Transmission stuck

Guest · Jan 4, 2005

I am preparing to remove the engine from my 924 turbo. I have almost everything disconnected, but the the diff/gearbox will not move backwards to allow the engine to be lifted. I have disconnected the driveshafts and the torque tube (from the clutch bellhousing) and removed the gearbox rubber/metal mounts and the exhaust support that is bolted to the back of the diff. The transmission will rotate, but it will not slide back. There is not much movement up/down, so I'm not sure if it is getting stuck just in front of the gearbox, between the floor and the rear suspension member or if is just tight in the tunnel and needs a good pull. Has anybody done this before? Any ideas

Regards

JohnT

924nutter · Jan 5, 2005

I am not sure whether you are removing the gearbox from the torque tube first; if you are, you don't mention anywhere that you have undone the coupling that connects the shaft to the input end of the gearbox. I have never done the 16/Z box, but I have done the 16/9 and there is definitely one on the lux, accessed through a hole in the side of the gearbox. The Haynes Manual clearly shows a connection for the 016/Z box, so the principle is the same. Look for two covers or plugs, somewhere just in front of the gearbox "nose" beneath and above the torque tube, behind which I would expect you to find the head of the bolts that clamp the box to the torque tube shaft.

Also there is no mention of having disconnected the gear change linkage. hope this helps.

Guest · Jan 5, 2005

Thanks "nutter", I might have guessed you would have an idea on this.
Actually, I talked to Simon at Ninemiester and that is similar to his thoughts. I'm sure the instructions in the Haynes manual for engine removal were to disconnect the torque tube at the clutch end only and pull the diff/box back. But, apparently, the box needs to go back much more than the 10cm in the manual to disengage the shaft at the clutch end, so the box would clash with the tank anyway.
I have disconnected the linkage from the lever inside the car as instructed in the Haynes manual. I believe I need to pull the rod forward 6-8", but I'm not sure why. Do I, also, need to disconnect at the gearbox? I don't recall any mention of this in the manual, but, if I am removing the diff/g'box, maybe.

John

924nutter · Jan 6, 2005

I know I wrote somewhere ( I think it was in the turbo headgasket article in the post) that the Haynes method is a result of working on an early car with four speed trans, which is about 100mm shorter. It will therefore pull back enough. You are right that there is only 10mm odd clearance on the 016/9 box.
I had a thought on the long journey home tonight. Did you realise that the exhaust is suspended from the torque tube? The "U" bolts hold the hanger for the rubber mounting. You could be pulling against these, so if you haven't already removed them try that.

Guest · Jan 10, 2005

Well, most of my time at the weekend was spent repairing the damage caused by the gales, so the engine is not out yet, but I think I have solved the problem.
After considering all the helpful comments and studying the manual I decided there could not be anything holding the transmission, which was probably just stuck at the front spline of the propshaft. Anyway, I didn't fancy trying to remove the gearbox beacuse I could not even see the bolts on the top of the rear flange of the torque tube.
So, I went for the big lever...but, with some care. Levering against a block of wood placed on the face of the clutch bellhousing I applied the lever to one corner of the front flange of the torque tube. And, back went the whole assembly. But, only about 60mm until it came up against the top of the tunnel.
That has disengaged the spline, confirmed by rotating the driveshafts together, but I'm not yet sure whether this will be enough to get the engine out. However, if transmission removal is required that looks a lot easier now. Moving it back has revealed that the top 2 bolts holding the torque tube to the transmission go in from the back. This is the opposite direction to the bottom ones and makes them a lot easier to remove than it had previously appeared. This doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere in the manual. The selector rod connection to the gearbox is, also, more accessible. And, there are 2 pinch bolts holding the clamp that connects the propshaft to the mainshaft in the gearbox. The one described in the manual, inside the front of the transmission, is difficult to access, but the one not described in the manual is accessible through a hole in the torque tube and this is much easier to get at.
I'll report later if the engine comes out OK