One man photo guide to removing a late Petrol van gearbox.

[itchyfeet]

As requested by CovKid
Photo guide to removing a late Petrol van gearbox, early petrol and diesel will be different.


Jack the van, best to get both front and back up, I prefer to jack and lower on ramps (opposite so it can't roll off) or wooden blocks, this is my preference but there are many ways to jack a van.
Do your research and do what you are happy with because safety is important.


Clutch slave cylinder rear bolt, get a 13mm spanner in from engine side.
P1020688 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Front bolt is easier from underneath, 13mm spanner.
P1020690 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Tie the slave cylinder up.
P1020693 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Disconnect battery and remove starter connections, 13mm again.
P1020694 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove water pipes from clip above gearbox.
P1020698 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove nut from gearbox relay lever, 13mm.
P1020699 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove bush plate, note which side of gearbox is it, 13mm.
P1020700 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

Pull gear linkage off and tie up.
P1020702 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Disconnect reverse light switch.
P1020703 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr


Remove top engine bolt 17mm spanner.
P1020705 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove starter bolt, an 8mm hex bit is needed 17mm nut.
P1020709 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove starter for easier access, 17mm.
P1020744 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove drive shafts, get a long hex or spline bit to make it easier and make sure you clean the heads out first, spline is 8mm.
Use some cable ties through the bolt holes and boots to stop your CVs falling apart, trust me you don't want that.

P1020724 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

The gearbox needs lowering a bit to remove but on a late the large water pipe heater connection will hit the tin ware so it needs releasing, it doesn't need to come right off but it does need to move.




Get your support beam ready, a piece of 2"x4" x45" long with a couple of off cuts both ends, it fits onto the chassis member, I have added a U bolt to make it easier to hang the straps.
P1020715 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

Support the gearbox with a hydraulic jack and fit the ratchet straps loose.
Ratchet straps have a limited range of movement, set them long so they are tight with when the reels are full.

P1020749 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Remove the earth strap and rear gearbox support bolts (13mm) and nuts (17mm)

P1020719 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

lower the jack gently watching this pipe, when it touches the body stop.

P1020732 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Tighten the straps and then release the jack from the gearbox checking the pipe is not hitting the bodywork hard.
Then move the jack to support the engine.

P1020755 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Release the last two lower engine nuts, then using a screwdriver prise the box off the engine, it will move on the studs that remain in the engine, if the stud comes out then, take the nut off and replace the stud, studs are needed to keep the gearbox aligned.

P1020758 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[itchyfeet]

As the box slides off it will probably stop as the angle between engine and box changes due to spring in the engine mounts, lift the engine slightly and lower the straps slightly to keep it in line, keep an eye on that pipe.

P1020759 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

You want the gearbox to clear this cross member to get it off.
P1020754 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Once the box is off the studs, lower on straps, best to use blocks of wood so it does not drop suddenly, you will need to support the box and re load the straps half way down. (Ratchet mech has a limited amount of strap it can accommodate)

P1020762 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

Lower the box onto a tarp and you can use that to drag it out.
P1020764 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

If the box will be out for a while support the engine and remove the jack, if you have a cat or dog bag up the CVs

P1020773 by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

maybe some more when it is refitted

[kevtherev]

Very good mate.
The money you can roughly save and the jobs that can be done with the box out need to be listed.

How much time it can take without any issues.
Just as a guide for the searches.

[itchyfeet]

If like me you have done it before (and are not taking pictures) you can do it in 2 to 3 hours.
If you have not done it before and don't have all the tools to hand then it can take all day.

Jobs while gearbox out are clutch inspection and engine end float, I will be doing both so watch this space.

you could also do CV boot replacements, rear engine oil seal replacement, and spigot shaft bearing replacement.

[dumbo]

nice step by step pictures well done we all need more of them and then save in wiki for the future on look back on

[Delbertini]

Nice post, wish I'd seen it a couple of months ago, just put my box back in today. What a mission.....
Whilst it was out I replaced all CV joints, heating pipes as they looked corroded, new bottom rubbers for the suspension springs, new clutch fork (was broken, reason for box out) new slave cylinder, also cleaned and painted under chassis and rails, injected wax into rails, tidyed up wiring, move subaru ECU from engine bay to lockers (crewcab with subaru conversion).
Bit OTT, well maybe but the room you have when the box is out in unbelievable, however never want to do it again

[Oldiebut goodie]

If you have a piece of ply instead of tarp it saves scraping the gearbox on the deck. Make a hole in the ply and tie a piece of rope through - makes it slide a lot easier.

[kevtherev]

If you have a piece of ply instead of tarp it saves scraping the gearbox on the deck. Make a hole in the ply and tie a piece of rope through - makes it slide a lot easier.

I used a skateboard.. very VW

[Oldiebut goodie]

I use 2 skateboards to move the garden table around, I shouldn't have made it so heavy! I made my mother a 12 ft long one also, all from deck cargo that washed up on the beach, plus a bench seat made from 4 in thick timber.

[silverbullet]

Back to the start.
Tyres on wood blocks on grass at the heavy end? See you in casualty....

This should never be endorsed.
If you are forced to work on soft ground then please at least put down a 8'x4' sheet of 3/4" ply and use chassis/axle stands to support the vehicle.
Too many enthusiasts get crushed by their own car every year. Dont join them.

[Aidan]

Jobs are, with the ability to get clutch and flywheel off, spigot bearing replacement (£8 (+ felt seal for wbx)), Flywheel oil seals if required or for peace of mind, inspect friction plate, pressure plate, flywheel surface, release bearing
please note release bearing guide tube should be clean and not lubricated, the inner bore of the release bearing is a plastic type composite and that is the low friction material and the alloy smooth tube the running surface, if you add grease it will attract clutch dust and turn into a grinding paste and can eventually grind grooves in the tube, which should be replaced £6 or refurbished if it is rough, release bearings can be stripped and regreased if the contact face is still good - Sachs ones are much stronger there than the luk ones which generally are grooved and deformed by the end of first friction plate. The little sachet of grease in the clutch kit is for the tips of pressure plate.
Lube where the clutch fork pushes against the back of the release bearing otherwise you will wear the forks flat, they originally have a nice round profile and a little lube where the spring clip sits at the back of the knees too
If replacing the gearbox input seal the job is so much easier with the bellhousing removed from the gearbox and you can then inspect the oil thrower, input shaft (the end that runs in the spigot bearing is most important) and crown and pinion, if anything major amiss it will be obvious, and the drain plug magnet can be inspected cleaned and oil changed.
Note that a lot of clutch slaves will, even though they don't leak, draw air in when released to full extension and left hanging up so it is always worth bleeding the clutch system and allowing clean fluid into that part of the system just as we do with the brakes periodically, the filthy black brake fluid that comes out sometimes is something to behold

The above piccies are of a petrol wbx engine, on a diesel there are differences, most important is to lift the rear of the engine up to get the angle to allow the gearbox to come out under the chassis rail without pulling the box down at the front and loading up the spigot bearing with the weight of the gearbox and some force - half the diesel input shafts I see have been damaged like that

[CovKid]

Thanks Itchy and everyone who added notes. Will WIKI this as soon as.

[itchyfeet]

Back to the start.
Tyres on wood blocks on grass at the heavy end? See you in casualty....

I think thats a good point I would not reccomend doing this on soft ground either but this ground isn't soft at all despite the grass it's hard as its a regularly used driveway, the wooden blocks are a greater area than the tyres and even greater than the ramps which don't sink in.
I don't like axle stands blocks of wood under the wheels are more stable imo, sheets of ply are also unstable as the ground is not flat.