Urgent! T5 Removal

[MICKAJ]

All,

Got my car in peices and it needs to be drivable by tomow night.

Trying to get the gearbox out and I'm getting into a problem where the bell housing hits the body when I pull rearward away from motor, cannot get it clear no matter how much I can rotate the gearbox. Had the gearbox about 45 degrees on both sides and doesn't clear.

Has anyone had this problem and how was it overcome?

Considering loosening engine mounts and trying to push body above motor to get some extra clearance will that work? I have SFA what the mounts look like to know if it would work.

[Adam]

When I've done this before I've just levered between the sump and radiator support, which tilts the engine down at the back. Then I just wedged something in there to hold it in place.

T5's just fall out of these things. Can get the job done in around 40 minutes.

[MICKAJ]

Cool thanks, I did try engine tilt originally but didn't move whole car lifted. Apparently the easiest way is to detach gearbox from bellhousing in the car then take bellhousing off engine, shall try that on the morrow.

[Adam]

Hang on!

The bell housing is also bolted to the gearbox from the INSIDE.

Don't think that you can remove those 4 outside bolts and the gearbox will come away from the bell housing. It won't. Not in one piece anyway. I've heard of people trying it that way before and they pull so hard they break it.

The gearbox AND bell housing is removed as one unit.

Unclip the CSC line at the firewall.

Remove starter motor.

Remove tailshaft.

Remove shifter.

Remove reverse switch wiring.

Remove front exhaust section. (Might not have to, but it helps).

Remove bell housing bolts.

Remove rear gearbox mount.

Out it comes.

(Don't think I've left anything out).

[ratter]

unbolting the exhaust at at least 1 point will allow the engine to tilt more.

[MICKAJ]

Due to my car being one place and the internet being another I wasn't able to read that last message (d'oh).

We ran out of tilt and time so I had to reassemble without any victory. We were told by a Ford service mechanic that there was only the four bolts and nothing internal. We realised there was when it wouldn't break apart and we had a good look in the bleeder inspection hole.

I'm not sure if tilt would have done it though, its almost as though the car has been in a past accident or something and parts aren't sitting right, nearly have to consider lowering the K frame next time if I can ever be arsed going back to it. Bah who needs reverse anyway, lived without it for 5 months.

[Adam]

So what's the plan for the box now?

Where abouts are you?

[MICKAJ]

Live in Melbourne, tried to remove it in Wodonga, have safe houses in Benalla, Wangaratta, Euroa and Shepparton as well lol.

Plans are to try it again and have provisions for lowering K-frame next time, but hopefully give it a go without doing that, might try unbolting exhaust and praying that works.

[Adam]

Shouldn't have to lower the K frame at all.

Post up when you're doing it next.

A hoist makes thing a LOT easier!

[MICKAJ]

lol, I'd have given my left nut for a hoist. I had to put the car on ramps jacking each wheel up individually lol.

Bellhousing was only just clipping firewall, maybe with some extra tilt it would have cleared, just don't know though.