getting ready to swap tranny

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I've replaced all the leaky seals in the ACN tranny that I bought recently so it's almost ready to be swapped out the AVX in my 92 Ecodiesel. No lift access. Will ramps work or will I need to turn the wheels during tranny removal? I have an engine support bar, the kind that rests on the fender. Any tips and tricks? Will try to do the swap in the next week or 2.

[R.O.R-2.0]

put it up on ramps. you can do most of the work from above, if you are BIG enough..

like was mentioned, its very easy to leave the trans attached by an upper bell bolt, then come in from under the hood, take out the bolt, slide the trans off the engine, and lower it to the ground, thru the engine bay..

you can support the engine with a jack under the drivers side of the oil pan, or with your engine support bar. ive always used a jack.

if at all possible, leave the rear ENGINE mount attached.. then the engine will be supported by something, rather than just hanging there..

be ready to twist/turn the trans to get it off of, and back on to the engine..

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Do I just take off the 6 XZN axle bolts off both flanges? Axles do not need to be pulled is that right? They won't get in the way?

[CRSMP5]

i pull the axles... at min the drivers side... ball joint has to come apart for that on a mk2... next.. on pass side the axle flange needs removed to get it out with ease... if 90mm... if 100mm has to come off no matter what...

so ramps no working to remove drivers axel..

[bbob203]

when i pulled an engine on a 91 few weeks ago all i had to do trans wise was remove mount brackets and the axle flange bolts.i pushed the axles out the way once loose

[billybobf]

weird, we just changed a cv on an mk2 but I guess we lowered the tire, but didnt touch the ball joint.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

So which is it???  One says to use ramps, other says ramps won't work.

Don't forget, I am pulling the tranny only! Not engine and tranny together.

[rs899]

When I did mine, I think I left the axles on at the hubs.  The big problem was clearancing that blasted bump on the driver's side, rear of the subframe.  I removed the front subframe beam ( the bit that the front motor mount goes on).  You will need to twist the engine so that it points a bit toward the front driver's corner to get the tranny past the subframe protrusion.

I found the MKII nastier than the MkI to do this....

[CRSMP5]

you dont have to trust/belive me... ive only been doing clutches on vws since i was 10.... just rember 1 thing... 2 items cannot take up the same physical space... if you think the axle will not be in the way for you to slide the tranny off.. go for it.. i prefer ease...

on a mk1 no ball joint issue.. mk2.. it sometimes possible.. but again.. 1 pinchbolt = ease.. why fight it... jackstand.. out of way.. ramp.. i find to be in way..

long ago.. till 100mm joints you actually loosened up and dropped subframe... so you could twist the tranny to clear the flywheel with 90mm joint cup still on tranny... when 100mm came about and does not clear flywheel figured out removing the tranny cup eliminated that.. why i suggest removing the pass side cv cup off tranny... slide out and off the clutch and off it comes with ease..

so do as you wish.. rember my tips as well you can "still do them" once stuck beating your head on the wall... takes me 3-4hr for r&r and clutch job with seals on a mk2... thats with pulling both axles, the drive cup on jack stands with support bar for engine..

also another reason ramps= fail.... xzn bolts on axles... really want to turn the wheel so you can get to all the bolts with ease...

[bbob203]

in my opinion ramps are a pain inless all your doing is an oil change. just use jackstands you lose no advantage by using them ramps you might regret not being able to spin wheels.

[billybobf]

I must comment again,

 GO WITH STANDS IF YOU CAN I was using stands so I shouldnt have commented that I "thought" ramps would be good.  ALSO, if I could go back and do it again, I didnt need to pull the pinch bolt to change the CV axle, but I wish I would have! and I wish I had some anti seize to put on it. I tried to pull it, it didnt come, so I left it together and just pulled the shaft. on something like that, if youve got time, space and tools, doesnt hurt to make it more likely to come apart when you NEED it to.

[R.O.R-2.0]

So which is it???  One says to use ramps, other says ramps won't work.

Don't forget, I am pulling the tranny only! Not engine and tranny together.

i leave the axles there, just un-bolt the drive flanges, and hang the axles from some bailing wire..

and do it on ramps..

if you take the axles out, or remove the pinch bolts, then its easier to do it on stands..

use your support bar, hook it to the DRIVERS SIDE of the head only.

and remove the front engine, and rear trans mount, and lower the engine/trans down a bit..

remove trans...


there were a few parts left out, but they will become real apparent once you get in there..

its a VERY simple job..

[rodpaslow]

92 Jetta, I don't know if you have 90mm or 100mm, I've taken out 90mm without removing the flange from the tranny (pass side).  If it's 100mm it needs to be removed to get it out.  You may be able to support it just off the ground after the axles have dropped away.  You can use a jack if you have one to pull the ball joints, get the cv out of the way and then stick it back on the ramp after the ball joint is bolted back in place.  It's not real good for the wheel bearings, as long as it's not moved it should be okay.  Plan on 2 litres of tranny oil req'd.

I agree with the jack-stands.  Makes the job a 4 hr one, not an all weekend job.

[fatmobile]

Drain it first, especially if you are going to pull a flange.
 and x2 on the need to lower that end of the engine before you can pull trany past the wheel well.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

i leave the axles there, just un-bolt the drive flanges, and hang the axles from some bailing wire..

and do it on ramps..

if you take the axles out, or remove the pinch bolts, then its easier to do it on stands..

use your support bar, hook it to the DRIVERS SIDE of the head only.

and remove the front engine, and rear trans mount, and lower the engine/trans down a bit..

remove trans...


there were a few parts left out, but they will become real apparent once you get in there..

its a VERY simple job..

With wheels on ramps, how do I get the flange XZN bolts out? When I pulled the passenger axle to drill the exh manifold for an EGT probe, the only way to get those bolts (with good access) was to do each at 6 o'clock meaning I had to turn the wheel 6 times.