1.8 manual gearbox removal

As anyone done this job?
Haynes manual isn't that clear
Just wanting some tips before I start

Yes. Done it several times. I now drive an automatic, simply to avoid clutch changes.

It will take about 5 hours or so. You need to remove the front suspension, or at least pop the lower ball joints and rod ends. Popping the ball joints will allow you to pull the drive shafts from the box on the left and IRD on the right. Don't actually pull on the shafts to remove them from the IRD/box though, they need to be levered out as there're retained by C clips. Drain both IRD and box oils, before pulling the drive shafts.

When the shafts are free I turn the struts so the shafts swing forward and support them by hanging with bungees. Don't over extend the shaft joints as the boots can split.

Then unbolt and remove the IRD from the support bracket on its right and unbolt the IRD from the box on its left.
Either clamp the IRD coolant hoses and remove from the IRD cooler, or drain the cooling system and remove the hoses.

Then support the engine from below with a trolley jack and a small block of wood to protect the sump. You actually need to place the jack to the far left of the sump and lift the engine slightly. This will remove the weight from the box mount, which then needs to be removed completely. Remove the battery and tray to gain access to the box mount, and remove the wiring to the starter. The starter then needs to be removed and the reverse lights switch needs unplugging.

From then on you should have the box clear of all ancillary components, so can it can start to be unbolted from the engine. The exhaust sometimes needs to be dropped, and sometimes not, it just depends on the space available to you.

Leave one top bell housing bolt fitted, until you're ready to remove the box. At this point I lower the jack supportung engine, which will allow the box to slide out under the chassis rail. Be prepared to take the weight of the box (about 35Kgs) and don't allow it to hang on the input shaft. I place a second trolley jack under the box, so I can withdraw it from the engine and wheel it out under the car.

Nodge68 said:

It will take about 5 hours or so. You need to remove the front suspension, or at least pop the lower ball joints and rod ends. Popping the ball joints will allow you to pull the drive shafts from the box on the left and IRD on the right. Don't actually pull on the shafts to remove them from the IRD/box though, they need to be levered out as there're retained by C clips. Drain both IRD and box oils, before pulling the drive shafts.

When the shafts are free I turn the struts so the shafts swing forward and support them by hanging with bungees. Don't over extend the shaft joints as the boots can split.

Then unbolt and remove the IRD from the support bracket on its right and unbolt the IRD from the box on its left.
Either clamp the IRD coolant hoses and remove from the IRD cooler, or drain the cooling system and remove the hoses.

Then support the engine from below with a trolley jack and a small block of wood to protect the sump. You actually need to place the jack to the far left of the sump and lift the engine slightly. This will remove the weight from the box mount, which then needs to be removed completely. Remove the battery and tray to gain access to the box mount, and remove the wiring to the starter. The starter then needs to be removed and the reverse lights switch needs unplugging.

From then on you should have the box clear of all ancillary components, so can it can start to be unbolted from the engine. The exhaust sometimes needs to be dropped, and sometimes not, it just depends on the space available to you.

Leave one top bell housing bolt fitted, until you're ready to remove the box. At this point I lower the jack supportung engine, which will allow the box to slide out under the chassis rail. Be prepared to take the weight of the box (about 35Kgs) and don't allow it to hang on the input shaft. I place a second trolley jack under the box, so I can withdraw it from the engine and wheel it out under the car.

Click to expand...

I'm only thinking forward as i was told the clutch could be causing my master cylinder failure

DCUNNINGHAM said:

I'm only thinking forward as i was told the clutch could be causing my master cylinder failure

Click to expand...

I'm not so sure the clutch is at fault. When the pedal is in the fully released state, the MC fluid feed port is open, venting any air or pressure to the reservoir. This prevents pressure at the MC main seal, until the pedal is pressed, which then closes the feed port, forcing fluid down the pipe to the slave.

Nodge68 said:

I'm not so sure the clutch is at fault. When the pedal is in the fully released state, the MC fluid feed port is open, venting any air or pressure to the reservoir. This prevents pressure at the MC main seal, until the pedal is pressed, which then closes the feed port, forcing fluid down the pipe to the slave.

Click to expand...

The bloke said that over time the tangs on the pressure plate were the bearing sits go hard and it could be putting pressure on the mc but i would have thought it would just bust the sc out of the bracket if it was that hard
i find it strange aswell mate

I'm not saying what you've been told is right or wrong cos I don't know but....

If there is a fault like that it will make the weakest part of the system fail, if that's the seals in the master, then that's what will go every (or most of the) time.

If the pressure plate has gone hard, the hydraulics are having to exert more force than they are designed to do. This is a bit like when the release arm seizes. When that happens, the weakest part of the system is the slave mounting bracket which cracks enabling the slave to simply move backwards and (often) no damage is done to the hydraulics (ie seals don't let go). You'd think that would happen when the pressure plate had gone hard to - but maybe its because you have a new slave support and its gradual seizing up of the release arm over time that fractures the slave bracket.

I haven't a clue whats going on with your motor, these are just what I thought, so just scribbled it down! It may just be, as you've wondered, that you've bought aftermarket parts that are simply not up to the job.

The pedal goes down fine ,
There is play in the clutch release arm,
So tommorow I will run it and see how it goes hopefully it was cheap parts that caused the problem
The place I bought them from didn't quibble about the problem just REFUNDED
So maybe I'm not the only one who sent them back