Failed transmission removal. What did I miss?

[Kurtatron]

I’m trying to get to the clutch on my Scion xD. The thing is so stiff, it ruined my leg. I was hoping to replace it and see if the pedal got lighter.

I tried for hours to get the transmission to separate from the engine. It would not budge.

I didn’t see any spot on the top of the engine to pry. I only found access on the bottom. I wiggled it, pried, kicked it. I could not get it to separate. What did I do wrong?

I am about at wits end and ready to sell this car. But all that work for nothing is a major disappointment.

 

[clinebarger]

Asian marques are not usually difficult, Are you 100% sure all the bellhousing bolts have been removed?

 

[Kurtatron]

Asian marques are not usually difficult, Are you 100% sure all the bellhousing bolts have been removed?

Pretty certain. I went all around with my phone camera to check any hard to see areas.

 

[CarLuver]

see if you can find a schematic online. i bet you missed a bolt

 

[FowVay]

This shows 7. How many do you have in your bucket?

 

[Bailes1992]

Are you trying to pull 'straight' out? If you're pulling at an angle often the friction between the input shaft and clutch plate will simply make removal impossible. Often in the past I've had to lower the transmission side of the engine a few inches to allow me to pull out straight.

 

[Starving Electrician]

On some FWD cars it can be easier to pull the engine and transmission as a unit and work on it with the engine sitting on a pallet not sure if thats your case. Aside from that are you sure all the bolts are out are you pulling straight out you have a tranny jack but are you sure it isnt pushing up and putting pressure on the input shaft.

 

[Kurtatron]

This shows 7. How many do you have in your bucket?

View attachment 285392

Yep. All seven. Including starter.

I’m going to try this trick. May as well put my stiff clutch to good use.

I’ll have hard mount points disconnected from the slave cylinder. I’ll try this when I get home tonight.

 

[FowVay]

Give it a try. If the pressure plate is stiff enough it should push it off. Spray the mating surfaces down in hopes of wetting the dowel pins prior to the clutch trick. Let us know if it works.

 

[Jetronic]

Yep. All seven. Including starter.

I’m going to try this trick. May as well put my stiff clutch to good use.

I’ll have hard mount points disconnected from the slave cylinder. I’ll try this when I get home tonight.

put compressed air in the clutch slave if that's easier.

 

[D60]

I'm guessing it's a dowel issue since you know you got all the bolts. They're notorious on 1st Gen Tacos -- although I realize this is VERY different.

Curious -- keep us updated!!

 

[Kurtatron]

After another 3 hours I got it off!

The slave cylinder trick helped! It broke loose some corrosion just enough to help the prying move the transmission.

It took an hour of prying and wiggling, but it’s out!

Now for the juicy details.

Look at that date code! Why on Earth is the pressure plate a 2004 date code? My Scion is a 2010. Did Toyota use a 6 year old Corolla pressure plate on the Scion? The new Aisin pressure plate I got says 2010. Any reason why this could be the case???

Does anything look out of ordinary? What could have been causing the stiff clutch????

 

[Vercingetorix]

I think the first 2 digits are the year.

 

[D60]

After another 3 hours I got it off!

The slave cylinder trick helped! It broke loose some corrosion just enough to help the prying move the transmission.

It took an hour of prying and wiggling, but it’s out!

Now for the juicy details.

Look at that date code! Why on Earth is the pressure plate a 2004 date code? My Scion is a 2010. Did Toyota use a 6 year old Corolla pressure plate on the Scion? The new Aisin pressure plate I got says 2010. Any reason why this could be the case???

Does anything look out of ordinary? What could have been causing the stiff clutch????

View attachment 285517

View attachment 285518

View attachment 285519

Glad you got it! No help on the stiff clutch.

 

[Devo242]

Does anything look out of ordinary? What could have been causing the stiff clutch????

Worn throwout bearing which is not in your photos, it is on the gearbox side. Toyota refers to it as the Clutch Release Bearing Assembly:

https://autoparts.toyota.com/products/product/bearing-assy-clutch-3123033020

 

[SC Maintenance]

Look at that date code! Why on Earth is the pressure plate a 2004 date code? My Scion is a 2010.

09 12 04 is 2009 . Most industrial date codes put the most significant digit (year) first.

 

[Fabulous50s]

Stiff hydraulic clutch could be the master or slave cylinder. Throwout (release) bearing sticking on the input shafts collar. All of these should be very easy to check now that you have the transaxle out.

Did it get progressively worse as time and miles went on?

 

[tiger862]

Normal date codes disiffer is year- date of month-then month. 2009 April 12th.

 

[Kurtatron]

Stiff hydraulic clutch could be the master or slave cylinder. Throwout (release) bearing sticking on the input shafts collar. All of these should be very easy to check now that you have the transaxle out.

Did it get progressively worse as time and miles went on?

I’m convinced it is not either of the cylinders. They don’t leak, don’t have any delayed extension from a pedal stroke, and have consistently been the same stiffness since I bought the car last year.

Pressure plate springs are the most likely reason for a consistent high reactionary force.

But I was hoping to see something obvious, leak heat markings.

 

[Kurtatron]

Worn throwout bearing which is not in your photos, it is on the gearbox side. Toyota refers to it as the Clutch Release Bearing Assembly:

https://autoparts.toyota.com/products/product/bearing-assy-clutch-3123033020

Throw out bearing does not look great. It’s rusty. But no noise when turning it. It’s a little crusty when turning, but not bad for 180k miles.