Gbox and clutch change!

[Karan]

ok so i killed my box and thought id change the clutch at the same time.. prop is also coming off neway for new centre bearing and coupling. i dont wanna remove the lump at all.... whats the best way to change the box and clucth? as the top bolt on the bellhousing looks hard to access..... cheers, Karan

[Borderbmw]

You can get to it but its tight access and tight to undo,the best ways a spanner and an extension tube for leverage mate.

[Karan]

ok so if i get a torx spanner and attack it from above??? with this method would it help to lift the engine from the back slightly? i was originally thinking remove prop etc, then remove gbox mount, loosen engine mounts, and drop the gbox therefor tilting the engine backwards and giving better access to that top bolt from underneath with long extensions and a torx socket on the end. what do u think of those 2 ideas then? or did u manage without? cheers

[Gwynleym10]

I have heard that people tilt the engine, like you say by removing gearbox mounts and jacking up the front of the engine. This is how i'm planning on doing it! Probably best to start with the top bolt. Think this is how haynes say to do it.

Karan are you around in the next ew days? i.e tommorrow or sunday?

[Karan]

yep im around dude! pop round whenever for the springs, preferably tmro though or weekdays

[Gwynleym10]

Cool i'm going up to stevenege tommorrow afternoon, so i'll call you when i'm passing.

[Karan]

anyone else done a clutch /box on a m20?

[Jamesb318is]

The tilt engine method you describe is how its done at work (bm dealer).

Order-
-drop exhaust if its gonna get in the way
-drop heatshields
-drop prop centre bearing
-undo selector shaft etc.
-drop gearbox mount, (MAY need to loosen engine mounts but not usually needed)
-unbolt prop donut
-unbolt slave
-get prop out of the way, unbolt gearbox from back of box with long extensions, undo starter (disconnected from batt of course)
-whip her out!

refitting- the reverse of removal of course!!!

If you've got long enough extensions to get past the length of the box, then its all good. You'll want a big breaker bar to undo the bolts though, they're pretty tight and the extensions will twist so you lose 'undoing' torque.
Good luck doing on the floor though, much easier on a two post as you can imagine!
Getting it out is the easy part (what with gravity giving you a hand), its getting it back in that is the bar steward!

(sorry if this is teaching you how to suck eggs!)

[Karan]

cheers mate much appreciated.... at oleast now i know it can be done on an m20 with that method...ive done a m42 318is before but never the m20.....cheers for the confirmation mmcuh appreciated!

[A1BMW325iSport]

i would have said pretty much same as Jamesb318is - top advice

good luck Karan keep us posted

[Brianmoooore]

Need to unbolt the clutch slave somewhere along the way as well.
It makes life easier, when taking the box off or putting it back, if you get two longish bolts with the same thread as the main bellhousing bolts, cut their heads of, cut a slot in the ends for a screwdriver, and screw them in place of the two main bolts half way up each side.
These then act as guide rods to slide the box in or out, while keeping it centred.f

[Karan]

Need to unbolt the clutch slave somewhere along the way as well.
It makes life easier, when taking the box off or putting it back, if you get two longish bolts with the same thread as the main bellhousing bolts, cut their heads of, cut a slot in the ends for a screwdriver, and screw them in place of the two main bolts half way up each side.
These then act as guide rods to slide the box in or out, while keeping it centred.f

nice one there dude....... the spare box i have has one dowel in it? is this correct or should there be two???