Transmission Removal Clutch Replacement diy Quick Version

[jettin123]

VERY nice write up!

[xbluewaterx]

Quote, originally posted by 2u4uR32 »

Great write up, wish you would have done this a couple months ago!! The above bolt was a huge problem when we pulled my transmission, thank god Qbn called and told us about this one...

It is definitely a mystery bolt that can potentially drive you insane!!! If you do not know about it, you could spend hours trying to pry the case off and scratching your head

[vpfinnersw]

Thanks for the comments. It was a pain as it always is to document all the steps of something as detailed as this, but it helps tons of people out so it makes it worth it. I know I always enjoy a detailed DIY with pics.
-Gabe-

[VAsteve]

Cool write up, thanks for the pics!

Is there a picture in which you can identify the part that fails when we hear the 'hampster wheel' squeak?

[xbluewaterx]

I will try to post a pic...

[Beitz DUB]

Nice write up....now go buy a lift
My sister's name is Nina

[g e o r g e D!]

Deffinetly a sweet write up

[trex2400]

Glad you got a good wife to help you. True, they are few and far between. Thanks. Your write up helped alot, even though our setups are a bit different and my car is all stock. The next to biggest PITA was getting the transmission out of the car when all the stuff was removed. The biggest PITA was getting it back into position after replacing the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate. I am 47 and I guess I can't bench as much as I used to! Actually the problem wasn't the weight, but the time it took to try to get it into position past that subframe. Arms wore out by then and had to prop it up almost in position. Whomever designed that starter wire harness bracket should be made to install them on the production line for the rest of their lives. Getting the flywheel off was a PITA too. All the write ups I found on the subject said nothing about a puller, as if it would drop right out after taking the bolts out. Not so in my case. A puller would have been helpful, but I didn't have one. I don't even remember how exactly I got it off, but I think it involved my plastic/rubber mallet, rocking it side to side with small mallet blows on the outer edge. Didn't want to pry it off. Now everything is back together and it shifts just as poorly as it did before the clutch replacement. At least the clutch is fine. Now I need to adjust my shifter to get rid of this seperate problem (3rd, 1st and 5th are hard to shift into, in that order of difficulty, although fwd to back throw of the shifter seems not to be contrained when you can get it into gear). Glad I replaced my tranny fluid at the same time as it was the consistency of rancid chocolate milk . Put magnetic drain plug in, but that may not do much good as I understand the gears are a bronze alloy. For those out there doing this, I wouldn't go with Redline MT-90 as it seems to be too thin even in cooler climates like Seattle where I live. I never got grinding before, but occasionally I get 2nd grinding a bit, although that may also have to do with my not shifting there at exactly the right RPM band. You may want to add a link to the shifter adjustment thread of your choice. Great write up. Helped alot even though I have a Beetle 02J!


Modified by trex2400 at 7:12 PM 11-11-2008

[xbluewaterx]

Wow! I am glad this helped you with your Beetle it sounds like you had a lot of fun
I knew this would be helpful for R owners but I didn't even think about it helping others. Did you notice any major shaft play when you had the tranny out? I wonder if that could be causing your shifting problems. Thanks for all of the feedback
-Gabe-

[trex2400]

Yeah, fun it was! Surprising how similar these cars are. At least I didn't need those five or ten extensions attached together on my rig! It was a 6mm allen bolt, but only one short extension required! Nope. No play in tranny splined shaft. I have a shift tower setup on the top of my tranny. I'm thinking it is wear or adjustments needed there. I replaced most of the shifter bushings in the stick mechanism and adjusted that for the best shifting I could get. Still leaves alot to be desired. Thanks again.

[xbluewaterx]

You should check out diesel geek and see if they have a shifter for you. It gets rid of the major play, reduces side to side movement and front to back movement and you can adjust the cables to make the shifting smooth as butter.
-Gabe-

[trex2400]

OK Gabe, I will. Thanks for the help.

[r32autoxer]

How about some torque spec's for this DIY. After all, you have to put it back together again once its torn apart...

PLEASE

[xbluewaterx]

I will add the torque specs tonight.

