How to replace a clutch in a 240D - Pictorial
 

I replaced the clutch in my 240 and took some pictures along the way. The following is not designed to be a step by step guide, but rather to highlight some of the main points and hopefully give someone confidence to do the job themselves who is debating whether or not to perform this task. It is fairly straightforward but does require some mechanical skills as you will have to do some "figuring" to get everything right. The whole job took me about 6.5 -7 hours though I didn't do it all in one sitting. I've never changed a clutch before so maybe others can do it much faster. Just be patient and give yourself plenty of time and you should have no problems.

1. The first thing is to disconnect everything from the tranny - slave cylinder, speedo cable, shift linkage, etc.

2. Mark the position of the drive shaft to the flex disc. I used leftover paint I had from painting my gauges :D See Pic 1.

3. Remove the cross bar supporting the bottom of the tranny. Here you see the tranny mount exposed. See Pic 2.

4. This is the cross bar removed. See Pic 3.

5. Remove the bolts holding the driveshaft to the flex disc. See Pic 4.

6. Pry the drive shaft back from the flex disc using a screw driver. It simply retracts back. See Pic 5.

7. Remove the other support bracket which is also attached to your exhaust pipe. See Pic 6.

8. Unbolt your transmission bolts. Don't forget the starter bolts too. Remove the tranny. See Pic 7.

9. This is what it looks like with the tranny removed. You are looking at the old clutch. See Pic 8.

I had not done other clutch jobs before doing my MB either but others have said its relatively easy as far as clutches go. I leave the cross member tranny support on the tranny and just let the two 17mm bolts go. Also its a good idea to mark both halves of the drive shaft just in case it comes adrift:eek: Your time was better than the first one I did.

10. Note the release bearing on the input shaft with the fork behind it. See Pic 9.

11. I went ahead and removed the flywheel. Note that I have already removed the pressure plate and clutch disc. Removing the flywheel is probably not necessary for removing the pilot bearing but I did anyhow. If you remove the flywheel, mark its position just like you did the driveshaft. Clean the flywheel with some sandpaper and then brake or carb cleaner. Don't clean off the mark you made with the cleaner :D . Note the pilot bearing sits inside part of the crank. See Pic 10.

12. You will need to put a 27mm socket on your crank pulley with a long extension that hits the floor to keep the engine from turning while you are loosening bolts on the flywheel or pressure plate. See Pic 11.

13. You will need to rent a pilot bearing removal tool. I got mine at Autozone. You will also need to rent a slide hammer which attaches to the end of the tool. Note that the pilot bearing has a cover on it which will be removed first. See Pic 12.

14. This is the pilot bearing cap removed and still on the end of the tool. See Pic 13.

15. This is the pilot bearing still in place. My tool was too small to squeeze through the hole in the pilot bearing. I ended up using two coat hangers that I normally use for removing the instrument cluster to fit behind it and yank it out. Its in there TIGHT. See Pic 14.


Installation is reverse of removal. Make sure you have the proper clutch alignment tool for centering the clutch disc. The Haynes manual gives you the torque values and some other good info. I also went ahead and replaced the slave cylinder. I didn't even have to bleed it. Brake fluid just started pouring in and that was that. Don't ask me why or how because I don't understand it but its working just fine.

If any more experienced board members have helpful comments, please feel free to add them. I would like this post to be the one people can use if they decide to replace their clutch.

Good luck,

Scott

Great post, isn't this my posting technique?? :rolleyes:

I feel a new "DIY Article" coming on.

Dave

Is the pilot bearing solid or a roller bearing. If its solid you can use grease to remove it. Pack the center hole of the bearing with grease, Find a solid shaft or pin that fits snugly into the pilot and smack it with a hammer. The grease will hydraulically push the bearing out. I've done this hundreds of times.

The flywheel should be resurfaced by a machine shop whenever you install a new clutch. Any surface irregularities will significantly hurt the new clutches life. It only costs $30 and takes less than an hour to get a flywheel resurfaced. A new pressure plate should also always be used with a new clutch disk.

I have done two clutches. FWD Accord and RWD 200SX. RWD is much easier IMO. And these MBs have tons more clearance for wrenches than my 200SX. The Accord was a complete failure all my fault. I somehow managed to drop a nut in the opening where the starter goes. On the initial test drive it came out, popped a .25 sized hole in the tranny case and dumped all the gear oil... Thats ok because the 5th gear synchro was going out anyways :).

great thread
 

Based on my review of a voluminous number of maintainence receipts, I believe I am on my original clutch. I'm sitting at 267,000 miles now. After reviewing the haynes manual and your post I'll likely do this job myself. Thanks for sharing.

Kevin
1979 240D manual
1984 190D manual

Glad to hear. That was my main reason for doing this pictorial. I read a lot about it on this forum before deciding to attempt it myself but I think a picture speaks a thousand words.

Scott

Nice job. I guess my first post got in there before your third one, sorry didn't mean to interrupt you. Yah, I always paid someone else to put clutches in cars but, no more, I have now fabricated a cradle for a floor jack which is my MB tranny jack.

No problem. The tranny is light enough that you can pull it out without a tranny jack if you wanted to. I would estimate its weight at around 50 - 60 pounds.

Scott

I borrowed one for the first couple I did. I think I wouldn't want to do the job without one, I get sore just thinking about it:D

i recently did this also but i broke a flywheel bolt off into the crank (DUMBASS MOVE!) well i had no other way to get a bolt of the same length because the bolts that came off of the 240d was an automatic so the bolts were longer so i deceded i could cut a bolt and put a washer on it and we tourqed it and it works fine.i swear to god though i thought i was gona kill myself when i saw that bolt break off. turned out i did a smart thing i lubed up the holes with synthetic to make them easier to come out. and the stub that was sticking out came out like butter.