P38 - Supporting gearbox when removing x member

Hi,

I need to replace the exhaust including cats, downpipe and y-pipe on my wife’s P38 v8 2002. Obviously need to remove cross member to do this but it is a vehicle I’m not familiar with. Having googled and read many forums there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on where to support the gearbox. Rave seems to just says support in an appropriate place, which is great if you know the appropriate place.

I don’t want to make a relatively simple job into a disaster, hence avoiding divorce So can anyone who’s done the job tell me exactly where to place the support. Is it behind or in front of the cross member and exactly where is safest and provides enough space to remove the exhaust? Apologies if this is a numpty question but don’t want the gearbox of transfer dropping out onto the drive!

Cheers

trolley jack under the transmission pan, a piece of wood between the jack pad and sump if you want.

As for the exhaust you can do it at a push with the EAS on it highest setting.
Hardest part for you will be the manifold studs, they either strip or snap off, maybe both Soak em down in GT85 or similar is you best bet also clean the threads off with a wire brush, should give you a fighting chance.

This is how I had to do mine when I changed my VCU. Images don't show an awful lot, but the axle stand was just back from where the VCU mounts into the TBox. If you're working on the floor, a floor jack jacked up just enough to see the box lift in the mounts is enough.

Not sure about that. I have no ramps. It pivots on the engine mounts. I used a trolley jack with some wood at the gearbox flange. The cross-member had to to be walloped out with a mallet.

Thanks everyone for the great advice and taking the time. Fingers crossed all goes to plan and I remain married !!

AndyF07 said:

Thanks everyone for the great advice and taking the time. Fingers crossed all goes to plan and I remain married !!

Click to expand...

Just remember as it pivots the front of the engine rises so make sure that doesn't break anything.

Grrrrrr said:

Just remember as it pivots the front of the engine rises so make sure that doesn't break anything.

Click to expand...

Thanks @Grrrrrr. Not sure I quite understand. Could you explain a bit more and is there anything additional I could do to help reduce any risk ?

AndyF07 said:

Thanks @Grrrrrr. Not sure I quite understand. Could you explain a bit more and is there anything additional I could do to help reduce any risk ?

Click to expand...

When the rear of the engine gearbox assembly is lowered, as it pivots on the engine mounts, the front of the engine will rise so the fan could come into contact with the RAD cowl or even the RAD itself. Should be OK but just keep an eye on it.

Datatek said:

When the rear of the engine gearbox assembly is lowered, as it pivots on the engine mounts, the front of the engine will rise so the fan could come into contact with the RAD cowl or even the RAD itself. Should be OK but just keep an eye on it.

Click to expand...

Thanks @Datatek that makes sense. Just changed Rad so could do with avoiding that! By supporting with the jack will it not keep the gearbox assembly at the same height and so no pivot though ?

AndyF07 said:

Thanks @Datatek that makes sense. Just changed Rad so could do with avoiding that! By supporting with the jack will it not keep the gearbox assembly at the same height and so no pivot though ?

Click to expand...

If you didn't need to lower the box, then no problem, but unless you can remove the cross member from the transfer box, you will have to lower the box and cross member as an assembly. The cross member can be very hard to shift from the chassis.

Datatek said:

If you didn't need to lower the box, then no problem, but unless you can remove the cross member from the transfer box, you will have to lower the box and cross member as an assembly. The cross member can be very hard to shift from the chassis.

Click to expand...

Ahhh, I see. Was thinking I could just take the x member out lol. Fingers crossed !

I was going to suggest using the SS sports cats, from Rimmers until, I saw the price, when I had my P38 they were £600 come in 3
sections so no need to remove the cross member, just cut the old one to remove after, undoing the nuts on the manifold joints which is
bad enough, luckily I never needed to replace the cats when I had mine, just the exhaust from cat back, easy, didn't even need a jack.

You can wedge a bit if 2"x4" at the bottom of the block to stop it pivoting too far. Best to stop it in time though.

aj1954 said:

I was going to suggest using the SS sports cats, from Rimmers until, I saw the price, when I had my P38 they were £600 come in 3
sections so no need to remove the cross member, just cut the old one to remove after, undoing the nuts on the manifold joints which is
bad enough, luckily I never needed to replace the cats when I had mine, just the exhaust from cat back, easy, didn't even need a jack.

Click to expand...

@aj1954 Cheers. I've been looking everywhere for a spilt system like you describe but can't find one in the sensible £££s. I would love the Rimmer Sports as did see those but that would result in divorce through financial mismanagement rather than demolishing the gearbox

Grrrrrr said:

You can wedge a bit if 2"x4" at the bottom of the block to stop it pivoting too far. Best to stop it in time though.

Click to expand...

@Grrrrrr Thanks again. What I think is great about this forum is that the advice you get stops what seems like a walk in the park turning into a disaster. Thanks again.

AndyF07 said:

@Grrrrrr Thanks again. What I think is great about this forum is that the advice you get stops what seems like a walk in the park turning into a disaster. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

We stand on the shoulders of giants ... that and we learnt the hard way by f*cking it up and then "Doh!".