Hey guys so i bought a 1998 svt cobra, 4.6L DOHC and it needs a clutch plate. Now Is this something i can do, how hard is it to replace? And also how much would a clutch plate run me?
Is this your first project ever or just the first on this car? The trans on these cars are a one piece unit (bell housing bolts to the trans and they remove as one unit), they are a heavy sob. Usually I just end up sliding it up on my chest by my self when under the car, as there is not enough room to get two guys under there for help. But as stated above, jack stands, good hand tools (metric) and a LOT of pb plaster if the exhaust has not been off in a long while. The worst part will be the starter if all three bolts are still in it. I find 4 or 5 extensions and a little bit of luck go a LONG way for getting if off of the car.
It's not much fun, especially if you are laying on the ground to do it. A lift would make the job much more tolerable.
The starter is a pain, and best done with a number of extension going through the K-member. The exhaust is a lot easier with an impact wrench. The top bolts on the bellhousing are best accessed with about 3 feet of extensions and a u-joint haha. I find a transmission jack to be a lot easier than trying to set the transmission on your chest. Last trick: I usually end up jacking the front of the engine up slightly so the back points slightly to the ground. Otherwise, the shifter and bellhousing don't easily clear the bottom of the car.
The T-45 weighs about 110 pounds. Be prepared to deal with this weight if you plan to wrestle the thing out from behind the engine and down and out of the car and, perhaps more importantly, back under the car and then back up onto the back of the engine while meshing the input shaft to the clutch disc...
Other than the awkwardness involved in moving this lump around and dealing with the exhaust, a clutch as a reasonably straightforward job. Good tips and points can be found above.