Standard tools (mostly metric), time, patience, and a GM service manual.
I just replaced the clutch and flywheel (and slave cylinder, master cylinder, and hydraulic line) on my '91 in my garage using standard tools, many jack stands, and a couple of jacks (including the rental of a transmission jack for the removal).
It was the first time any of those components, other than the exhaust system, had been out of the car. Among the more troublesome elements were:
- Holding the four nuts on the top of the torque tube while loosening the bolts from below
- Removing the torque tube once the bolts were out. I think I had to take it and the driveshaft out at the same time to make it work. There's probably an easier way to do it. Don't forget to support the bottom of the engine before removing the torque tube
- Actually getting the transmission out was a little rough. I read to put it in 3rd gear to allow max clearance while lowering and I found it helpful to loosen the two bolts on the arm that hold the back of the shifter mechanism to the transmission. Don't forget to remove all three electrical connectors from the transmission before removing it. Also, I had to wrestle the transmission off the transmission jack and onto the floor before I could get it out from under the car because my 21" jack stands weren't high enough to get it out while on the transmission jack. When I re-installed the transmission, I elected to lay it on its side on a standard 3-ton jack, rolled the jack under the car, and slowly wiggled the transmission into the upright position before sliding it into the clutch housing.
- Loosening the bolts around the clutch housing. I was able to get to them without too much difficulty by lowering the jack under the engine a couple inches (tipping the rear of the engine down). Also, I found univeral-joint ratchet extensions to be critical to get to the bolts.
- Before I could remove the clutch housing, I had to remove the two fasteners that hold the clutch fork in place (both allen head bolts). The outer fastener is a "retaining" fastener (normal size kinda thing). The inner one is large (12mm I think) and has reverse threads (turn right to loosen).
- CRITICAL: If you remove the pressure plate assembly and the flywheel, be absolutely sure to number every hole on the pressure plate assembly and every corresponding ear on the flywheel before you remove the pressure plate (there are 6 holes and ears). You should see a paint dot on one of the holes in the pressure plate. That dot must go back on the same ear of the flywheel, even if you get a new pressure plate and flywheel. If you get this far, let me know and I'll give you more detail.
That's all I can think of at the moment. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. I probably put 15 hours into the removal and 15 into the installation over 5 weeks. I just lowered it to the ground last Thursday and took it for a test drive on Saturday. Fortunately everything seems to be right. I don't know what I would of done if I ran into a bad vibration or something. If I had to do it over again, I'd seriously consider taking it to a GM dealer with a dedicated Corvette mechanic and let them do it.
