Engine onto box, or, box onto engine?

Right, on day two now of trying to mate a 200(t)di to a series 3 gearbox....nope. Day 1 was my own fault, clutch was about 2mm out so no way would it have sat on...

Today, tried again, spent about 2 hours with a variety of tools making sure the clutch was dead centre and I'm happy that it is....only problem today is that I didn't have a mate to help me...

Managed to get about 3 nuts on the studs and it was about 10mm off the box one side and about 30mm the other side, tried all sorts of jacking arrangements on the box but it looks like something is ****ed....

Starting to think along the lines of pull the box back, bolt the engine down, then shove the box on again - all the floor etc is up anyway so not worried there, also I'd be able to make a start on wiring, pipework etc after work...

Is this a wise move or not? And what would it entail? Just dropping the props off and shoving it backwards?

Much easier to present the gearbox to injun than the other way round.

Did mine with engine resting on the mounts and gearbox supported with a sling......props off. That way everything is fairly free to move into line without risking losing your fingers

Cheers - that's all I needed, someone to agree with me

That'll be me busy tomorrow then

If you leave the box in place put it in gear so the spigot shaft can't turn,then offer up the engine turning the crank with a socket/spanner so the splines on the clutch centre plate line with the spigot shaft,it should just pop into place.

Yeah I would leave box and do what Jon said always works for me and I have done a fair few.

Put tdi back in yesterday fitted fine but wouldnt go last bit, turned crank plop in it goes, i think some series boxes need chamfering a slight bit to get them to fit nice, i did my s2 one , not sure if it needed doing just didnt want to find out at the last minute!



Lynall

If its the first time the engine is going on and it waint fit, try it without the clutch basket and plate to make sure nothing funny is going on.

ah this brings back memories, spent ages trying to get mine to mate up.

First issue i had was not swapping the 200tdi clutch for the series clutch (i think it was that way round) after sorting that out it was just a bit of careful lining up and pursuasion and it went together - is a pain taking it in and out all the time though.

Good Luck

Finally did it today (3rd day of trying, not bad really!)

Day 1 problem - misaligned clutch
Day 2 problem - attempting to do it on my own!

Sorted it today - gearbox wasn't square up to the flywheel housing - changed the gearbox mounts while the engine was out as one had split, turns out they're a bit too flexible at the moment, wedged the box out behind the clutch cylinder and shoved one half of a knackered gearbox mount in the gap.....shoved straight on...bolted straight up...