4 cylinder gearbox removal

sdibbers

sdibbers

Well-Known Member
I understand there is a way to remove just the gearbox on a 4 cylinder car without pulling the engine.

I have two questions:

1) Those who have removed just the gearbox, was it worth going down that route?

2) If it was worth doing how do you go about it?

Thanks in advance.
 
I always remove the gearbox only.

The exh frontpipe, prop, gearlever, gearbox rear mounting, speedo cable, air cleaner. throttle link, heater insulation pad, starter motor, all bellhousing bolts, slave cylinder, tophose rad connection and front engine tierod need to be removed, the engine fan positioned so the blades are horizontal, then the engine needs to be pushed back, and the gearbox rotated until the starter bendix hump is at the top before removing it.

E&OE.
 
Thanks Harvey. That makes sense. In my case I have the 6 blades tropical fan so I guess just remove it to save the radiator?
 
Either remove the fan or the rad, whichever is the easiest. Don't forget the reverse light wires, like I did in my original list. (Along with a few other things I'm sure but you get the idea.....)
 
I do. How easy is it to align the input shaft nose with the spigot bearing when re assembling? I would imagine its a little fiddly laying on your back with the weight of the gearbox on you?
 
It's a pretty light box with a coarse spline so if the clutch is properly aligned it's not a problem. Well, that's my experience.
 
That makes me feel a little braver. Only ever done this when both are out together. Existing gearbox is getting noisy and leaking pretty badly. I have good spare that just needs a new tail oil seal that would be a good replacement.

As always, thanks for the advice Harvey!

Best,

Steven
 
Having done it in both ways, the removal of the gearbox along with the engine seems to be the "luxury" option.
It means that you will have available an engine hoist, it will take significantly more time, and you will have the opportunity to renovate the engine bay, reach down to areas that are rather difficult with the engine in place, change that throttle shaft bush and grommet that allows hot air to your feet in the summer, etc, etc. You get my point.

If on the other hand you are looking at a quick swap, then as Harvey says, you can only remove and replace the gearbox. If you have access on a 2/4 post or a pit, your life will be much more easier. If you have to work with the car on stands, place it as high as safely possible, and needless to say, take all the necessary measures in order to avoid being flattened by your pride and joy. Due to fact that the box will be removed / replaced at an angle, a trolley jack doesn't help much, unless you consider to prepare a craddle to balance the box at the correct angle on the jack. I had to rely on my arms, and even though as Harvey says the box isn't heavy, your awkward position under the car won't help.
 
Hey Demetris, Agreed with all you say. I do have a hoist, and as you know I spent a good bit of time cleaning up the engine bay when I pulled the old engine before I put in my home built 2200 TC engine last summer. Good call on the grommet though. I Think I can safely get the car high enough to pull the gearbox out from below.
By the way, I still need to send you the airbox!
 
Right then, you 'd better remove the 6 blade fan, and while tilting the engine back, since your car is LHD like mine, the limit is when the rear carb will touch the brake fluid reservoir, if i remember correctly. So, it is better at least to unbolt the reservoir, to allow it to move a little just in case. Another tip that i remember from Harvey is that you can secure the engine tilted using the front tie rod. You just bolt the upper bracket hole to the lower point on the cylinder head.

About the airbox, yes please, send it at your convenience.
 
A tip from my experiences; slacken and remove the top few bell housing bolts before you tilt the engine back. I've done this both ways and would say that although removing the box only is faster it's much easier to remove engine and box together.
 
Demetris said:
Right then, you 'd better remove the 6 blade fan, and while tilting the engine back, since your car is LHD like mine, the limit is when the rear carb will touch the brake fluid reservoir, if i remember correctly. So, it is better at least to unbolt the reservoir, to allow it to move a little just in case. Another tip that i remember from Harvey is that you can secure the engine tilted using the front tie rod. You just bolt the upper bracket hole to the lower point on the cylinder head.

About the airbox, yes please, send it at your convenience.
Click to expand...

I think the brake reservoir is different on the NADA models. Its above the steering box with a connecting pipe instead of being integral with the master cylinder.
 
sdibbers said:
I think the brake reservoir is different on the NADA models. Its above the steering box with a connecting pipe instead of being integral with the master cylinder.
Click to expand...

Depends on whether it's a single or dual system. Single systems used a metal can reservoir located on the fender roughly adjacent the front carb for the brake master and the clutch master had the integral reservoir. The plastic reservoir in the picture showed up sometime in 1968.

Yours
Vern
 
Vern Klukas said:
Depends on whether it's a single or dual system. Single systems used a metal can reservoir located on the fender roughly adjacent the front carb for the brake master and the clutch master had the integral reservoir. The plastic reservoir in the picture showed up sometime in 1968.

Yours
Vern
Click to expand...

And if the metal can reservoir has rusted out, then you might find a plastic (European spec) reservoir on the front fender like on my car. It does make the air cleaner a bit hard to get on and off thought!

Are they HIF 6 carbs set up with HS or HD 8 carb air cleaner?
 
Mine has the dual circuits with the plastic reservoir mounted above the steering box.
James, yes Demetris has HIF6's from a 2200TC with a HS8 air cleaner arrangement. Currently I'm running twin HIF6's with a 2200TC air cleaner box along with 2200 pistons and a 2000TC cylinder head.
 
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