Transmission & Differential - 89 civic Lx trans removal tips and tricks?

All right guys. The other night I was taking the gf to wendy's to get some food when this whole mess started. The car has 152k on it and when I bought it you could tell the clutch wasn't all there. It didn't slip, but maybe once or twice, but you could tell it didn't have the holding power it was supposed to have. So anyways I was driving down the highway and went to throw her into 3 gear (going 45) to pass someone. With the clutch depressed, I accidently moved the shifter over to first gear. No big deal the the clutch is in and it just made the grinding noise like if you try to put it in reverse. So in the usual manner I moved it to second and it did the same thing. (clutch still depressed) So I put it into third and all of a sudden the clutch pedal felt like I broke the cable. So I had to powershift it to safely get off the highway and into a parking lot.

I get to the lot and inspect the cable. it's fine. It was getting late and I needed to get the gf home. From driving other manual cars, I've on desperate ocassions put the car in gear before starting and then just starting it and revving it to go. Got her going down the street no problem , then all of a sudden the feel in the clutch came back before like I mentioned it was limp) and I was able to get to third then I had nothing. you could select a gear but the car acted like it was in neutral.

So now the car sits at the neighbors house waiting for me to remove the trans. I don't know if I broke the trans or just the clutch. My friend said more than likely from my spirited driving (I' used to using driving my t-56 equipped car :) ) and my quick 1-2 shifts the 152k mile clutch prolly failed. So Either way I have to remove the trans.

Now I am in no way car stupid, I'm just somewhat new to FWD cars. From looking it seems the trans will come out fairly easy compared to an escort or cavilier, I'm just looking for tips to make the removal go well. I have a haynes manual btw. Can anyone offer any advice, or is following the haynes manual the best way.

If in fact it's the clutch (I'm hoping) are the Exedy Clutch kits better than the ones you can buy at the local autostore? I say a stage one clutchmaster clutch, but I don't think I need the extra 30 % pressure on a stock car.

Thanks guys

Matt

heres a site i found recently it helped me out, showed me stuff the haynes manual did not. its an 89 so i believe its the same as what is pictured. also i just got done last night swapping my tranny and this is how i did it.

1. take spindle nuts off while car is on the ground

2. take rims off with car jacked up high enough to work comfortable under. be careful when you get it so high.. thats alot of weight

3. take the upper spindle arm attached near the spring and take the cutter key out and unscrew the nut this will drop the lower a arm down so watch out

remove brakes

remove header to cat elbow if needed to gte out of the way of trans

4. move the spindle out of the way and go underneath to pry out the transaxle

5. carefully remove the transaxle if this cant be done like i couldnt just put a baggy over the end and try to get it above the trans so when you drop it, the axle is not in the way. after that i put a jack under the trans and started to loosen all the bolts (dont for get the one under the starter!!! it is diagonal to the upper bolt of the starter and im not talking about the small tiny ones that just hold the starter motor in.) there should be 3 bolts in the rear 6 to the bell housing (i think?) then three more to the front support near the radiator. . this is what hold
ok.

6. so with the tranny jacked up enough to keep weight off the bolts get a engine houst (cherry picker) and remove the top distributor bolt put a chain arounf the bolt and thread it back in pick up the engine to get tension on the motor and trans. then there are three bolts or nuts near the wheel well at the hind end of the tranny, this is where the weight of the trans is if its not on the engine.
once that is done everything is loose dont forget wires and the shifter linkages!
now everything is clear lower the tranny by lowering the jack and engine houst at different times untill you get the trannys hind end studs out of the holes(you'll understand when you look at is) then gentle pry or pull the tranny out on to the jack lower the jack with tranny on it and pull it out. jack the engine back up for now to get tension off different parts


this is no way is the complete or correct way to do this, this is just how i did it. it can be a pain but saved me $600 i dont have. anyways im sure i have forgot something or said somthing wrong hopfully some other guys will line it out if i have. if you follow that civic site i showed you, you should be fine.

http://88-crx.com/repair/ServiceManual/CivicManual/