| Tricord |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 1st 7:37pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Administrator
Post nr. 108
Belgium, Europe
323i Baur |
Boy, what a hectic day today!
I've had torrential rainfalls, sunshine, then rain again! With the car on jacks I couldn't just move it back in the garage with a little push, it's been a very frustrating day so far.
I have attempted to drop the 5-spd gearbox from the 323i and I found the following problems:
How on earth am I to reach the bellhousing bolts? I can't even see how many there are? The clutch slave cylinder upper fixture bolt is also unreachable in my humble opinion.
So far I've disconnected the driveshaft, the speedo cable and the gearbox shifter. I'm considering to attempt to pull the engine with the gearbox still fitted, I think I remember someone doing this on an M20 engine in an E21. Suggestions?
Also, how am I to access the starter and bellhousing nuts with a wrench if I am to drop the gearbox before pulling the engine?
What a horrible day. I think I'm going to read Harry Potter now to compensate  |
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| M42powered |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 1st 7:41pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 97
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
Well... you could undo the transmission supoort bracket and let the tranny slump in the car. This way it would give you more of angle to work with. Then I would use the longest exstension you have, and I do mean long. Maybe a swivel end with some electrical tape wrapped around it. The electrical tape keeps it straight as you line up the socket with the bolt and then will flex and bend if you need the swivel to do anything.
I always thought you could remove the starter without the transmission. I don't know, I removed my little M10 and big automatic all at one time. Those bellhousing bolts are a beeocth though. |
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| Tricord |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 1st 8:10pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Administrator
Post nr. 110
Belgium, Europe
323i Baur |
The problem is, if I drop the gearbox too low to get an angle, the back of the cylinder head crushes the firewall. I will try again tomorrow, and though it may help reaching the clutch slave cylinder nut, I don't see how I can reach the bellhousing bolts any better.
It is obvious that pulling the engine if the gearbox has been removed is easy and straightforward. I think I just developed a personal apprehension of M20 gearboxes... |
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| RDAvena |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 1st 8:26pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 72
SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
1981 323i, 1988 545is, 1997 528i |
Tri do it the way BMW put the car together but in reverse order. Undo the tranny mount and all of the connections. Then loosen the top strut mount bolts. Undo the subframe from the unibody rails and drop it as one unit. Then it would just be a matter of picking up the front end and wheeling it back on the rear wheels. out of the way. Simple, efficient and in BMW tradition.  |
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| Tricord |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 1st 11:30pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Administrator
Post nr. 111
Belgium, Europe
323i Baur |
I think I'll follow the advice I got today from the guy I borrowed the engine hoist from.
He too says you can pull the engine without removing the gearbox. I went to fetch the hoist this evening, and it looks like it can lift a friggin tank 
I'm feeling better about tomorrow. I'll try Nic's trick with the angle to loosen the clutch slave cylinder, and after that it's pulling time!
I still have to find an engine stand, but for now it looks like I can easily move it around with the hoist (it runs on very smooth and oiled wheels). Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll update tomorrow.
On a sidenote, I'm going to get some body parts tomorrow (hood, spoiler, bumper, grilles, wings, trunklid, etc). Tomorrow can't be worse than today. Lets see what the weather forecast says |
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