Transmission removal

[andy321]

Hello everyone. Possible new 1978 beta owner here and i think i have to remove the gearbox to replace the clutch. I ordered the haynes manual but i wanted to ask the you guys any tips or is there a procedure out there for me to follow? I heard u have to remove the subframe. Is this a tough job to do on your back?? Thanks in advance guys

[MattNoVAT]

You can remove the gearbox leaving the engine in situ, you have to remove the battery tray to get at the clutch release arm and clutch cable bracket and the bolts that attach the gearbox to the engine. You will need to remove the wishbone and then finally undo the bolts for the subframe on the near side only.  Then use blocks of wood to wedge the subframe down to allow removal of the box through the wheel arch area, it's a very tight fit and you do have to bend a little bit of the inner wing a little.

Once you have done all that you can get the gear box out with a bit of manhandling ( best on a ramp and have a friend to help you ) then you can swap the clutch and while your at it I would change the release bearing.

I did this last Wednesday and it took 6 hours from start to finish.  It's not the easiest of jobs I have to admit.

[HFStuart]

If you've got access to a good engine crane or other lifting gear it's as quick to drop the whole engine and subframe out - and much easier on the arms and back.

Stuart

[andy321]

great. thanks for your advice guys!

[millieman]

In my view leave subframe in, remove crank pulley, exhaust gear linkage and shafts, carefully pulling engine and box out the top. This way you can do overdue maintanance check oil seals, core plugs etc.

[andy321]

sounds like a good idea, only i dont have a engine hoist to pull the engine and trans out as a unit. Im not sure if its a gearbox or clutch problem im having here. Are the gearboxs usually realiable?

[MattNoVAT]

What kind of problems are you having with the gearbox?

Describe the symptoms and we can help diagnose.

[andy321]

Heres the thing. Its an intermittent problem. When you come to a stop sign, put car in neutral, and try to put it into first again it wont go into first gear. If you turn the car off and back on again it goes back into first ok. The second thing it does and this is not intermittent, when you go to shift into second, third,  forth or fifth, there is a huge bang and the car shakes when you push the clutch in just before moving the sfifter. I feel it is something with the clutch.

P.S i havent bought the car yet and it did this on a test drive.  Also, when i did a clutch on my Bmw a year ago, and when i was ready to put the transmission back it, i forgot to lube the input shaft on the transmission. Now when im at a red light the gear lever wont go into first with out a huge amount of force, but it i quickly put it in third then right into first it goes right in. Dont really think the Bmw and this beta are experiencing the same thing fault though as the clutch in the bmw is new.  I feel the clutch or pressure plate fingers are messed up in this 78 beta.   any help would be greatly appreciated though, thanks guys!! maybe it needs new gearbox oil?

[MattNoVAT]

Sounds like the clutch release bearing is shot so wise to change the whole clutch assembly and the bearing, I would also strip the release arm assembly and free that up and give a good dose of copper-slip as you have the gearbox out.

The difficulty engaging gears may be partly down to the gear linkage being in poor condition, the bushes wear and that can make gear selection clunky.

The fact that if you turn the car off when it won't go into 1st then back on again does confuse me a little though.  

If the car drives and the gearbox/diff is not noisy then it just sounds like the clutch needs fixing rather than a replacement gearbox

Hope that helps,