Gearbox Removal
 

I'm stuck getting the box out of my 99 car. We've disconnected everything including removing the lowere studs but the box appears to be stuck on the 2 dowels either side of the bellhousing.

Any ideas.

Chris.

If you have removed the clutch bearing cross shaft then get hold of the rear of the box and wrestle it of the dowels get aggresive with it it will submit

Been trying that. Also used long bars on the bottom of the box levering against the sub-frame. Won't budge.

Second whats been said...If its not been out before then youve got your work cut out with the dowels...perseverance pays ... Good luck

Did you remove the pin which connects clutch to engine/release bearing?
next to the starterengine is an bolt which you have to take out.
Then take a long m6 and put this in the Pin and pull gently the pin out

Much brute force has been applied and still no movement. Even tried heating the are around the dowels and no luck.

Think I'll take car a replacement box to someone and say 'here fit that'... and then part with a King's ransome for the privilige, before the front final drive packs up all together.

BTW the Guy assisting me is ex-Prodrive and he's never seen one this tough before even on well abused chase cars.

Thanks for advice.

It's not a case of it being well used, it has more to do with the time it's been bolted together...... my99, so maybe up to 7 yrs now..... and aluminium and steel doesn't go together for that long without corrosion taking place which in turn practically welds them together..... you may have to succomb to wedges into the top and bottom seams.....

Sometimes there's no other way than to use a screw driver between top of gearbox housing and engine block. It's brutal but there is no other way.

The faces don't have to mate perfectly and there is no water tight seal needed between them. I had the same problem when I was new to all this. A quick 30 second telephone conversation to Matt Clark of Roger Clark Motorsport ended in the advice I have just given you. Just do it in small bits and use a couple of screw drivers to approach from different angles it will soon be off in no time. and dont forget to clean and lubricate the dowls when you put the gearbox back on either.

This is all normal banter!
First time off is a unique Subaru experience.
Mine took 2 hours on my own to get off the bloody dowls. Acute galvanic corrossion makes sure it is slowly slowly with ever increasing screwdriver wedges. Keep it all even and take your time.
Truely a character building exercise.
Truely a body building exercise when it does come free as it weighs 2 x more than you expected. Hope you have a Draper gearbox jack...

We all know how you feel.

Graham.

Thanks for the encouragement. Gave up after 2 hours last night. It just aint budging even a few thou' let alone enough to get a blade in to help eas it out. I've taken one out of my 95 WRX before but I believe my new one lived near the coast for a while so also has salt air action added to the corrosion. I wonder if I could spray some wheel acid or similar on the dowels yo get the corrosion liquid based before trying again. The other possibility is the input shaft is jammed into the spigot bearing...

Fortuantely were are working on a 2 post ramp with a hydraulic support strut under the box to catch it if it ever comes lose.

I'm seriously considering poaying a Scooby specialist to do it having spent over 10 hours between 2 of us in 2 attempts.

Thanks again.

I had one earlier this year which was an absolute b@sta@rd. It actually took me 5 hours non stop just to get the box off, and i have probably done 20+ box changes now.

I find it best to ensure that the gearbox face and the engine face are running parrallel at all times, as any amount of angle adds additional friction to the already sticky part.

Start near the turbo side, then go to the passenger side, leaving the screwdriver/wedge in the turbo side whislt you attack the passenger side. Keep repeating but using bigger screwdrivers/wedges/pry bars and it will come.

The difficult one i had, i ended up having to use the 3 foot handle off my trolley jack as a pry bar, and it eventually came off.

Are you absolutely certain you have removed the clutch arm from the release bearing?

Are you certain you havent supported the box too much, so it now cant go any further back due to the transmission tunnel?

Zen performance (www.zenperformance.co.uk) are probably nearest to you if you need help.

Steven

Everything was certainly disconnected. The only things in contact were the 2 dowels, the input shaft and of course the bellhousing and block.

Do I take it that the advice is generally to be very careful but to split the bellhousing off using wedges of some sort (Chisels then pry bars)? The problem with this seems to be that thee is no movement at all between the 2 parts to even open the smallest of gaps to get anything in to. We did get a 4 foot bar on the bottom of the box and levered against the sub frame but even that didn't open a gap.

Chris

..Had one like this on my first scoob, engine and box had never been split since car was built.
I thought as I was going along that I was doing something wrong, but it was just a tight c**t.

even you did have the release bearing swivel pin still attached, they would still seperate by a small amount....

It will help if you have the gearbox supported to sit squarely, rather then drooping down at the rear driveshaft coupling when your doing this.


To get an initial movement, pry both apart JUST a few mm at the top, beside where the gearbox to bulkhead mount bar attaches to the box. Hold a very thin wedge at this postion, then.. down both sides a few inches at a time..

use something as thin as an engineers steel rule,or an old paint scraper. start from turbo or starter side, from the top, tap it down , toward the dowels carefully .
You should then be able to get a wide flat bladed screwdriver in close to the dowels.
Draw both sides apart squarely, and it will come.

dan

Steven and Dan are sooooo right.
The fact you have a ramp is a true luxury, I've done it 3 times in my house garage on my own.
The paint scraper works as a start, and go up from there. You must not allow the engine /box to get out of square as the wedging on the 2 dowels will be impossible.

It is now a challenge, do NOT give in to it!
PlusGas/WD40 apleanty. Try TAPPING the ends of the dowels with a SMALL hammer to 'shock' the corrosion bond free with WD40 everywhere.
'Shocking' the join of engine/box with a piece of hardwood and a lump hammer helped me get started.

We are all rooting for you.
If P20 struggles at times I feel better about mine already!
Dreadding the day I fit a Zen 5 speed or a mega awkward 6 speeder on my own....

Graham.
:D

Glad I'm far from alone with this problem!

Might have to try being a bit les subtle than I though I ought to be. As long as I can get the separation started with a tine bit of steel then I'm on my way. THe most we''ve had so far is less than 5 thou so nothing stiff which will separate the faces will go in...

Here's to pererverance or paying someone £40 an hour +VAT (Seems attractive at this point...)

Chris

If you're paying £40 p/h , then i'll do it :D

i think you need a bigger hammer and some old screwdrivers and dont be afraid whats the worst that can happen its only alloy so beat it in to parting company

Yes-a chisel/screwdriver hammered between the block/bellhousing will start it on its way.Then, as said before, use bigger screwdrivers hammered between to keep opening the gap.
Levering it against the subframe wont ever budge it. Sometimes, the emount of force you need to use on these things doesnt seem natural, as you think your going to break the bellhousing or block. I havnt heard of anyone breaking anything (apart fron into a sweat;) ) seperating a box.

Gary.