2002 Vauxhall Astra Cabriolet/Coupe 1.8L Petrol Clutch Replacement

[@shimarlie1]

First, thanks Kevin for the video. Really appreciate you sharing your knowledge like this. After having done this myself on the basis of this video I'd like to add a few notes for others about it and to fill in some missing parts I wish I knew before I started. 1. For those worried about tackling it. Don't. It's actually relatively straightforward. Basically aside from the battery, and the drive shafts all the bolts you take off are either supporting the engine, the gearbox or the gearbox itself. It really is quite simple. I have very basic levels of mechanical knowledge but was able to perform this ok. 2. The thing I had the most difficulty with was getting that gearbox back on. In the video, you see him just lift and push. You'd have to be pretty lucky (or super experienced) to do this. I tried for literally days to do what he did. You have to get the engine and the gearbox perfectly both horizontally and vertically. I tried using straps on the gearbox to lift it up and then just tried to incrementally lift the engine and gearbox to get it to align and had big problems. The solution I found is to basically loosen the jack on the engine so it's hanging down at an angle and no strapping on the gearbox which aligned both surfaces perfectly both horizontal and vertical and it went together in a few minutes. The only thing I had to do was roll the gearbox forward toward the front of the engine and I used a screwdriver in one of the holes to hold that position whilst I screwed in a few bolts by hand. 3. I found it easier to remove the driveshafts completely. It's a piece of cake and makes it so much less fiddly. I also replaced the driveshaft seals at the same time. Not expensive to do and you already have them off. You just have to remove the caps on the ends of where the shaft goes, remove the split pins and take off a nut, This makes it easy to pop the shafts all the way off. 4. Make sure you have gearbox oil, (1.6l) it didn't happen in this video, but gearbox oil pissed out when I removed the shafts. Again, even if oil doesn't leak, you may as well do it whilst you're there. The oil is filled by removing the bolt on the top of the gearbox, mine had a black rubber chamfered cone-like cap on it. 5. Don't be like me and install the new clutch disk the wrong way. The FLAT side faces the flywheel. The raised side toward the gearbox. Some clutches have markings on them to show you which way, mine did not. Be careful not to breathe the dust that comes out of the old clutch pads. Use brake cleaner to clean the new clutch AND the flywheel. 6. Make sure you have a clutch alignment tool if you didn't get one with your kit. They are a couple of bucks and make the job easier to ensure everything is perfectly aligned. 7. Your kit will probably come with a new hydraulic throwout bearing. It's not easily apparent how to remove it from the housing. The metal pipe that leads to the connector for the hydraulic fluid goes to the outside of the gearbox casing and is held in with a plastic clip. That needs to be pushed out from inside the bell housing. I ended up just cutting the connector off the old one with a Dremmel which made it easier and then you don't even need to remove the clip. IMPORTANT: The hydraulic connector has a little rubber cap on it that creates the seal with the female part. Make sure that doesn't pop off the new one (and keep the old one) as it's crucial to the functioning of the clutch. You can see it at 08:07. That little rubber cap has to sit flush with the metal lube. 8. You need to bleed the clutch after. Get a one-man bleed kit to make it easier to do. 9. Refitting most bolts is easy, just remember one bolt in particular which is easy to miss. It's the bolt that sits directly above the driveshaft on the driver's side. If you forget it, before you put the driveshafts back in, it's a pain to get to. 10. Take your time. If you've got everything lined up correctly, you will get a perfect mating surface between gearbox and engine. If you don't, something is wrong. 11. Don't thrash your clutch when you first put it in, give it a couple of hundred km to bed-in nicely. Good luck.

[@WMCS]

Great feedback. Thankyou.

[@rs010575]

Hi Kevin, Thank you very much for this clear job description. I watched this video several times and so it was possible for a 65 year old guy like me to replace the clutch on my 2002 Astra G with Z16SE engine on the driveway Thank you very much!! 👍 It saved me a lot of money. Nota bene: The clutch plate must be exactly aligned, then you will have no problems at all with mounting the gearbox!

