***Note to mods: Can you please leave this up here while I build this DIY and then move it to the DIY section for me when it's done? Gracias.

DIY FLYWHEEL AND/OR CLUTCH REPLACEMENT

DISCLAIMER:
I, nor any other member, am not responsible for any damage done to your car by means of this Do-It-Yourself post. This instructional is intended for those of us who have enough mechanical skill and knowledge to fully perform this task. If you fell uncomfortable performing this on your own, please take your car to a reputable shop or Honda dealer to perform this procedure. Proceed at your own risk.

APPLICATIONS:
All 6th generation (1998 - 2002) Honda Accords with 5-speed manual transmissions and 4-cylinder engines (F23Ax).

This specific DIY is being referenced to a 1999 Honda Accord LX with an F23A1

Like most Hondas, this task is most likely substantially similar to all B/D/F/H/K-series engines and transmissions.

TOOLS NEEDED:

- 12mm 12-point socket (preferably 1/2" drive, 3/8" drive minimum)
- 10mm
- Jack and jack stands (not the scissor jack in the trunk! Something along the lines of a 2-ton hydraulic jack. I'm using a 3-1/2 ton hydraulic jack with 3-1/2 ton jack stands.)

PARTS NEEDED:

- (1) Flywheel (Fidanza P/N: 191221)
- (1) Clutch Kit (Fidanza P/N: 391132)
Kit should include:
- Pressure plate
- Clutch disc
- Throwout bearing
- Alignment tool
- (3) Honda Genuine Manual Transmission Fluid (1 qt./3 qts. total)

SOME BACKGROUND:

I chose the Fidanza 3.2 Kevlar® clutch and Fidanza 8lb. Aluminum Lightweight flywheel with replaceable steel friction discs and steel ring (starter) gear for my application. It's a 4-puck disc with 100% Kevlar buttons. There are many other manufacturers out there (Exedy, Clutchmasters, ACT to name a few) that make Kevlar clutches, but there are mostly carbon/Kevlar or copper/Kevlar clutches. Fidanza doesn't apply "stages" to their clutches but this is two steps up from their OEM replacement so I'm thinking it's a Stage 2. The Kevlar looks and feels like the rough side of a piece of leather. When I was picking out a clutch I was looking for some thing that could take some abuse, yet retain a lot of durability and drivability, although I can't speak for the latter, yet.

All said and done I paid $350 shipped for the clutch and $190 shipped for the flywheel, and $19 for the MTF, totaling $559. Add another $500 - $700 for shop labor (which you save doing the DIY :-D) and you've invested a grand into the transmission alone.

The point of a lightweight flywheel is to reduce the amount of power required by the engine to turn the flywheel. While you're not going to see any top speed gains from a lightweight flywheel, acceleration and deceleration is expected to be quicker along with gear changes. This makes better use of the engine by taking energy wasted on turning a steel disc into usable power at the wheels. This is not to say that a heavier flywheel is bad; Fidanza also manufactures heavy duty steel flywheels that weigh up to 39 lbs. (!) for Jeeps. This comes in handy when it's difficult to engage the clutch smoothly during rock crawling and off-roading, etc.

The point of better friction material in a clutch it to provide more grip against the flywheel and pressure plate. More horsepower equals more grip. Fidanza's top end disc is made from sintered iron to hold a lot of power. Most consumers rarely need that kind of grip for normal driving, as 150 horsepower is not going to need a ton of friction to hold the clutch disc firmly against the flywheel and pressure plate. If you can slip your clutch in 5th gear (like I can) you might want to read this more closely and start clutch shopping.

The clutch has a break-in period. In a Fidanza video of the 3.2 on StreetFire they say 100 miles, on their website they say 500 miles. Now, in the clutch packaging is a slip of paper that says 700 miles, city driving. Keep in mind Kevlar needs a longer break-in than, say, your typical organic clutch. I drive 20 miles of city driving a day to work and usually about 100 random "city" miles a week. So, 6 weeks of driving to break in the clutch? I'm just gonna get to 1,000 miles of any driving and go from there.

BEFORE STARTING

I was advised by Honda to specifically use a 12-point socket on the flywheel bolts as they have 12-point heads and are easily stripped. Honda doesn't really stock the bolts so you better be careful or prepared to wait a week on new bolts to arrive. They run approximately $3 - $4 a piece.

