Clutch Change-How-To.

[mjb]

Brute force and blind anger prevails!

Couple of further questions:

1. How do you separate the wishbone balljoint WITHOUT destroying the gaiter?
2. How on earth do you pull the driveshaft out of the gearbox? It'll pull out an inch or 2, but then it gets stuck and won't come out any further. I can't get anything near the joint to lever it either
3. Is the driveshaft supposed to be springy - should you be able to compress it along its length?
4. Why didn't I get more painkillers before starting this?

[steve_earwig]

1, viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6091&p=59825&hilit= ... ers#p59825
2. they should just pull out, once the hub is free...
3. yes, otherwise the bearings would be in trouble when the suspension is compressed.
4. I can only offer sympathy for that one

[mjb]

1, viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6091&p=59825&hilit= ... ers#p59825

I'll try that next time. I've really made a mess of these bottom balljoints now

2. they should just pull out, once the hub is free...

Managed to get a breaker bar in from underneath and lever it (nearside) out.

I can't get the offside out though, it's stuck fast. There's a bracket around it just behind the crankshaft pulley, and I suspect it's holding a bearing there, as the driveshaft (or something that spins with it) gets bigger there. I can't see how to get at it though It's a big bracket, postcard size attached to the engine and all I can see is 2 rather inaccessible bolts on the very offside of it

Might be one for the coupe club, this. Got to be someone that knows the arse end of this engine

[mjb]

hmm according to servicebox it appears to be part of the lower engine mount. I didn't realise the mount had a big hole in it and the driveshaft goes THROUGH it

[steve_earwig]

You doing this without a Haynes? I think you're looking at the intermediate bearing - loosen the bolt nuts, then rotate the bolts through 90 degrees, so their heads clear the bearing. Pull the driveshaft out of the hub, then pull the inner end to free the intermediate bearing from the bracket.

You need a puller to get the intermediate bearing off the shaft so the whole lot comes off in one bit.

[mjb]

You doing this without a Haynes?

I've only got a pdf copy at the moment, my dead tree version went AWOL as i moved house

I think you're looking at the intermediate bearing - loosen the bolt nuts, then rotate the bolts through 90 degrees, so their heads clear the bearing. Pull the driveshaft out of the hub, then pull the inner end to free the intermediate bearing from the bracket.

I haven't seen anything that looks like the HBoL picture of that

[steve_earwig]

Maybe the V6 version is slightly different then...

[mjb]

No, I've found them I think, behind a heat shield which I've broken trying to remove

Well, I can see the bottom nut, but the top one I can neither see nor get a finger/tool anywhere near I have absolutely no idea how to go from here, I just can't see any way of getting to that nut

[mjb]

ok I've just got the driveshaft out. It's not easy or painless. The other 11mm nut is on the top of the driveshaft. You need to unscrew it most of the way then push it in and turn the threaded bit clockwise.

The problem is the nut is tight, you can't see it and can only get 2 fingers on it, both from the same side. You need to snake a ring spanner up past the exhaust pipes, around the driveshaft and fit it onto the nut, then using 2 fingers undo it 1/6 of a turn, then try to get the spanner of, down a notch and back on the nut.

To crack the nut, you need to get the spanner roughly horizontal until you can just about see it between the 2 exhaust pipes and then use the open end of a 10 inch of greater socket extension bar to push the spanner up. This takes a good few attempts.

once you've done it, you need some ice water for your fingers. I can barely move mine now

Oh, and the driveshaft doesn't pull out, you need to use a large spanner (breaker bar's too big) and lever it out from the bottom mount.

Lets see what mess I can get in trying to remove the gearbox... I can't even work out where the starter is Chances of driving to work tomorrow? Nil.

[steve_earwig]

Bum

You need to snake a ring spanner up past the exhaust pipes, around the driveshaft and fit it onto the nut, then using 2 fingers undo it 1/6 of a turn, then try to get the spanner of, down a notch and back on the nut.

I prefer it when you can only get 12th of a turn or have to reverse the spanner every time

Every now and then, when I'm feeling flush, I treat myself to one of these . I don't suppose the ratshit is up to cracking things off but maybe one day it'll come in useful for this sort of thing (pound to a penny it'll be too long )

[mjb]

Aye, I've been eyeing sets of them up ;) Thing is they're usually quite big, so wouldn't have been usable for that bitch of a nut

I've discovered a subtle gotcha - the balljoints for the gearchange are mounted using clips about 6" back from the balljoints. These need to come out. I have no idea how to get them back in as I can't reach that far back Also I'm having trouble figuring out how to remove the flywheel sensor as access to its bolt is very limited

Still can't find the starter motor either

Underneath, you need to get the PAS pipe out of the way of the gearbox. I tucked it the other side of the front exhaust pipe

[steve_earwig]

Oooh, you're in uncharted territory there, here be trolls...

You want stubby? http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=143178 Gah!Sometimes I'd give my left nut to be able to get hold of some of the stuff you have back in Blighty

[mjb]

no 11mm in that set... besides, the biggest problem wasn't so much dropping the spanner (although that was highly annoying and very painful when it landed on my face) - it was having to just use the tips of 2 fingers on the thing. I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to get it back on

Just had to give up for the night though. Found another bolt holding the gearbox on. I missed it because it's going from the engine to the gearbox and it's another inaccessible one. This needs an 18mm spanner and a bloody hard hammer blow (the others needed a lot of force with a 2' breaker bar). I don't have an 18mm spanner. Then I heard a crack as my lamp fell to the floor smashing the fluorescent bulb (not going to risk an exposed incandescent bulb). I've got to go get a pile more tomorrow, to replace the ones I've nicked from the house and some spares for the garage

Love the lamp though, it's just a normal bayonet lightbulb socket on a clip. Simple but effective. Just don't try to stand it on the floor

This is NOT an easy job on the V6, and I don't recommend anyone attempt it. There's nothing technically complex (although I've not got to the clutch yet) but everything leading up to it has been so awkward...

I wish I'd got the week off work to do this like I wanted instead of just one day. Everything's so time consuming and there's so many side-jobs I want to do while everything's stripped. The throttle body's FILTHY and could do with a strip-down and clean (I've actually got a spare gasket). While I'm there I could give the inlet manifold a good clean out and change the rear spark plugs... Then there's the cruise control bag. I don't think I'll be able to access it until the gearbox is out of the car. I *REALLY* want to get it sorted while I can. I think I'll take it off and give it a glancing examination, but chances are I won't be able to fix it so I'll just chop off all the connectors and route them to the wheel arch, where there's loads of room and it'll be easily accessible when I put my new wheelarch liner screws in

But now... pizza.

[mjb]

by the way I found the starter - it's mounted on the engine underneath the front exhaust manifold. you can see it from underneath and I'm praying I don't need to touch it

[mjb]

This is bad. I decided to let the nearside of the subframe down a bit (might have been pointless as the gearbox mounting threaded bit is caught on the mount bracket) and the front bolt (on the raised arm) is now spinning without coming out. I think there's a large nut welded inside the body that's broken off

What do I do? I have absolutely no idea how to fix this!