[@rustyexhaust9754]

Amazing Kevin, well done and taking the time to share your videos, without this i would not have even tackled the job. Excellent. I've just replaced my clutch on my Astra G Convertible-identical layout to the Coupe you show here. However, never again , I don't know how you do it bud great respect for you. I struggled to get that gearbox back in, laying on your back that's a heavy gearbox to keep lifting. Eventually after well over an hour I got it to slide back in, I didn't spot the top hose clamp above the gearlinkage was fouling my attempts which didn't help. The other thing I had trouble with getting the clip back in the clutch bleed unit, (7.59) I attempted to put it in after I pushed it on, whereas putting in the slot first (before pushing it on) solved the problem. My original clutch got 100000 miles before I decided to replace it, I was surprised to see it wasn't quite down to the rivets, (owned since new). Once again many thanks Kevin, you certainly are a top man.

[@WMCS]

A Dr.abbuh thanks for sharing your repair experience on our forum. And thanks for the review. Much appreciated

[@paulmc9314]

use a engine / gearbbox support beam. will help the box go back much easier. iv been there too and its very hard getting a 50kg gearbox to slot back in on your back. support beam makes it much easier

[@JulianFoley]

Confident work, clearly demonstrated. A very professional video - thanks.

[@PaulNordmann]

Thanks Kevin for the video!

[@paulmc9314]

excellent video did this job myself. but removed the subframe and steering rack as i had to change gearbox too. brilliant to see how to do it without removing the subframe awesome. just got a new subscriber :) took my next clutch change from 3 days to a day now i reckon

[@WMCS]

Paul ., good effort for tackling that repair. Once you’ve done one it makes it so much easier.., thanks for the support 🍻🍻

[@gedman9527]

Your the man ,perfect job very professional , no amateur

[@WMCS]

Ged Man thanks for visiting the channel and for your feedback... much appreciated

[@gedman9527]

@@WMCS you done a vivaro , primestar , traffic. M9 engine clutch yet mate , great stuff

[@WMCS]

Ged Man yes I’ve done many of them M9’s they are not that bad. Will try and get a video next time I do one of them

[@kbpassat]

Top job +++++ without removing the subframe

[@WMCS]

Kris b b Thanks for the feedback

[@MegaRusty64]

My friend has the same car... the car has now been apart 3 times and every time there’s no pedal after bleeding ??? We have no idea why this is happening and have tried various ways of bleeding the clutch... but nothing seems to work ? Is there some kind of special technique to bleeding the clutch on this particular car ?? Any help would be appreciated before it’s towed to the scrap yard. Great videos by the way !!

[@WMCS]

There’s a two thickness of pressure plate Even if the it fits. You just don’t get full pedal. I’ve had it before and found out there’s been a flywheel recall on some of these engines and two different thickness of pressure plate are now out there. One works me one doesn’t. So try that and hope that helps.

[@MegaRusty64]

@@WMCS thank you so much for that information, at least we know now how to proceed.... another clutch kit, but the kit with the thicker pressure plate !!! Thanks again 👍👍👍

[@chrismac4441]

I really want to give this a go myself, but I'm not sure what happens with the actual replacing of the clutch plate. Between when you took the gearbox out and when it cut to the new clutch on and grease on the shaft of the gearbox. Is it just a case of bolt on/bolt off? Also, would this be the same for a 1.6 SXI? Engine Z16XER. Thanks!

[@WMCS]

Have a little check through the channel videos there’s a few more ..,

[@chrismac4441]

@@WMCS ok will do mate. Love your videos by the way. I've watched a few of you working on cars I've never even had just for shits and giggles

[@shimarlie1]

Oh man, I followed your instructions and I was able to successfullly put the new clutch in but I CANNOT get that fricking gear box back on. It's driving me mad. I used a clutch tool so I know it's on correctly... any tips ?

[@stef2198]

Genuine question, not a criticism. Why do you put so much of the red grease on the input shaft? When we do clutches its either dry or with the faintest smear of grease. Thanks.

[@WMCS]

stef2198 If you notice it’s always just on the edge of the lay shaft. As the spline slides down the clutch this will then lube up the length of the shaft. One main reason of pressure plate damage is due to the clutch plate sticking to the shaft with dry rust over time. The rubber grease eliminates that, Giving a softer clutch pedal for the life of the clutch.

[@simonwe]

I wonder if this can be done on the 2.0 litre petrol model of Astra G without removing the subframe, as well? Thanks for the video!

