Taking out g'box on GT5S....

[knobstar]

....is a right f*cking pain in the ar$e!!!! 15 hours spent trying so far and I'm still not there! (Most of which has been spent trying to hack and chisel-drive bolts on the driveshaft flange bolts admittedly, but still...)

Spent an hour or so last night with a mate holding the engine while I pulled on the 'box as hard as I could from underneath and nothing...
The 'box is supported on the jack and the engine by blocks so no weight (hopefully ) is being transferred to the input shaft. I've undone and taken out a total of 9 bolts: 4 that I accessed by lying on the engine and reaching down; two (13mm) bolts that are screwed in vertically to the block from the gearbox 'support finger' on the n/s; 1 from the gearbox support bar that pivots about one of the subframe bolts on the n/s; two from the o/s that hold the starter motor in. Over-engineering or WHAT!??!? Whilst I realise a beetle's engine is lighter than a straight-5; a beetle's engine is ENTIRELY supported by four bolts - this has two ruddy great big engine mounts ffs! Mini rant over.
Anyway, the bits that iare confusing me are 1) the three remaining bolts at the bottom of the bellhousing that, as far as I can tell, are connect the aforementioned ' support finger' to the box - are my perceptions right? 2) the one bolt on the n/s, accessed from above, that isn't able to pull out fully because of the clutch arm - could it be binding?

ANy help would be most gratefully received

Cheers,

Matt

[Puglife]

Not worked on a GT5s but can only assume its similar to a quattro coupe without a propshaft out-take..... you need a special star allen key to undo driveshaft bolts.... cutting heads off makes it very hard....
once all bellhousing bolts are off and starter motor removed, check the flywheel cover plate isn't still bolted in by i think its 3 small 13mm head bolts? (iirc).
You may have to undo bottom balljoints off the hub/wishbone to move driveshafts away from gearbox....
Get jack under the centre of gearbox and under two mounts then try with a big rubber mallet tapping bellhousing free of block... Make sure gearbox isn't in gear and flywheel and clutch can clear any intrusions to bellhousing (don't think you'll have flywheel sensors etc).

[knobstar]

You saying I have to undo the three bolts at the very bottom of the bellhousing? I can't begin to imagine how to get at them as the subframe is totally in the way! I just thought they were attaching the alloy support finger (that bolts with two 13mm bolts vertically to a horizontal flange on the block) to the gearbox and was nothing to do with the engine belllhousing....?

[Puglife]

not sure quite what you mean but there is a cover plate that goes over the flywheel and is bolted to the gearbox iirc... jacking engine up should give space above subframe to undo them.

[pimpdriver]

Take it to Audi-Volks in Keynsham. A very nice man will do it for ya!

He had to chisel off all 12 driveshaft bolts.

[Baggee]

What does Mr Haynes Manual say. He always makes it lok and sound very easy. Keep pluggin away and Good luck

[knobstar]

Got the gearbox off the gearbox; now having to decide whether to cut a section from the exhaust downpipe n then weld back up or try and undo the pipe at either end which would certainly result in more than one sheared nut/bolt/stud

What would y'all do?

[pimpdriver]

Originally Posted by knobstar

Got the gearbox off the gearbox; now having to decide whether to cut a section from the exhaust downpipe n then weld back up or try and undo the pipe at either end which would certainly result in more than one sheared nut/bolt/stud

What would y'all do?

So how did you get it off in the end, pray tell......

[knobstar]

Pray tell you to meter your sarcasm

ok peeps I was being a complete prat: the three bolts at the bottom of the bracket (whihc is actually symmetrical unlike my artistic unimpression) needed to be undone...strange that The bracket sandwiches part of the engine bell housing and so the 'box wasn't going anywhere until I'd undone them....quelle plonkeur After I had, it was relatively plain sailing.

Got the 'box back in tonight after changing the various clutch bits with the much-needed help of my housemate (who owns TWO VAUXHALLS *yikes* ) Seriously; don't try and put one back in on your own unless you have an engine crane or similar!

Time spent on it to date: iro 28 hours
Better than paying a garage to do it................?

[pimpdriver]

And knowing what you do for a job, I find that scarey!!!

I paid either £200 or £300 all in to change the clutch and gearbox on my 80CL. Included dicking about with the gearlinkage cos of the 4-5 speed change.

And all 12 drive bolts had to be chiselled off...