[align=left]Hi all, I had the opportunity to experience replacing my clutch on my 1999 Elantra this week, and I discovered a few tricks that might be helpful to y'all in the future should you need to do this pain-in-the-butt job.

First of all, don't assume your clutch is really bad. My clutch was slipping big time in all gears (read my other thread). I pulled the trans and discovered that my clutch was actually good, and that the hydrolic system was the problem. I would recommend if your clutch is slipping that first try to bleed the system until the fluid comes out clean. Look at the slave and try to determine if it is actually moving the control arm properly. You could save yourself a lot of time.

If you have reason to believe that your clutch is actually worn out and you have to pull the trans and replace it, then here's a few more tips....

VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure you remove the controller arm from the top of the trans! (the arm which the slave cylinder pushes to actuate the clutch) It's an undocumented proceedure that if you don't do, it makes it almost impossible to separate the trans from the engine. I read some posts on this website and others about people trying to separate the trans from the engine with crowbars and the like, only to destroy the throwout bearing and the pressure plate spring. The controller arm forks will not disengage the throwout bearing (which in turn is connected to the pressure plate springs.) Simply removing the arm on top of the trans allows the forks to disengage and the trans will easily slide out.

Engine support while removing the trans...

The documented method of supporting the engine is to get an engine hoist, and hold up the engine from the existing "eyes" on top of the engine. I'm sure that would work, provided you have the hoist. But I found that you have to tilt the engine down a little to allow enough clearance for the trans to slip out the left side of the car. Since I don't have a hoist, I was forced to support the engine underneath with blocks of wood. I found this works just fine. I left the motor mount on the right side of the car, and supported the engine with the wood blocks. I removed a block to tilt the engine down, and the trans falls out easily.

Reengage the throw out bearing with the controller forks.

You have to make sure the controller forks reengage the throwout bearing properly when you reassemble the trans to the engine. You can peer into the bellhousing in the holes underneath. Once you remove the trans, you can see how the forks engage the throwout bearing, and plan your actions to reassemble properly.


Remove the motor mount brackets!

I found that removing the motor mount brackets (on the trans...front, rear, left) was a really big help when I tried to put the trans back in. It's hard to refit the trans if you have to fight the brackets. It was much easier when I removed them. Once the trans was in place and bolted to the engine, it was easy to put the brackets back on the trans.

That's it, hope it helps.

 

I realize you received little feedback from the forum members, but you indicated you had read most of the threads about clutch problems and seemed to have a handle on it. Nice job of sharing your experience.

 

Thanks for the complement. It seems to me a lot of people are having problems with their clutch, take it to the dealer or shop, and get raked over the coals. If you don't abuse your clutch or ride around with your foot on the clutch pedal all the time, then the clutch should last many, many years. I was reading about Santa Fe owners complaining about clutches going bad in under 50,000 miles, and it seems to me their problem is related to mine.

 

Maybe, but some manual Hyundai vehicles (including late model Santa Fe's) were built with a "dual mass" flywheel and clutch assembly. Early versions of that system had some reliability issues unrelated to the hydraulic clutch mechanism like your clutch problem turned out to be.