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MG Midget and Sprite General - Replacing Gearbox

I will be replacing the Gearbox sometime in the next couple of weeks. I will be doing a rebuild on the old one due to synchro issue in third gear.
Does anybody have any tips, tricks or recommendations for doing this in an orderly fashion.
I have seen this should take about 2 hours our and three hours back in.
Does this seem reasonable.
Thanks,
Allan (soon to have a 4 speed midget)
Allan Jacks

Allen,
I've had mine out a couple of times, and found the Harbor Freight 3/4 ton Load Leveller to be handy.
I use a chain hoist from my garage cieling, and with this attachment It's an easy one man job
Phil
Phil Burke

G'day Allan,
I don't have any tips on the repairs to the gearbox but if you can fit a front oil seal on the input shaft front cover, my gearbox fixauppura machined one into the exsisting cover for me on Budgie. I can suggest some things on the engine and gearbox removal.
Mark around the bonnet 'hood' hinges, I use a chainagraph pencil as it is soft and won't damage the paint and is easily removed. It is easier to take the bonnet off with help. Place towels on the body to rest the hood on when removing it. Stand the bonnet on 'OLD' towels cover with 'OLD' bed sheets and tie off to a secure location away from your work area. Disconnect the earth 'ground' cable from the battery first. don't forget the engine earth cable 'been there done that'. Use proper axle stands while working underneath. Drain the gearbox oil early in the proceeding and do other tasks and if it's breezy shield the draining oil the mongrel wind drifts just outside the drain bowl.
Just a couple of tips to start with if you need any more just holler. I've done it a few times as have a lot of these fab folk who post here.

Phil
PRC Cuthbert

Allan, slightly off the line of your enquiry, but depending on mileage, consider replacing the clutch plate and thrust bearing whilst the engine and gearbox is out. For the extra cost of the parts it can be well worth it.

Your time guestimates should be about right - or maybe generous. If all the bolts and fasteners are in good, as new condition, some skilled folk will do a remove in under an hour and back in in about 45 mins! My best times are 1 hour out and 1 1/4 hours to put it back together again.

Guy
Guy

Good call Guy. It's false ecconomy not to on any car while the 'box is out as it doesn't entail much more labour and especially on these cars with the carbon release bearing.

Bernie.
b higginson

useful tip - fix a bag on the end of the gearbox before taking it out, means that the oil that's escaped the draining doesnt fall out the back of the 'box when you lift the engine out :)
Rob Armstrong

"useful tip - fix a bag on the end of the gearbox before taking it out"

Now ask me why my Honda trunk still smells of
tranny fluid more than ten years after transporting
my Datsun tranny home from the junkyard. Shoulda
had a bag!!
chuckc

Thanks for the information.
Seem I don't intend it to come out for a while, was the gearbox painted black when it went in new. The one I got as black paint in area and not sure if this was something PO did or if it was original.
Allan
Allan Jacks

Oh and on that subject should I paint the engine while it is out.
Allan
Allan Jacks

Allan,

One of the things I do is to disconnect the slave cylinder and speedometer cable while I'm pulling everything. The slave is much easier to get at when you've pulled the gearbox a bit away from the frame rails as is the cable. And I do both from the top. Saves busted knuckles and greasy dirt balls in your eyes. Reconnect them as you're putting things back in. If you're doing the clutch, check the pilot bushing in the end of the crank. Other than that, others have covered everything.
Martin Washington

Allen,
the first time I had my engine out was for the clutch. It took almost a month, because i cleaned up the engine bay, replaceed every accesable gasket, rebuilt the heater,hoses, paint, etc.
Plan on doing more than you first intend, when you see how accesable everything is w/ an empty engine bay and the engine on a stand, you'll want to paint everything and then some
Phil Burke

Alan, I agree with your original estimate AND with Phil's estimate.

For a quickie R & R, you can do it in a few hours.
On the other hand, for a chance to clean everything, replace peripheral things that are handy to get at when the engine is out (clutch slave and flex hose, water pump. lower radiator hoses, radiator, replace U joints and stuff like that), it can take several weekends.

To paint everything too, the time goes up that much more.



Norm
Norm Kerr

This thread was discussed between 17/06/2011 and 18/06/2011

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