[@WMCS]

Simon We definitely. Look at my other videos to see an examples

[@simonwe]

@@WMCS Thank for your reply and thanks again for your making all these helpful videos! 🙂

[@cristan9582]

Missing exactly the clutch replacement

[@WMCS]

Cristy Gratziani sorry.

[@RobertSmith-nh9nn]

@@WMCS yeah just the parts I needed the clutch & slave cylinder thanx for nothin

[@paulmc9314]

@@RobertSmith-nh9nn in fairness if you can get the box off. doing clutch and CSC is straight forward, great video

[@Pamaco]

Could you inform which glove type do you wear during the videos? It appears to be resistant to an entire video length!

[@WMCS]

Paolo Marco Fulvio it’s dish washer rubber 🧤 gloves. Lol. One pair lasts about a week.

[@Pamaco]

@@WMCS you are a true master!!! Thanks a lot!!!

[@yaryar3468]

Hi I was wondering I'm thinking of getting the 2002 automatic version... how are they? Any issues? Do they use e10 petrol?

[@gercowoudenberg8539]

What did you do between the scenes at 8.48, the gear linkage went a little bit up. I cannot figure out how to get it off? Thanks in advance

[@shimarlie1]

Are you still under the car?

[@yousef-nouri]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@vitalii69]

great job, thank you

[@johnhinds6308]

Great video how much do u charge for this as based in Nuneaton CV11

[@sekopiski]

I was wondering if i can replace the clutch without removing the subframe, so thanks for answering that question. But my rear main seal is also leaking (and it seemed to be leaking on this car as well) so the flywheel must come off too. Do you think that there's enough room to do that?

[@WMCS]

sekopiski you can definitely access the bolts to the flywheel. But you may need a long handle 1/2 drive ratchet to crack loose the bolts as they can be a bit tight. And to lock the flywheel a good and easy method is to get a small chain tighten it down with a separate bolt onto where the clutch plate bolts in. (Don’t use clutch bolts.) then lock the other end of the chain using bell housing bolts directly into the engine block where the gearbox bolts goes. That should stop it spinning. Hope that helps.

[@steijnruijgrok5144]

Hello Kevin, I have a question. First of all, how long did it take for you to get this job done? Second of all does it matter if the car is left of right hand drive?

[@WMCS]

I’ve never done a left hand drive. So not sure on that one. But this took me about 3hrs.

[@steijnruijgrok5144]

Thanks for reacting, I’m just now done after 8 hours, due to the fact that it’s an astra hatchback, and because de subframe was blocking everything, but greatly appreciate the video, it guided me a lot!

[@Magnettik]

@@steijnruijgrok5144 Gotta do this too. Stupid F17 gave up the Ghost SMH

[@MrVyetnam]

Thank you !!!

[@gedman9527]

You have to drain gearbox oil mate

[@seemavinu1318]

really appreciate man ...good job..with hoist i feel trouble...

[@WMCS]

Thanks. Hope all goes well for you.

[@craigpetersdeg5cwp877]

Absolutely brilliant mate, and I'm currently having a bit of a binge watch night of your video's, which are all very informative and (dare I say it, well go on... educational), I would firstly like to congratulate you as I personally feel you would make a good teacher ( I was allway's taught thing's which were outside of the book eg swinging a fiesta gearbox on the driveshaft so it made it easier to lift back into place etc, but (and this is only a minor but), wouldn't it be nice if when you've drained the box fluid out, you showed where you topped it up again afterwards, I dont necesarily mean this video but in general (as I've been binge watching and cant remember which video it was when the thought occurred) but just as a matter of completeness please show the box refill also I've got my clutch to do soon and I've never done a Z16xe box before, so please gimme a shout if your gonna be doing one soon. mostly done corsa's and i10's / i 30's (oh and one on a transit that nearly broke my back)

[@WMCS]

Craig Peters that was one of the best feedback someone has sent me. I will definitely take on board your suggestions. I have not filmed for a month or so as my go pro had failed. Managed to get another one. I have a few Nissan coming up so stay tuned in the next few weeks. Thanks.

[@1991marksy]

Hi were about in the UK are you ?

[@LonesomeLetsPlays]

Bloody e bolts......best get me Sen some e bolts for when I get my astra

[@andrewmolloy5095]

Using an impact gun on a swivel socket to undo the E bolts wtf? You'll end up either stripping the threads or fucking the heads of the bolts.