Transaxle removal & refit - do's & don'ts...
Discussion
I bought it already built, so a general step by step would be most appreciated...
(I can probably get it out, it's the putting it back that worries me!)
Thought, I guess that the first order of business is to get some kind of engine/transaxle hoist, then drain the oil before removing it!!!
(I can probably get it out, it's the putting it back that worries me!)
Thought, I guess that the first order of business is to get some kind of engine/transaxle hoist, then drain the oil before removing it!!!
You can drain the oil but you don’t have to.
A hoist won’t help much as it has to come out backwards through the chassis. I use a thin plywood sheet on the chassis cross rails and slide it out on that.
Disconnect the lights and remove the rear clip (2 man job unless you want a real fight with it).
Start with the clutch release arm. Remove the slave cylinder. There is an opening in the side of the box, triangular IIRC, inside remove a 10mm cross flats bolt securing a small plate. The plate secures a plastic cap on the end of the shaft the clutch lever pivots on. The plastic cap must now be removed. Take a self tapping crosshead screw and tape it to the end of a screwdriver. Screw it into the centre of the plastic cap and pull. The tape may not hold but you can then grip the screw with some pliers to pull the cap out. Next get a length of M6 studding and screw it into the threaded hole in the end of the shaft and pull the shaft out.
The rest is simply remove all the ancillary bits around the box i.e. breather pipes, earth strap, starter motor, drive shafts, gear shift, gearbox mounts. Finally the bolts securing the box to the adaptor plate. Place a jack under the back of the sump with a piece of wood as a spreader. Slide in the plywood as mentioned before. The box should now simply slide out backwards but you may have the raise the back of the engine to clear the bell housing over the lower chassis cross member and also roll the box to the side so it can pass through the opening in the chassis.
Mind your back, as it is not light. I have a box that I place behind the car that is just the right height to take the box when it slides out.
If you take the clutch out or replace it then be very careful to align it correctly or you will have a monster job on your hands getting the box back in.
As all Haynes manuals say refitting is the reverse. In this case no quite.
You will find that the clutch release arm will fall out when the box is removed because the release bearing is part of the clutch pressure plate and not part of the box.
Check that all the needles are in place in the bearings for the pivot shaft and grease them with LM, more to ensure they stay in place than lubrication.
To put the box back in you must first attach the release arm to the release bearing using one or more elastic bands (these will break off and disappear in use). The release arm will then be hanging from the bearing. Fit the box and bolt up (sounds easy if you say it quickly). The fun bit is to now slide the shaft back in place using the studding as a handle to guide it into place. You may also have to wiggle the lever around so that the shaft can align. Take the plastic cap + screw and hang the plate on the screw before again taping it to the driver. Doing it this way the plate cannot fall off and down into the bell housing whilst trying to fit it. Insert the whole lot into the hole at the end of the shaft and refit the bolt that holds the plate. Again I put a lump of Bluetack into the socket so the bolt cannot fall out.
Throw everything else back on. Job done. Don’t forget to Loctite and torque the drive shaft bolts and torque your wheel nuts.
Bound to have forgotten something but I’m getting tired and losing the will to live.
Steve
A hoist won’t help much as it has to come out backwards through the chassis. I use a thin plywood sheet on the chassis cross rails and slide it out on that.
Disconnect the lights and remove the rear clip (2 man job unless you want a real fight with it).
Start with the clutch release arm. Remove the slave cylinder. There is an opening in the side of the box, triangular IIRC, inside remove a 10mm cross flats bolt securing a small plate. The plate secures a plastic cap on the end of the shaft the clutch lever pivots on. The plastic cap must now be removed. Take a self tapping crosshead screw and tape it to the end of a screwdriver. Screw it into the centre of the plastic cap and pull. The tape may not hold but you can then grip the screw with some pliers to pull the cap out. Next get a length of M6 studding and screw it into the threaded hole in the end of the shaft and pull the shaft out.
The rest is simply remove all the ancillary bits around the box i.e. breather pipes, earth strap, starter motor, drive shafts, gear shift, gearbox mounts. Finally the bolts securing the box to the adaptor plate. Place a jack under the back of the sump with a piece of wood as a spreader. Slide in the plywood as mentioned before. The box should now simply slide out backwards but you may have the raise the back of the engine to clear the bell housing over the lower chassis cross member and also roll the box to the side so it can pass through the opening in the chassis.
Mind your back, as it is not light. I have a box that I place behind the car that is just the right height to take the box when it slides out.
If you take the clutch out or replace it then be very careful to align it correctly or you will have a monster job on your hands getting the box back in.
As all Haynes manuals say refitting is the reverse. In this case no quite.
You will find that the clutch release arm will fall out when the box is removed because the release bearing is part of the clutch pressure plate and not part of the box.
Check that all the needles are in place in the bearings for the pivot shaft and grease them with LM, more to ensure they stay in place than lubrication.
To put the box back in you must first attach the release arm to the release bearing using one or more elastic bands (these will break off and disappear in use). The release arm will then be hanging from the bearing. Fit the box and bolt up (sounds easy if you say it quickly). The fun bit is to now slide the shaft back in place using the studding as a handle to guide it into place. You may also have to wiggle the lever around so that the shaft can align. Take the plastic cap + screw and hang the plate on the screw before again taping it to the driver. Doing it this way the plate cannot fall off and down into the bell housing whilst trying to fit it. Insert the whole lot into the hole at the end of the shaft and refit the bolt that holds the plate. Again I put a lump of Bluetack into the socket so the bolt cannot fall out.
Throw everything else back on. Job done. Don’t forget to Loctite and torque the drive shaft bolts and torque your wheel nuts.
Bound to have forgotten something but I’m getting tired and losing the will to live.
Steve
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