[x SPY x]

For all you guys doing this on the floor at home, it helps alot if you can get the trans up onto a floor jack and get it close to position, and then use a engine hoist to lift it up into position, and zip it back on. This is how I do it when I'm at my shop at home without having the help of doing it up in the air on a lift.

lifting the trans up when its sitting on your chest is not fun.

[x SPY x]

Modified by x SPY x at 3:27 PM 12-3-2008

[xbluewaterx]

Torque specs added. Let me know if you need any more.

[robocopywriter]

Dude, you're a saint. I would have said buy a Bentley manual ya cheap bastard... but then I'm a grumpy old guy.

[xbluewaterx]

Quote, originally posted by robocopywriter »

Dude, you're a saint. I would have said buy a Bentley manual ya cheap bastard... but then I'm a grumpy old guy.

Ha I thought about saying that but it bugged me that I didn't know the torque specs off the top of my head so I studied them tonight so I wont forget!

[Justin@GnGMotorsports]

Quote, originally posted by Daemon42 »

Great job! Adding to the FAQ/DIY thread. ian

Thank you Ian.

[r32autoxer]

ALRIGHTY THEN......

I got the tranny on the ground, after about six hours. The 6mm allen bolt inside the right axle was TIGHT. Also, the downpipe for the turbo got in the way of moving the diff. to the side. After much cursing and then some sweet talk she popped out.

Thanks so much for this DIY. I have changed many-a-clutch but this one is a tough one. Without this step by step, I would of never figured out how to separate the diff. from the tranny.

Tomorrow is another day of pain, I only hope I can get it back in...

Thanks again for your time on this DIY.

[Cpsmith3]

Thanks for the DIY!!

[xbluewaterx]

[scharged]

need to pull mine, I'm gonna call Andy tomorrow, this thing is getting fuxored with me driving it like this...

[Arizman3]

Wondering how difficult it would be to remove the entire motor/transmission assembly from the car. I have searched but have not found a DIY for this procedure. I'm going to install my HPA kit soon and do the clutch at the same time. Seems the entire process would be much simpler by removing everything. Anyone seen a DIY for this?

[azsightsound]

How long does that 6mm allen socket need to be?

Mine isn't long enough, the socket collar bottoms out.

Modified by azsightsound at 3:50 PM 5-13-2009

[VR6 T]

I used a straight 6 mm allen key and then installed it into a 1/4" 6 mm socket and then put an extension on that. The bolt is really far down in there!

[azsightsound]

Quote, originally posted by VR6 T »

I used a straight 6 mm allen key and then installed it into a 1/4" 6 mm socket and then put an extension on that. The bolt is really far down in there!

Yup, that's the trick, anything larger than a 1/4" drive won't work, the collar wont permit it to pass through that tiny hole. And you ain't kidding, that sucker is DEEP within the bowels of that rabbit hole!

[DarkSideGTI]

eff that bolt. I got to it but it feels like it is just spinning the transfer case gears. I put the car in gear but it isn't helping.

[haf1zur]

nice writeup, need to do this soon

[R32R1]

Nice write up, thank you

[xbluewaterx]

Quote, originally posted by DarkSideGTI »

eff that bolt. I got to it but it feels like it is just spinning the transfer case gears. I put the car in gear but it isn't helping.

Are you using a 1/4" socket?? If not go to Sears and buy one like I have in the pics.

[xbluewaterx]

Thanks for all the kind comments guys!

[DarkSideGTI]

Quote, originally posted by xbluewaterx »

Are you using a 1/4" socket?? If not go to Sears and buy one like I have in the pics.

I went down there yesterday and they only sell it in a kit for $50, and it is only about 6" long. def not long enough to reach the bolt.

[xbluewaterx]

Yeah I have a set from Matco about 4 or 5" long and then a 12" Matco 1/4" extension

[TWIZTD R32]

Great write up!!! I's using Shop key and thought I had to pull the Driveshaft........ you saved me from a lot of extra work... will a 6mm allen socket(it's all one peice) work? or is what you did the only way to get it to work?