What kinda job is it replacing the clutch on an IS200 (99 V)? Any particular tools required?

Mines on its last legs, and rather than paying Lexus to do it, ive got someone who's very good mechanically willing to have a go at it.

Also, does anyone know the cost of a clutch? And the cost if i were to get it done at lexus?

Thanks in advance for you help

a couple of hours should do it mate,not a big job.

This would be good to know, especially the special tools required, sa I will be doing mine shortly together with lightweight flywheel.

I had a new one put in at lexus - £650 all in. the oem clutch + kit cost £350 ish. think you can get the uprated one for same money

The Helix uprated one feels lighter on the pedal then my current one ...

Yeap approx same money too ...

I paid 390€ for the OEM complete kit

Hi,

I just had it replaced last week at some 80.000km because it was giving me more slip at high rev's then I bargain for. At the Lexus Gent, Belgium garage they (actually 1 guy, assisted by a 2nd mechanic when the gearbox needed to be lowered) did the job in a small 3 hours period including testing it and having a small overhaul. All of this for the, I think, ok-price of 571,14 euro.

571.00 EUR = 380.187 GBP

Greetz,

A friend and myself did changed the clutch on my lexus. took about 3 hours including tea breakes( and there was a lot of those). No special tools required really. just used standard tools in my garage.

seems lik lot of people with IS200 change them.are they are a weak point on these cars or something?

mine has 86000kms, slips at 4000rpms since it had 84000kms

time to get it changed yemgi, when mine started slipping at high revs, it soon started slipping lower and lower down the revs. only just managed to get it to lexus dealer in the end. this was in the space of about a couple of weeks

I tend to have this love and hate relationship with the clutch. Now I'm gentle with it, then I kick her.
Since I got the car the clutch would judder on moist, cold days. The dealer always reassured me that that was perfectly normal though never seemed acceptable to me, anyway.
I sure like to take-off fast but having high revs and releasing the clutch either gently or brisk doesn't seem to do the disc any good. Decelerating by gearing down seems to be putting a big strain on the clutch also. Maybe I should start using only fith and sixth gear just to minimize changing gears.
I came to the point where I could smell the disc inside the car when accelerating on a hot day in 3th or 4th from +/-4000rpm, where it would slip and rev-up the engine without actually deliver the power to the rear.
When I saw the clutch disc on replacement, the black stuff was all worn out and very hardened (not to say caramelised) and the screws were almost near the discs' surface.
I guess that the IS clutch is a weak point and that I must slightly alter my driving habit of playing alot with the clutch and having it work for me. And that's a drag.

Does this mean I can no longer have my wheels spinning coming off the line then?

My W plated 200SE suffers from intermittent judder when pulling away at around 1500-2000 rpm.

The car was purchased via local BMW dealer who are advising both clutch and flywheel are to be replaced and not under warranty. The car has 65K on clock. The cost quoted for work is £1300!!!

Lexus have also said if it judders replace the flywheel. Has anyone else had this problem of flywheel replacement?

quite a few people have had the flywheel relaced i think one memebr had the clutch/flywheel replaced 3 times before it was sorted out.

i think 1300 is far too much to say the least!

Having seen what makes up a IS200 flywheel I'm not surprised they cuase problems. They cost over £500 as well

Can do you a deal on a lightened flywheel & clutch and the fitting as well if you are interested

I've had 3 clutches and one flywheel - fortunately all under warranty.
When this wears out I'll go the Pro-Lex route cos I still get a little judder even now unless I am carefull in traffic ...

Thanks to all, l have been reading some of last years thoughts on clutch & flywheel issues.

The more l read, the more this seems to be a common problem.

I don't really want to go down the route of lightened parts unless they are going to last better and give a better drive (ie less judder).

The one common thought seems to be with regard to the torque ratio. This would seem to ring true as l can let the clutch out at idle and move forward on tickover in traffic then increase revs smoothly, or increase the revs and slip the clutch like mad, both without problems. Yet at mid range it is a problem.

As some other members seem to be thinking, is this down to driver style and clutch control.

In anycase l have two options, suck it and see, or spend loads of cash and possibly still suffer the problem.

KH

Are you saying the clutch facing surface is the problem? The lightened wheel still uses that doesn't it?

Not that ....its the the 3 million springs and things it uses to give a more cushioned initial pull away............if one of those goes then its bound to have an effect

Maybe you should also offer a normal weight flywheel for people that don't want the drawbacks of a lightened one but want something different to stock?

