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Removing the tranny was typical FWD, you have to drop the axles, support the motor and drop it from the bottom. We had to tilt the motor a little in its mounts to get it out but it was not too big of a deal.
We were amazed at how compact the six speed transmission was. It seems like it’s all bellhousing!
Next we removed the stock clutch and flywheel.
The stock flywheel was pretty heavy as it included a damper in it, presumably to reduce NVH. It weighed a substantial 25 lbs. The spec clutch weighed only 11 lbs, a 14 lb saving in rotating weight! This will make a substantial difference in acceleration.
You can see how the stock clutch disc has a solid hub probably relying on the damper in the flywheel to take up some shock. You can also see how the Spec clutch’s diaphragm spring is a lot bigger in diameter when compared to the stock pressure plate. As we said before this gives the throwout bearing more leverage on the spring allowing a heavier clamping load while keeping the pedal effort reasonable.
We first removed the stock shifter from the transmission case. The shift sector was unusual in design being tubular.