I was also advised by Fidanza that because aluminum expands at twice the rate of steel, they machine the flywheel smaller than OEM and it might be necessary to heat the flywheel with a torch to expand it prior to installation.

Also noted, this specific flywheel is listed as an H22-only application for the reason above, although many people are running them on F22/F23 engines without modification.

Chatter is to be expected after installing a lightweight flywheel, it's not a Honda-only thing. Because of the weight and thickness reduction over the OE steel flywheel, there is less mass to absorb vibrations while idling in neutral. Apparently it sounds like a diesel engine, but I will verify that when it's installed. Fidanza flywheels are CNC machined and they are already very close to being 100% balanced, so balancing prior to installation is deemed unnecessary. I'm not going to balance the pressure plate or friction disc either, so hope for the best!

Inspect your (new) flywheel for any deformities or cracks, same for the pressure plate and friction disc. I've heard horror stories of cracked flywheels shredding through the transmission case, passing through the firewall and into the cabin. You will most likely end up with something similar to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre inside your Accord. Not god for the upholstery! :-(

SOME SPECS:

Fidanza Flywheel: 8lbs.
3.2 Pressure Plate: 9lbs.
3.2 Friction Disc: 1lb.

That's a total of 18lbs. for the whole assembly. Quite a bit of inertia after spinning 18lbs. up to 6200 RPM, you better do this carefully!

OE Flywheel:
OE Pressure Plate:
OE Friction Disc (Worn):

Total: xxlbs.

That's a xx% in weight reduction over stock.

TRANSMISSION REMOVAL:

Step 1:

Disconnect the negative (-) and positive (+) battery cables, respectively. Remove the battery.

Step 2:

Remove the air intake duct and air filter housing.

Step 3:

Remove the battery tray.

Step 4:

Remove the engine wiring harness clamp.

Step 5:

Remove the clutch slave cylinder and clutch line clamp.
**BE CAREFUL NOT TO BEND THE CLUTCH LINE.
**DO NOT OPERATE THE CLUTCH ONCE THE CYLINDER IS REMOVED.

Step 6:

Disconnect the starter cables and remove the starter motor.

Step 7:

Disconnect the back-up light switch connectors.

Step 8:

Remove the transmission ground cable and starter cable clamp.

Step 9:

Remove the transmission cable bracket, then disconnect the transmission cables from the top of the transmission case. Remove them as one unit.
**BE CAREFUL NOT TO BEND THE TRANSMISSION CABLES.

Step 10:

Disconnect the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) connector.

Step 11:

Remove the rear engine mount bracket brace.

Step 12:

Remove the engine wire harness and to upper transmission/mounting bolts.

Step 13:

Remove the front engine mount bracket.

Step 14:

Raise the vehicle and support it with jack stands. There is a jack location under the front chassis crossbeam and two (front and rear) on each side of the chassis.

Step 15:

Drain the transmission fluid.

[u]Step 16:[/u

 

There Jon! Happy? Pics and more detail will be added after I install everything this Saturday (Caturday?)

 

regrettable no image for this .[>:]

 

Oh be patient! This is just the prelim write-up. It's not even in the car yet! Wait til early next week for your pics.

 

Will do. Good job! [sm=signs003.gif]

Yes. I am happy now! PM me when you are done and I'll move it to the DIY section if I can (considering the DIY section is my kryptonite). If I can't move it, I'll find a mod who can.

 

great job man! Inever checked the DIY section before... let metake a look now...

 

Great writeup so far. I am waiting for the pics.

Wouldn't it be easier to take the engine out by removing all the mounts and using a engine lift and then change the clutch. Thats the way I was planning to approach it when I though my pressure plate had given out. But thank God it was the leaky master cylinder. I still can't confirm that though. I am waiting for the shipment till tomorrow. In the mean time I am in process of replacing the timing belt. If it doesn't rain here in NJ and I am hoping to wrap up the timing belt today.

Good Luck - make sure to capture all the milestones.

 

This is the way AllData says to do it, so were going to try this way first and I'll be sure to write down any snags or what would work instead. And engine lift would probably be a lot easier, but we don't have one.

 

Leaving the engine in & removing the tranny allows you to avoid evacuating & re-charging your AC system.

 

Good point, and although my Grandpa is trained to do such a thing, I don't want to spend any more time and money doing something unnecessary.