Engine or gearbox?

Doing the clutch on the 110 at somepoint over the next few weeks.

What do you reckon is easier? Take the engine out, or the gearbox? I'm 50/50 the now about it.

Engine.

Remove floor/tunnel
Remove prop shafts
Remove transfer box
Remove gear box
It’s a lot easier to handle without transfer box. Use a couple of bits of threaded rod so you don’t damage the seals
Make sure your floor is flat to allow jack to move easily

I was thinking the same, but remove front door and stick engine crane in for the lifting.

Although I am still considering the engine.

Punto443 said:

I was thinking the same, but remove front door and stick engine crane in for the lifting.

Although I am still considering the engine.

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You do need 2 persons with the engine out method. 1 to wiggle the engine/box to line up.

Update the clutch fork as well while doing the clutch

Gearbox out for me

J

I've got the full shabang to replace, clutch,bearing,fork and pivot mount.

Hoping it's not coming back out again for a while

Gearbox gets my vote too, much less stuff to mess about with

Kev12 said:

Gearbox gets my vote too, much less stuff to mess about with

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You’d think. But the reality is, you’ll remove just as much or more doing the gearbox route. I’ve done both. And have to say I think engine out is significantly less work and hassle overall.

See, this is why I'm 50/50

I run though both in my head and I think its about the same!

Think I'll lift the bonnet and stare at it for at least 1 coffee before I commit

300bhp/ton said:

You’d think. But the reality is, you’ll remove just as much or more doing the gearbox route. I’ve done both. And have to say I think engine out is significantly less work and hassle overall.

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I guess we all have ways that make us more efficient at doing it one way or the other. I prefer to undo a few nuts and bolts than draining coolant and removing fuel lines and the like. I also have a bracket made to replace txfer box mount that drops into the top of my trolley jack so whole transmission can be lowered to the floor in one piece. Not saying your way doesn't work for you, but my way works better for me

Punto443 said:

See, this is why I'm 50/50

I run though both in my head and I think its about the same!

Think I'll lift the bonnet and stare at it for at least 1 coffee before I commit

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Which engine do you have?

Although basically the same for any. A Tdi is pretty simple and straightforward to remove. More modern engines slightly more work.

Also may depend on how much help and what sort of lifting equipment you have. I’m on a farm, so we often use a loader to lift the engine in/out. But you can’t do that with the gearbox.

Unless you remove the doors (which if they fit nice is a shame as they may not go back on as well). You have far less access taking the box out vs the engine. Which is the general trend doing it this way. Also to do the clutch you are then laying on your back under the vehicle unless you have a high lift. Do you use an alignment tool or just sight by eye?

But yes, very much 50/50 in terms of total effort and work.

300bhp/ton said:

Which engine do you have?

Although basically the same for any. A Tdi is pretty simple and straightforward to remove. More modern engines slightly more work.

Also may depend on how much help and what sort of lifting equipment you have. I’m on a farm, so we often use a loader to lift the engine in/out. But you can’t do that with the gearbox.

Unless you remove the doors (which if they fit nice is a shame as they may not go back on as well). You have far less access taking the box out vs the engine. Which is the general trend doing it this way. Also to do the clutch you are then laying on your back under the vehicle unless you have a high lift. Do you use an alignment tool or just sight by eye?

But yes, very much 50/50 in terms of total effort and work.

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It's a 300tdi, so fairly simple.
I've got a nice heated barn, engine lift, trolley Jack's etc. And an old main shift to line it up, so no probs there.

If I had a nice heated barn, Id take the engine out.

Col

Punto443 said:

Think I'll lift the bonnet and stare at it for at least 1 coffee before I commit

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is that having a risk-assesment and then a pre-work brief?

Rich.

with the tin ware out of the way and an engine crane through the drivers door dropping the g/box out is easy

My vote would be for gearbox if you are working on you own. But if also depends if you have had it apart before as the floor panels and tunnel can be a challenge if they have not been out and all the screws have rusted into place.

And....................??

It was the box that came out, took me about 3½ hours. Would have been quicker, but I had stupidly put the bolts for the crossmember in the wrong way when I fitted it and couldn't get it out as it was hitting the tb

Clutch in, box on, tb is a pain to do yourself!
Even with the engine crane, getting it to sit right with it being off balance is fun,

Punto443 said:

Clutch in, box on, tb is a pain to do yourself!
Even with the engine crane, getting it to sit right with it being off balance is fun,

View attachment 260446

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What handbrake setup for you have? Is that a disco handbrake where the centre seat would be?