captain chaos Posted July 1, 2001 Share Posted July 1, 2001 Ok, Following my earlier posting regarding a clutch problem, I'm now in a position to refit my engine & box. As the motor came out (Vx with Cat 6 spd) the gearbox oil spilled out of the prop hole. Once I've refilled it does anyone know of a trick to stop this happening again on refitting? As to me,the hole used for topping up looks damn hard to get to once installed. Or am I losing the plot here? Be kind with you're answers, it's been a difficult 2 days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Tin Man Posted July 1, 2001 Area Representative Share Posted July 1, 2001 I fitted the engine & gearbox first & pushed it over to one side. I filled it up using a funnel & plastic tube. (two man job)I use a 10mm cut down allen key taped into a ring spanner to fit the plug. I then aligned the gearbox & propshaft. To top up the oil i use a syringe fitted with a plastic tube One tip when filling the box with the funnel & tube is to warm the oil first as it flows better. One note, the propshaft must be fitted to the gearbox before filling. All the best Edited by - Tin Man on 1 Jul 2001 21:36:46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted July 1, 2001 Share Posted July 1, 2001 CC, Fit the gearbox keeping it horizontal. If level, the oil will stay in the box. In a VX car the gearbox should be fitted as a separate operation to the engine - I dont think they will go in as a combined assy, although I've never tried. Arnie Webb The Car in Front is Full of Lard....wink.gif See Fat Arnies LardMobile here See the Le Mans Trip Website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted July 1, 2001 Author Share Posted July 1, 2001 Arnie, Rob Morris is helping me put it back in and says it's going back in assembled. It came out in one hit. If I fit the gearbox and bellhousing (my car is dry sumped)and then drop the engine in, how difficult is it to align the input shaft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted July 1, 2001 Author Share Posted July 1, 2001 By the way, Has anyone put a boss on top of the box with a pipe leading back into the tunnel to allow filling from just pulling off the tunnel cover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2D2 Posted July 2, 2001 Share Posted July 2, 2001 I have always fitted my engine seperately from the gearbox and it is quite easy. I always align the spline by putting the gearbox and engine out of the car and making sure that I don't touch the input shaft. It has never taken more than a couple of minutes to line the two parts up and I have always fitted the gearbox full of oil without problem. I always fit the speedo cable as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted July 3, 2001 Share Posted July 3, 2001 The VX does go in easily with engine/gearbox together if you have have the two removeable cross members. You can use an old sawn off prop shaft stub to bung the hole but I would not risk pre filling and the bung getting knocked out during installation..... I fill with the car flat using a tube / bottle and warm oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted July 3, 2001 Share Posted July 3, 2001 I think Steve is right here. I have 1 removable upper engine bay strut, and I do not think the box and engine could be inserted as a single item. Check you have both struts removeale! The flip side is with aligning the box and engine. I use a spare 1st motion shaft to line things up when I bolt the clutch to the engine. It has mated easily every time on this basis. Arnie Webb The Car in Front is Full of Lard....wink.gif See Fat Arnies LardMobile here See the Le Mans Trip Website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted July 3, 2001 Share Posted July 3, 2001 Obtain a front input joint of a propshaft and plug the prop take off hole with it. Fill the gearbox with oil out of the car and then fit. When the engine / box is bolted in, remove plugging joint and fit propshaft. Is this making sense? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted July 3, 2001 Author Share Posted July 3, 2001 All of your comments have been gratefully received...and understood! I have got 2 removable upper struts although only the exhaust side needed to come out when removing engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted July 3, 2001 Share Posted July 3, 2001 I (well, Roger S and myself) have always fitted the engine and box separately and then bolted them up together once they were in. Roger doesn't have the removable tubes which makes it a pretty tight squeeze. I normally remove the exhaust side only. You can get a sleeve to keep the oil in (ask Steve Perks nicely and he may be able to help) but as Arnie says, if you fit them separately, you can fit the box without tilting it. Alex Edited by - Alex Wong on 3 Jul 2001 23:06:40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Beaumont Posted July 4, 2001 Share Posted July 4, 2001 Aha! The recon gearbox I got for my Midget came with a stubby propshaft mounted to a rubber doughnut, I think I've still got it somewhere. It gives me the hump filling boxes down the transmission tunnel, trying to torque up a cut-off bit of 10mm Allen key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted July 4, 2001 Author Share Posted July 4, 2001 What about my suggestion of installing a pipe into the top of the gearbox which leads back under the tunnel cover. Surely someone else has done this as it saves alot of fiddling about in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted July 4, 2001 Share Posted July 4, 2001 CC, Not yet. Its about time soemone did though. That 1/2bsp thread in the top of an alloy topped 5 speeder was very useful in that respect. You could even shove a dipstick in the hole...... Arnie Webb So fat the chassis snapped....wink.gif See Fat Arnies 2 piece Seven here See the Le Mans Trip Website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted July 4, 2001 Author Share Posted July 4, 2001 I agree. I've ordered up the fittings and hoses for this weekend. I'm going to put two hoses in so that one acts as a breather during filling and I've checked clearances and the only problem will be that it will mean a bit more agro when sliding the whole thing back into place. Save me ringing Caterham, what's the recommended oil capacity for the Cat 6 speed?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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