Hey all,

I bought my '00 AP1 and started lurking here a little over a year ago, soaking up the piles of helpful advice you have here. Awesome car and an equally awesome forum! So far you've helped me discover changing out the convertible top takes way more than the advertised 6 hours, I'm not the only one to have found weird things under the plastic (a fortunately unopened condom under the center console and some very snazzy blue undies in the top retraction mechanism), how to do a proper valve adjustment, and how to re-seat a rear shock spring that was off of its mount.

But now I'm stuck, so it's time to post.

I'm halfway through a clutch and flywheel install, about to drop the front subframe, and I'm confused by the 2 front bolts. One has a large spacer on it and the other one is hanging completely free from the subframe without any spacer. I can't find this spacer on the parts fiche, so I'm not sure if I need to get rid of it or buy one for the other side. The bolt without the spacer is not loose. The frame seems to be well out of alignment on the side where the bolt hangs free and perfect on the other. It's all a bit of a disappointment as I just had an alignment done and the car feels so much better than when I bought it.

Any thoughts?

Left front:


Right front:


Right middle (alignment):

 

The one without the spacer looks like it has a tack weld on it.

 

^this. Looks like it had one and when they pulled the bolt out they lost it so they tack welded it to simulate the space in between. Ghetto-rigged so hopefully somebody can chime in on where to get the right spacer.

 

Since the subframe is lowered in any operation that requires removal of the transmission there are long bolts (allowing a 3" drop) threaded up into the frame and it is not uncommon for the threads to get damaged. When this happens there are variety of crappy fixes and yours are an ugly set. There are no spacers in the factory installation.

I am sure there are many techniques to fix these but the only fix I have seen that was 100% was done in a shop where the engine was supported and the subframe repositioned to allow access to cleanup the threads for the long bolts.

Since there are six bolts that secure the subframe a couple of the long bolts might be adequate with less than perfect torque so the spacer is probably ok but the spot weld is not. You are going to remove both to do your clutch and then decide on reassembly what technique to us on the fix.

 

Alright, you've all shattered my dreams of an easy and inexpensive clutch swap, but thanks for the help. I think I'll press on with the job but anything requiring the subframe to be moved is beyond my skills and tools for the moment. I'll take your advice and get it to a shop once the transmission is back on for a repair I can live with. I'm thinking 5 of six bolts holding the subframe should be okay for a short drive. The joys of used car ownership...

Cheers