Question: Is it to hard to install a clutch guys I need to install a new clutch on this truck I just bought and a new flywheel since I can see from the bottom its got some teeth already damage and I think I am going to need a starter gear (were can i get the starter gear from?) . I have some experience fixing small stuff but I don't know if I can handle the clutch ,I have done the vp44 on my other truck and other small stuff like maintenance tranny and differential airdog install you know small stuff . I can follow instructions very well if somebody tells me how but maybe I need more than instructions ,Is not so much that I don't want to pay somebody to do it it's just that I want to learn how . Thanks !

Nop theres no oil

Ok finally I got all the parts I need to install the clutch back. But I am confused on one thing should I install the transmission back with the bell housing or should I take the bell housing off and install the fork and the throw out bearing and then install the transmission ?

Bellhousing goes on first...(install all the throw out fork and all). Then the trans mounts to it...

is there a specific torque for the bell housing ?

the 2001 fsm says:(5)Work transmission forward until seated against clutchhousing. Do not allow transmission to remain unsupported after inputshaft has entered clutch disc.(6)Install and tighten transmission-to-clutchhousing bolts to 108N·m(80ft.lbs.).

Ok so I got the flywheel and clutch and clutch cover used the alignment tool and installed the bell housing with the fork on it and when ever I was installing the transmission I did make sure the lift the fork up and was careful that it didn't came off the little pivot with the clip , the only thing I didn't quite understand was this notes " Mopars NotesThis is where I screwed up. I didn't lift the throw out bearing and pinched it between the input shaft collar and the pressure plate, causing it to mis-align the throw out fork and depressing the pressure plate fingers after bolting the transmission up. This cause the slave cylinder to bind up and blow the clutch master cylinder" . How do I check that didnt happen to me. O and now after all that here comes the oops I was bolting the bell housing and wanted to torque the just didnt know the torque specs and did them at 70lbs and one of the bolts broke :banghead: ,its one that goes right on top of the starter should I try to extract it , does it affect it ? also should I loosen them up or just leave them ? . Also when ever I was sliding the transmission in I couldn't get it to slide all the way in so I lined up the bolts and when they were able to grab the thread I started tightening them and thats how I got it to slide all the way in but I also didn't force them in I tighten them evenly and never forced one in what do you guys think?

  cummins said:

Ok so I got the flywheel and clutch and clutch cover used the alignment tool and installed the bell housing with the fork on it and when ever I was installing the transmission I did make sure the lift the fork up and was careful that it didn't came off the little pivot with the clip , the only thing I didn't quite understand was this notes

" Mopars Notes

This is where I screwed up. I didn't lift the throw out bearing and pinched it between the input shaft collar and the pressure plate, causing it to mis-align the throw out fork and depressing the pressure plate fingers after bolting the transmission up. This cause the slave cylinder to bind up and blow the clutch master cylinder" .

How do I check that didnt happen to me.

The throwout shaft will right close to the hole if done right you be able to see the pocket for the slave cylinder... If you messed up like I did the fork will be deep inside and hard to line up... Then the clutch pedal will go solid and not move...

O and now after all that here comes the oops I was bolting the bell housing and wanted to torque the just didnt know the torque specs and did them at 70lbs and one of the bolts broke :banghead: ,its one that goes right on top of the starter should I try to extract it , does it affect it ? also should I loosen them up or just leave them ?

Well since you broke I would take the time to fix it... As for bellhousing bolt I didn't bother to torque them I just made sure they were tight that all...

. Also when ever I was sliding the transmission in I couldn't get it to slide all the way in so I lined up the bolts and when they were able to grab the thread I started tightening them and thats how I got it to slide all the way in but I also didn't force them in I tighten them evenly and never forced one in what do you guys think?

Normal... Because of minute angle and alinments it tough as hell to slide a transmission all the way in. But mine did the same thing... As long as the bolts tighten easy and did it even I wouldn't worry much...

  cummins said:

O and now after all that here comes the oops I was bolting the bell housing and wanted to torque the just didnt know the torque specs and did them at 70lbs and one of the bolts broke :banghead:

if i had a dollar for every time that has happened...it seems if i try to hit the torque #s then i break bolts...sorry for your luck, but glad murphy follows other people too(i swear i thought he lived in my cab)

Ok so I am almost done with the clutch deal, I am bleeding the hydraulic clutch I got all the steps done I just got one question when I fill the reservoir do I take the little black plastic out and fill it or do I fill it with it in ?

i left mine in...but i had the clutch hyrdraulic assembly bled before it went into the truck. as in the reservoir was full before it was bolted in. i took my time as i didn't want to have to pull it out after just getting it in. i believe the pedal was the last thing i did. let us know when you finish it

Its alive ,I got the truck to turn on but the clutch its very loose did I did something wrong? I did bleed it did all the steps mike said well I think I did any clues?

  cummins said:

Its alive ,I got the truck to turn on but the clutch its very loose did I did something wrong? I did bleed it did all the steps mike said well I think I did any clues?

What to do you mean by loose?

Sorry I meant the clutch pedal is real loose and it is not working I have been trying to pump the clutch and I did get a few small bubbles out but I takes alot of pumping .So I got under and took the slave cylinder out and did a few strokes and I had someone look to see if bubbles were comeing out and I did had alot of bubbles come out so I continued doing it till the bubbles stop coming out and it hasn't changed very much just when I press it all the way in but very little but its still loose.

There is air in the system yet... The bad part is there is a loop above the resevoir and the air bubbles float into that loop and don't come out easy... Thats why it got to be done removed from the vehicle...

Ok I will take it out again and try it again, I think that was my error when I was bleeding it I left that loop were I had it set up .

Like this... I pulled the loop down while bleeding...

when i bled mine....i filled the slave up and push air...connected hose, filled and bled...connected the master, fill and bled....by doing this i only bled it once, and didn't have to remove it after install. obvisiouly the air rises...so when bleeding, hold the escape path up and pump that slave's piston. as a cable guy, i have hundreds of zip ties....thats how i held the piston in while putting it back in the truck

Guys I got it ,I took it of and repeated the steps and it worked like a charm . Thanks for all the help! Now I am starting with some thing else the truck does not have drip bottle for the crancase vent hose and the radiators look pretty dirty there's a lot of grease they look black and wanted to clean them up . Should I start another tread about this? just wanted to know what was the best way to take them off and should I take every thing out. I am also planning on doing the custom crancase vent like I did on my other dodge.

  cummins said:

Guys I got it ,I took it of and repeated the steps and it worked like a charm . Thanks for all the help! Now I am starting with some thing else the truck does not have drip bottle for the crancase vent hose and the radiators look pretty dirty there's a lot of grease they look black and wanted to clean them up . Should I start another tread about this? just wanted to know what was the best way to take them off and should I take every thing out. I am also planning on doing the custom crancase vent like I did on my other dodge.

Would this work for ya??? http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/personal/2002/crankcase-vent/crankcase-vent.htm

Took some pics check them out tell me what you think I also got some pics of the pwr steering pump and vacuum pump one of them is leaking was thinking of replacing may be the pwr steering pump.