Gearbox removal.

[Philip]

Hi everyone, I am going to change the clutch on my Marina hopefully on Sunday and swap over the slave cylinder with my spare one at the same time. For some reason it keeps getting air in the hydraulics without losing fluid! So, my question is, do we need a how too? I've never done the job before but I don't mind taking pics etc if it would be helpful to anyone..

[jiversteve]

It's a bit more work but changing the gearbox is so much easier if you can get the engine out in the open.
Lying on your back with the gearbox drain plug in your chest is no joke.
It will take a little longer but many of the things you need to disconect to tilt the engine, you need to disconnect to take the engine out. Check and double check that nothing is connected to the engine/box before testing its strength as it takes the whole weight.

Haynes manual is pretty good. Whilst you have the gearbox off its worth checking the bellhouse bolts particularly the bottom one as it has a copper washer to seal for oil leaks.

If you can get hold of one an Ital bleed pipe make bleeding the clutch slave so much easier.
Any set of pictures is worth it for someone about to tackle the job for the first time.

Good luck.

[Philip]

Thanks. I am going to leave the engine in, drop the box out. Should be ok. I don't have an engine crane.

[MarinaCoupe]

In the past I have left the engine in and also dropped the engine and gearbox out complete, I would recommend renting an engine crane for a weekend, you should be able to get one delivered for between £25 and £40, depending how well you know the owner. However, if you are dead set on leaving the engine in, then the following will work.

If you are using general kit, then get the front of the car up on ramps and the back on axle stands. This will create enough space to crawl underneath. Then lift the engine slightly and get another axle stand or jack under it (a scissor jack or bottle jack will do fine, with a plank of wood between the jack and the sump). Then use a trolley jack to seperately support the gearbox.

Now disconnect the clutch slave, the speedo drive and remove the gearstick (it is possible to do this from underneath). Undo the four bolts connecting the propshaft - use a peice of wire to support the propshaft out of the way.

You can now undo the bolts holding the bellhousing to the engine backplate, you have to get at some of the bolts from under the bonnet. The starter motor will also come off as I think some starter bolts bolt through the backplate and bellhousing.

Now, slide the gearbox back first before lowering it otherwise you risk damaging the spigot bearing. The gearbox unit is a steel casing, with an aluminium tail unit, in addition the bellhousing is steel, so the whole lot will want to tip forward pivoting on the trolley jack. To get it out from under the car, you'll need to roll it out onto its side, I rolled mine onto a peice of old carpet and dragged it out.

[Philip]

Thanks, Can you Jack on the diff?
Is there a central point on the front that you can jack on?

[MarinaCoupe]

You can jack off the diff, I prefer to jack on the axle pans one at a time. I don't know about anyone else but I would lift the front by driving up the ramps, alternately jack off the chassis rail again one side at a time.

[snowy]

This job is so much easier if you take the whole assembly out.

Getting a gearbox out is not too bad but lifting it back in and trying to re align everything is a pain!!

I did this once on another car and swore I would never try it again. I think unless you have access to a pit or ramp it is no fun.

[Marinanut]

I found having someone in the car with a rope around the tailshaft helps, as long as they don't let go, anyway.... (and I still had kids.... )

[bigcarle]

do the English Marina's have the Spitfire gearbox or something different?

[MarinaCoupe]

Yup, it's the single rail Triumph box, used in a number of different cars, but many more were used in Marinas and Itals than all the Triumphs put together.

[Philip]

Hi guys, you are right. It IS an absolute pain to do. It would be fine on the ramp at work but half a foot off the ground, it is an awful job. In and out took about four hours. I don't know how I managed to line the clutch up though as I couldn't look at it, I had to use my finger.
I was very suprised to see that the clutch I took out looked like new.
Ideally I would have had the flywheel skimmed whilst it was all out.

[jiversteve]

Congrats at getting it done in such quick time with no engine hoist.
I guess you did not slow down to take photos.

[MarinaCoupe]

Well done Philip, welcome to the "did it on my own drive" club, which way did you do it in the end?

By the way, I forgot to say,"disconnect the reversing lamp switch", but I guess you found that out yourself!

[Number 63]

I used to have to do this on a regular basis and the first time I did it, it took around four hours like it did with you...
We got into the way of running the front of the car up on ramps and then jacking the rear up and putting it on axle stands which made things a lot easier. We could swap gearboxes in less than an hour after plenty of practice.. :roll:

[Philip]

Hi guys, I didn't take any pictures, all sense of fun disappeared when I was trying to get the box back in. It was a nightmare. I took it out leaving the engine in. Happily I now have a lovely light none juddery clutch. It has made it so much nicer to drive.
tips for next time - get it higher!! Half a foot is not enough.