Gearbox finally re-installed

[alwigley]

Finally found the time the other weekend to install the replacement gearbox - not a particularly complicated job, but the workshop manual is somewhat sparse on the re-installation details. After several false starts I discovered the only way to get the bellhousing bolts and hence the torque tube lined up was to loosely align the top bellhousing bolts, then the bottom bellhousing bolts, tighten them all, connect the torque tube then LAST of all attach the mounts to the chassis. Needless to say, this took all day, and just to make it more amusing, it hacked it down with rain for most of the afternoon - at least I now know where I either have drainholes, or leaks at the back of the car !

Finished the re-install early evening in the dark/rain (head torch was useful), and of course the battery was flat, so I gave up and had some dinner........ as the car is stuck on my in-laws drive, I now have to go back to Broadstairs to get her running again - just hope she starts []

Next major job, hard fuel lines and brake lines........ sometimes wish I'd bought a Corrado instead (cue lots of bemused responses). My boss recently bought a delightful low mileage single owner 1993 VR6 which I hope he may choose to part with one day.

If anyone down this part of the world needs to remove their gearbox, I bought a secondhand commercial gearbox trolley jack, without which I wouldn't have stood a chance - you are welcome to borrow it, but it weighs about the same as the gearbox !

Cheers

Alan

 

[colin944]

It's alot easier with 2 of you to do it.My probelm was that the box wouldn't balance on the trolley jack properly.It's a bit of a faff but then is installing an engine or any big heavy bit on a car.

Now comes the avalanche of " it's easy i did it myself in 2 mins " quotes[]

 

[Frenchy]

Half an hour Colin with a cuppa thrown in []

 

[colin944]

LOL [][][]
still with time for a bacon roll..........

 

[os951]

With right tools removing box takes about 20 minutes. Putting it back again takes another 20 minutes. I wonder how you can spend a whole day...
I always use power tools and special self made transmission jack system; with it balance is great.

 

[alwigley]

I reckon I would be much faster having done it once, but 20 minutes ?! Takes me that long to put her up on axle stands after I've got everything out of the garage.......

Os - how have you got axle stands at the rear in that position ?

Cheers, Alan

 

[robdimond]

Os - how have you got axle stands at the rear in that position ?

I only have iron oxide where Oli has his axle stands. No way I could do that!

 

[colin944]

Yes Oli. But there's a massive difference between the likes of you and Alistair than there is to the rest of us.I would pull a gearbox on a 944 maybe once every couple of years.I only work on my own car and am happy to do my own work but i would never do anyone else's car for them.I would help anyone to do a job but that's as far as it goes.
When you do work on other peoples cars it's amazing how many completely unrelated problems the car can suffer from after your done.#
IE you change a set of brake pads easy 20min job. three months later the car develops a cooling problem, customer ( or friend) cays it was fine before you fixed it.
So there for I only do my own work.

 

[os951]

Os - how have you got axle stands at the rear in that position ?

Because there are reinforced place where stands can be put. We placed stands to rear because we removed and installed transmission and torque tube as a one unit. Placing stands rear gave us some extra room.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I put straps over crossmember and under drive shafts, trolley jack then can take the weight, when required, but straps do the balancing and happen to guide it in place easily, done it twice like that.

 

[alwigley]

Finally got down to Broadstairs last night, started first touch and drove her home...... gearbox is soooooo much better than the old one, which was so vague that I can hardly believe the difference. Old one was also vastly more noisy, but I can now hear a quietish noise from the rear that sounds like an angry wasp in the distance, increases with speed, reduces when I back off the throttle, and disappears when I declutch at speed. Can't say I'm that bothered as it got no worse, and it's pretty quiet anyway []

On the down side, the indicators have stopped flashing (probably sticky/duff relay) and the car won't maintain its idle (again) - have a replacement DME temp sensor which is what caused this last time round, and will then go hunting. Also forgot how shockingly dull the headlights are on dark wet roads........ will have to employ Olli's re-wiring fix at some point soon assuming nothing else major goes wrong in the meantime !

Nice to have her moving again though []