I've heard some people say it's easier to do a clutch swap by just pulling the whole engine as opposed to just the tranny (as I did before).

My shitty egay clutch fucked me over and is slipping (as are many others, there's a thread about it in Suspension brakes and drivetrain). Just wondering how I should go about this since doing it under the car was hell.

 

Its a lot easier the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time you do it lol. Pulling the engine seems like a lot more work.

 

If you can lift the car high enough to set the transmission onto a creeper to roll it out from under the car, I'd do it without removing the engine. A 3 foot long 1/2" extention with a u-joint and impact wrench on opposite ends will make life worth living.

 

Your going to have to get underneath to unbolt the bellhousing anyway, might as well just pull it from down there.

Follow Bryce's advice and get it up as high as you can and use a long extension and swivel. Piece o cake.

 

I haven't done it underneath, but removing the engine/trans isn't too bad, as long as you are able to get the exhaust, ppf and driveshaft bolts off easily. It's a lot easier to work on the clutch and align the trans input shaft with everything out

Whenever I look up from underneath, I can't imagine how people are able to do clutch jobs with little to no space to get at the bellhousing bolts. I guess I'm not that baller

 

Why remove more than necessary? That's just silly.

 

What if you're doing a timing belt, rear main seal, coolant reroute, AND the clutch? In this case, would it be better to pull the motor?

 

Still not enough. You can very easily rock the engine forwards with the transmission removed to gain access to install the rear thermostat housing. Timing belt is easy even with the motor in the car.

 

I'm doing the rear main seal, coolant reroute and clutch. My dad suggested that I don't pull the motor, he's got some tricks to show me.

I love the extension and swivel combo. Swivel sockets saved my life.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention in addition I'll be doing the turbo at the same time and motor mount bushings. Is this still not worth pulling the motor?

 

I don't know why you're trying to justify it man, just do it if you want to, **** what other people say. Personally I think if you're going to do all that you might as well go all the way and just pull it, it'd probably be the same amount of time but less frustration and knuckle scraping.

 

I laugh when Miata guys bitch about pulling a transmission. Try doing work on some other cars and you will realize just how easy the Miata is; nothing hard about it.

 

I blew 3 gearboxes and everything got very easy to remove. I'd just get the car jacked as high as possible and it's easy from underneath the car. You can rock the engine back and forth for easier access to the bolts at the top of the housing.

 

And they all laugh at me for pulling the engine and leaving the transmission

 

Pulling the trans is a joke on the miata, I actually enjoy it.

Used to drive a 3rd gen lude, now THAT was a PITA trans to pull, even after the 5th one.