They cost over £500

Hoping that SteveAudioX will be able to post a review which will give people an idea of what exactly a car with a lighten flywheel is like to drive

the judder is caused by the fact that the std flywheel is a dual mass flywheel, as a result of the juddery Dual mass flywheel juddering, it glazes the clutch rendering it useless...........

as soon as Toyota realise that its the flywheel at fault and NOT the clutches, the sooner everyone concerned will be happy

I didn't mean offer a standard one, your source could make ones that are closer to the OEM mass and therefore keep the smoothness at idle and the ability to pull away with no revs and not stall.

From what I saw I'm not sure that would be possible as its massively over engineered...the cush plate is almost a work of art

Did I read you write drawbacks Colin ...

Are there any?

Check out Mat C's post..........only drawback is less engine braking.........and maybe more abrupt (hardly noticeable) initial take up

Dave

Less engine braking means more pads and possibly warped discs as you have to press the pedal much harder.

Best upgrade your brakes first b4 going lightweight flywheel and clutch.

Hardly make the engine break though...

negligable

Agreed,but depends how hard you drive?

i think i'll be happy with my purchase, only time will tell once it's fitted, waiting for another part at the mo.

looks like im next for a new clutch, a friend of mine jumped into my car and decided to show off and do a few doughnuts in a feild! well now its slipping in all but 1st, 2nd and 3rd! ahhhhh

mr prolex, you still got any of them clutches?

Chris,

I've got 4 in my shed

Very fetching in orange boxes

who do you get them to fit them mate?

easy to fit Don...............

me never tried to do anything that big b4 tho. and have no haynes manual. lol.

can you do a simple process list for me, pretty please?

yep will do.i will post as a workshop article......

this should be intresting, clutch changing by internet....lol

i have been asked by a few peeps now, so will put something into writting

should have it done by this evening

cheers mate, am gonna attempt this on sat if i can get my mate to pay up! ahhhh.

was supposed to be in the bodyshop this week, so annoying. would be silly having a car that looks good but wont go anywhere! lol

heres a little idea...........

all disclaimers apply........these are no way intended as an acurate instruction, if you have never done anything like this before, i dont suggest you learn now, unless you have some one who knows one end of a toolbox from the other

cheers for that mate, will hope to get it all sorted soon! cant wait to have all the power back to the wheels

if you need anything detailed. just PMme

That's very interesting Mat.
Will you loose gearbox oil when the prop is taken off, and if so, what's the easiest way to top it back up ?

No you won't lose any oil.

Once the gearbox has een removed, how easy is the clutch and flywheel change

Helix clutch fitted, I mught of taken the gearbox propsharft off incorrectly as I pulled out from the gearbox loosing oilbut topped up with the right stuff quite easily.

Must say the kit fitted perfectly although I also changed the flywheel at the same time.
Must add that the release bearing clip would not fit and I had to use the oem relaese bearing clip which fitted perfectly.

The clutch feels great but unfortunly I will have to get more used to it over this weekend, only drove for 2 miles just now back from the garage.

Clutch pedel feels lighter then the oem one for sure, bighting points nice, feels a little jerky at the moment as I am not used to it, realise I have to give a little more gas then usual when leaving the lights or it stutters, dunn if thats related to me not operating the pedal correctly and used to the old bighting point etc, or it's that lightweight flywheel wanting to just take off....

Let me get a little more used to it and I'll report back.

DUNCAN, It's definate a worthy purchase, I am sure already the lightweight fly makes a big difference, engine breaking is still like oem by the way Pete (Scorpion) so I ever noticed any dramatic change there.

It was'nt an easy process doing a clutch change for the first tim, I must say, but it went pretty well with no specialist tools but the clutch alignment tool, which I also learnt how to use today.

so were the instructions good............

extreemly helpfull as always Matt....

Ended up un bolting the starter motor as opposed to disconnecting from the electrical connections, loads of long reach rachets to unbot every single bolt of the gearbox to get it out, no need to go from top of the engine.

Took me ages to figure out how to release the 4 bolts which are vclose together holding in the gear stick

Steve,
How easy was it to remove the old flywheel, and what torque figures did you use to tighten the new one back on? also torque figures for the clutch cover ?
Thanks.

I asked the question earlier in this thread about losing oil from the gearbox. I guess as long as the box is removed with the prop still in the back of it, it shouldn't leak out.
I'm getting the flywheel and clutch next month when funds are looking better, but unfortunately i'll be doing the the work myself, without the aid ofa ramp

oohh dont fancy that! bit of a pain in the **** dont u think?

Get a ramp.. it's easier....
Left the tighening to my Mechanic, he did use one of them torque wrenches, think he knows roughtly how tight they should be, not to stress over tighten or be too loose i guess..