure until a stream of brake fluid came out of the bleeder valve ....lock it down. wait 5 to 10 minutes and you may be ok. It is important to get all the air out of the system. Now push the clutch pedal all the way down by what ever means you used previously and EXTRACT THE SPECIAL TOOL. Test you clutch pedal for compression and height. Most clutch pedals by the time a Saab needs a clutch are worn at the pivot point of the pedal and clutch master fork causing a low pedal and not complete clutch disengagement. TIP: The Clovis pin that slides through the pedal and fork use a 5/16 pin. Drill out to 3/8 and use a new 1- 1/8 long * 3/8 Clovis pin. That pedal will come right up with no slop if done properly. In more severe cases it may be necessary to weld it up and redrill.
Install the covers, air tubes and hood back on and you are ready for the road.
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