Gearbox changeover

[Thevak]

I am pulling a gearbox out of a donor car and not enjoying the hassle of a complete engine gearbox unit removal. As they are IEs the wiring is a nightmare.

Any reason why or why not the gearbox can be removed and replaced without engine having to be removed? Seems plenty of room to access bolts etc. and so reluctant to thread the wiring in and out the engine nooks etc.


First timer at this and the experience with donor car begs me to consider any more suitable alternative.

Cheers Anthony

[colcol]

The gearbox can be removed on its own, you will need to take off upper central gearbox mount to allow the engine and gearbox to droop down lower at the back to get to the engine to gearbox nuts and bolts.
However it is less stress free to remove the bonnet and drop the gearbox engine and subframe down as a unit onto the floor and lift the [now] lighter body up and slide the gearbox/engine forward and work on the gearbox with room to spare.
Have removed gearbox out on its own, terrible job!!!!.
Have removed  gearbox and engine through the top with block and tackle, also terrible job!!!.
Listened to more cleverer people than me and dropped it through the bottom.
Then you won't warp the clutch assembly when trying to slide the input shaft into the flywheel bush.
And while it is out, you can give it a birthday!.
New flywheel and front timing cover seals, renew the timing belts, put in a new water pump as you can get to it with a puller and a new clutch assembly, as these will all go wrong a week after you put it all back, Colin.

[Thevak]

Thanks for the advice Col. Has anyone a manual to show the process for whole unit removal in particular with IE version and its associated wiring. Or anyone with advice and hints on only gearbox out along with hints to avoid bending/warping clutch assembly etc?

[Sportscar Nut]

Again, spot on advice from Col. Remember well removing engine & gearbox on the Sud a couple of times over the years and is good fun and easier these days with high lift jacks to raise the car enough and slide engine & box underneath.

Check clutch fork closely as notoriously 'bend like spoons' and the pedal then looses the sharp feel. Had a clutch fork strengthened by Beninca's last time engine was out. IE has the stronger gearbox so if no crunches in second, would just replace the clutch.

Regards
Paul

[colcol]

1700 has stronger crownwheel, it has 2 more bolts than the 1500, so some engineers have worked that one out and the spiders are stronger in the synchro/hubs/selector rings.
The price of block and tackles/cranes/lifts these days from China makes me cry, when i think what i paid for mine all those years back.
There are always Haynes Manuals for Alfasuds for sale on ebay, the instructions for Suds are the same for 33's.....except you don't have to deal with those horrible inboard brakes on 33's.
Just get some sparkies cable wire markers, so you can put back everything from where it came from and take lots of photo's from different angles.
If you decide to do the gearbox out in on its own, just make sure that you use a dummy shaft/broomstick handle to centralise the clutch, if you install a new one.
Also 2 strong pairs of hands help to install the gearbox back in sqaure to the engine.
Cheap gearbox lifts are available to support the gearbox removal and installation, Colin.

[Thevak]

Listen to the master(s)!

Ok so I will do one complete unit. Anyone have a SUD manual I can borrow fo the engine removal section?

Cheers Anthony

[colcol]

Plenty of Sud manuals on Ebay, $13 including delivery for one!, 33 manuals are more expensive in hard copy form, but cheap enough on CD, Colin.

[Thevak]

 Thanks guys,  I sourced a website with digital Alfa 33 manual (and other alfas). Quite detailed. And as I progress  slowly will come up with some useful experiences, however annoying they may be now. Already got some idea when I took the unit out of the donor car.