The Gearbox is out!

[Lee]

So i have never removed a gearbox before which made me all the more interested to have a go.

If i'm honest the job is not really that hard you do need some specialist tooling but it's not expensive. Also the minimum of two people. I managed to get @GazHyde roped into helping.

I didnt really get time to take lots of photos but i will quickly explain what we did.

1) Get the car up on axle stands wheels can stay on.

2) Remove exhaust system from manifold back

3) Remove heat trays covering prop shafts

4) Disconnect guibo joint and prop shafts at diff end (easier with these out the way)

5) Remove clutch cylinder hook out the way also the gear linkages and any ancillaries

6) Start undoing the bell housing bolts (Inverted Torx fitting 11mm,12mm,14mm)

7) Once all the bolts are remove pull back the starter motor and wiggle gearbox free.

Lee

Enjoy

 

[billz]

Good job Lee. I remember when i used to do all my own car jobs and removing a Capri 2.0 gearbox on my own on Axle stands to change the clutch. Now i would not even contemplate doing it.

 

[GazHyde]

It was an interesting procedure, and I should have taken more photos (I need to get myself a decent hand held camera to take pictures because I know my phones gonna get broken at some stage).

One step Lee didn't mention is making sure the exhaust has had plenty of time to cool down. It's also important to make sure that you have the correct star shaped sockets and many different sized socket wrenches, and bars for extending the length of the wrenches.

Halfords sell the star sockets but annoying without an 11mm in the kit. So rather than buying a £10 set of 6 sockets, we left with an £80 full socket set which did include and 11mm.

So yet again further proof there is little that can't be maintained on the Z3 with a bit of effort and knowledge

 

[t-tony]

They'll be TORX sockets then

Tony.

 

[oldcarman]

Thanks, I bought a Schnitzer complete shifter and apparently need to drop the trans to install it. This will help for sure even without the pics. JIM.

 

[GazHyde]

Some pictures of this evenings entertainment...

The offending beastie...

Inside the beastie...

Springs. Lee will have to explain what these do. He did tell me when he was changing them, but I've gone and forgot. Something to do with gear selection!


Underneath...

Gearbox ready to be lifted up...

Really not much room to swing a gearbox, let alone move it in to position...

Resting on Lee's chest...

Bench pressed in to place... A good upper body work out means Lee wont have to go to the Gym this week...

One of the bolts needed a few extensions and a knuckle added to the ratchet

 

[Lee]

Found it!

 

[miller1098]

I love it when you get to use your knuckle extension

 

[Lee]

@Bazza

 

[Bazza]

when we do the oil change Lee we will have to get the car up a lot higher than that my belly would not fit under that car

 

[GazHyde]

You'd be surprised as I could fit under there...

 

[Lee]

I'm surprised we didn't do a full write up on changing the shift pins @GazHyde

 

[GazHyde]

I'm surprised we didn't do a full write up on changing the shift pins @GazHyde

Yeah, would have been sensible. I thought I took some pictures, but clearly not...

 

[Jack Ratt]

I bet that if everyone did their own car maintenance and repairs over the next millennium the human male species will evolve to have an extra elbow in their fore arm and extra joints in their fingers

 

[Redline]

Lee - You explained what you did but not why you needed to do it. Was there something amiss with the gear change?
Did you do the clutch and release bearing too?
For the cost I thought it was always worth doing when you've gone to the effort of taking the gearbox out.

 

[Brian H]

I'm surprised we didn't do a full write up on changing the shift pins @GazHyde

Would have been handy, my gearlever has started to stick to the right when cold.

 

[Lee]

Would have been handy, my gearlever has started to stick to the right when cold.

This is exactly the problem my dad was having. A little birdy in the BMW garage told me its the shift pins that wear in the gearbox. In all the parts were around £50 for new pins and springs with caps. Fresh fluid and checked the clutch and all was well. Took a good day to get the job done.

Lee

 

[Zeti]

This is exactly the problem my dad was having. A little birdy in the BMW garage told me its the shift pins that wear in the gearbox. In all the parts were around £50 for new pins and springs with caps. Fresh fluid and checked the clutch and all was well. Took a good day to get the job done.

Lee

Strange is that pins look good...
The new one look different as the old ones?

 

[Brian H]

This is exactly the problem my dad was having. A little birdy in the BMW garage told me its the shift pins that wear in the gearbox. In all the parts were around £50 for new pins and springs with caps. Fresh fluid and checked the clutch and all was well. Took a good day to get the job done.

Lee

If you get a moment will you look out the part number pls

 

[Lee]

Strange is that pins look good...
The new one look different as the old ones?

Those two were ok, the others had flats on the end.

If you get a moment will you look out the part number pls

Ill dig them out mate.

Lee