box out the top help

[hipwell]

I'm following budgies guide to taking the box out the top.

I've got out everything listed pretty much apat from the driveshafts which I'll do in the morning and the starter motor bolts.

Where the hell are the 3 bolts holding the starter motor in place? I can't even see the dam thing!

Had my hand and camera down behind the manifold and can't seem to work out where the bloody bolts are

 

[Dan@SJM]

Bolts are in the bell housing. Just beside th rest of th gearbox bolts.

 

[MartinR]

Three bolts are on the opposite side to the triangle shaped part of the gearbox housing.

 

[DannyR]

It's easier to pull engine and box out as one. Then split out of the car

 

[Dan@SJM]

Eh? Is it f**k! Coolant drain, exhaust to disconnect, air con to mess around with etc etc. It takes me an hour extra to do a complete box change than it does to remove the engine alone.

 

[DannyR]

It's splitting that's the hardest part I found. Also nice to do a coolant refresh every now and then

 

[hipwell]

Managed to do it without actually removing the box, got it far enough away from the engine to get the clutch out and in.

Managed to break a tie rod end on though, should be fun changing that,

 

[Dan@SJM]

I don't remove the box fully either, slide it over rest it on the subframe.

 

[MG cup]

Where's this guide for coming out the top? I can't imagine that being very fun.

 

[MG cup]

Can anyone link me up with this guide please, interested to see how it's done without the subframe coming off or engine out. I have searched the 12 pages of guides but can't see it.

 

[Dave..]

Subframe off and out the bottom is so much easier. Why you'd try messing about lifting it out the top I have no idea!

 

[MG cup]

That was my thinking too, it seems the easiest way to do them when on axle stands. I can't see how it passes the chassis leg, hence me wanting to see the guide.

 

[Dave..]

For anyone wanting to remove the subframe to do it, there's 4 bolt holding the steering rack which are the biggest pain, two bolts for the ball joints, one for the lower gearbox mount and I think two further bolts on the chassis at either side, then it's just 4 bolts to drop the subframe and wishbones.

​massively easier for access as well.

 

[hipwell]

Yeh I wish id done subframe method but I didn't for 2 reasons.

First was that I could only see 2 of the bolts for the steering rack.

Second, I attempted to remove the front subframe bolts and the clips holding the nuts snapped with the first turn of the spanner, while this isn't an issue on the front as you can very easily get a socket in top of the nut. The rears looked an absolute pain to get a socket to to stop the nut spinning.

 

[MG cup]

True that's when it becomes easier to pull the engine.

Dunno what Dan@SJM's method is?

 

[Nick172Cup]

Unsure how people find it so difficult. Budgie and I had the box and clutch out of the car and back in with all panels and other stuff in five and half hours.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Unsure how people find it so difficult. Budgie and I had the box and clutch out of the car and back in with all panels and other stuff in five and half hours.

Did that include repainting the chassis rail? lol

 

[Carlv8415]

Disconnect everything, undo all the bolts then let gravity do the rest

Joking aside me and a mate did a clutch change in 4 hours, that is in a fully equipped workshop though.

 

[MG cup]

I got the box out in an hour with the subframe down by myself, took me about two to put everything else in including new clutch,flywheel and swapping the gearbox end cover. Add another hour for all the covers and driveshafts my car didn't have fitted. Did you do it on an ABS car Nick?

 

[Chip-mk1]

"box OUT THE TOP help"

Disconnect everything, undo all the bolts then let gravity do the rest

Joking aside me and a mate did a clutch change in 4 hours, that is in a fully equipped workshop though.

Does gravity work uphill where you are or do you turn the car over first?

 

[Carlv8415]

"box OUT THE TOP help"



Does gravity work uphill where you are or do you turn the car over first?

We hung the car from the ceiling lol

I was just referring to removing the gearbox in general

 

[hipwell]

Got it all finished now, thanks everybody who's contributed to my annoying threads .

Clutch is so much lighter now and no more release bearing noise!

 

[Budgie]

As Nick said.

My quickest is 3hrs 4mins out the top on a ramp with air tools.

On the floor, 5.5 hours is about right now.

As below:

On stands
Front wheels off.
Under tray off
Front bumper off
Drain box oil
Air box out
Battery out
Upper inlet off.
Drain coolant
Remove rad (leave sitcom system instant and just move AC rad as required.

 

[Budgie]

As Nick said.

My quickest is 3hrs 4mins out the top on a ramp with air tools.

On the floor, 5.5 hours is about right now.

As below:

On stands
Front wheels off.
Under tray off
Front bumper off
Slam panel off
Drain box oil
Air box out
Battery out
Upper inlet off.
Drain coolant
Remove rad (leave sitcom system instant and just move AC rad as required
Clutch cable disconnect
Calipers off and cable tie to shocks
TRE nuts off
NS subframe to chassis strap loosen
Shock nuts and bolts off
Ball joint nuts off
3x13mm NS shaft bolts off
Remove shafts and hubs
Loom connections off
Main coolant hose off on Ph2's, on Ph1's leave the heater matrix joints connected as the joints are s**t.
Upper gearbox mount off
Undo 3x SM mounting bolts.
Dog bone and gear selector off
Undo box to block bolts&nuts
Lower box mount out (remember to put earth strap back)
Remove 4x 16mm upper engine mount bolts
Jack under engine
Wiggle box off.
Remove clutch
Remove box from bay out of top if swapping box, if not, leave tucked away rested on the subframe.

Tips- no need to remove starter motor loom connections, heatshield or exhaust mani as these are all cnuts.

To fit, reverse.

Not sure if I've missed anything as I am two bottles of wine down!

.

Effing Tapatalk.

 

[MG cup]

I like the accuracy of 3h 4min haha

Your 90% of the way to taking down the subframe and you could avoid draining the coolant, removing rad etc by going out the bottom and a lot of other steps, might try it once if I need to swap a clutch in a rush.

 

[MG cup]

Where does the box come out? :S

​

 

[Dan@SJM]

Take the ecu and bracket off.

 

[hipwell]

Me too. Only issue I found we as that the loom from the ecu to fuse box doesn't want to shift and runs right above the box so I just moved the box over enough to get to the clutch

 

[MG cup]

Yeah you would have to along with trying to get loom out the way some how and all the PAS pipes etc, looks like a total chore that way, you struggle enough for one person to lift the box out the bottom as it is when on stands.

 

[hipwell]

If I do it again I'll probably find a way to get a socket on the rear subframe nuts and drop that. How people manage to drop the frame without the clips snapping is beyond me. I caked them in wd40 the night before and with half a turn of the bolt the clips were snapped lol

​Proper nackered my back trying to heave it out the top.