ENGINE AND GEARBOX REMOVAL
I have had a few emails mostly from members of the JUSTKAMPERS FORUM asking for information on how I took Max's engine out so here's how I do it.
First the nanny bit PLEASE DO NOT GET UNDER A VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPORTED ONLY ON A JACK BUY A PAIR OF RAMPS OR AXLE STANDS THEY ARE CHEAPER THAN A FUNERAL AND A LOT MORE USEFUL
These notes are for type 2 vans with 1600cc engines, The procedure is similar for the 1700/2000cc engined vans but the dreaded top starter motor bolt is easier. I have not removed an engine from Type 25 air or water cooled but you may find what you want Here.
I always take the engine and gearbox out as one unit as I personally find it easier but ill cover both an engine out by itself and both units together. Tools you will need, a socket set or a selection of decent double ended spanners, Trolley jack, normal jack, if you are taking just the engine out on a early bay you will need a length of chain, rope or another jack to support the gearbox. If you are taking the gearbox out as well you will also need a pair of side cutters, a torx or hex bit to fit the drive shaft couplings (hex bit is normally 6mm but do check it) you will also need some 1 inch masking tape and a piece of ply about 6x2 feet. A workshop manual. WD40, An extra pair of hands with body attached,
1 Put the rear of the van up on axle stands or ramps slide the piece of ply under the van beneath the engine/gearbox. (This step is optional).
2 First of all if you are removing the gearbox slide underneath with your WD40 and give the drive shaft coupling bolts a good dose. Label and remove the reversing switch wires from the forward end of the gearbox, cut the wire which is through the small bolt that secures the gear lever linkage to the box and undo the bolt, With your accomplice moving the gear lever, use a lever to part the linkage then screw the bolt back so you do not lose it. Disconnect the wires from the starter motor. You can now drain the oil from the gearbox and engine if you want to save a few pounds when moving the unit. Finally give the coupling bolts another dose of WD40 and slide yourself out.
3 Disconnect your battery. Remove the air filter, if it is an oil bath type keep it upright or you will have oil every where. Clamp and remove the fuel line from the pump. Remove all the electrical wires from the carb, coil etc use the masking tape to mark where they come from. Disconnect the throttle cable. Remove the seal around the tinware/ engine bay gap and remove the large piece of tinware at the back of the engine (nearest the rear of the van) you will also have to remove the air pipes between the fan housing and the heat exchangers to do this. I do not remove anything else from the engine but if you wish you can remove the heat exchangers and the silencer, also the carb.
4 If you are removing gearbox and engine as a unit goto 5. If you are just removing the engine. Put your trolley jack under the engine with a piece of wood to protect the crankcase and just take the weight. Slide under the van with your head towards the front. To your left you should see a bolt at the bottom edge of the bell housing and its twin on the right remove them (17mm socket or spanner), Look up above the right one and you should see another 17mm bolt but it may be a nut on a stud remove it. Now the one that is a pain and one of the reasons I normally take the easy option and remove the gearbox as well. Slide out and get your accomplice in your place armed with a hammer or something similar. Looking at the engine armed with a 17mm ring spanner have a grope behind the right side of the fan housing and locate a 17mm nut and put your spanner on it, Now pray to the gods of VW and remove the nut whilst your friend uses the hammer shaft to jam the head of the top bolt of the starter motor in place (it does not have a normal bolt head but a funny shaped one), If it is very tight try DOING the nut UP a small amount this will sometimes help them undo. If you have an early bay support the gearbox now with what ever you intend using (I normally use a bottle jack). Now slide out and look at the back of the engine you should see a large steel square bar going from left to right, undo the bolts at each end. Now rock the engine axially and pull it backwards about 5/6 inches until the input shaft clears the clutch assembly then lower away. If you have not put the back of the van in the air jack it up 5 or 6 inches and pull your engine out VOILA!!!!.Now you can go to the rebuilding your engine part for that.
5If you are removing the gearbox and engine together slide back underneath and position your trolley jack under the joint of the engine/bell housing (you will need a U shaped block made from 3 separate pieces to bridge the bell housing so you are jacking on the front of the engine and the rear of the gearbox). Take the weight of the unit on the jack. Look above the bell housing and you will see two 17mmbolts going through a cross member loosen them but don't remove them. Next remove the drive shafts from the gearbox (and the rear wheels if you want to service them) put thick plastic bags over the ends to stop rust or fine grit getting into the CV joints fasten with masking tape and let them rest down wards out of the way (when you have removed the engine slide underneath and tie them up roughly in there normal position so the bottom CV joints don't get strained. Now decide if you will remove the unit with the back of the van in the air or on the ground choice is yours, I normally do it with the van on its wheels. Now remove the two bolts you loosened above the bell housing, At the front of the gearbox is another mounting with two 17mm nuts remove them. At the back of the engine find the long bar which goes from left to right and remove the bolts from the ends. You now have to drop the unit about 2 inches so the top of the bell housing comes out of the cross member then pull the unit backwards so that the gear linkage input cone on the front of the gearbox is free of the large pipe structure which is part of the rear suspension then lower away and jack up the rear of the van to pull the unit out if needed VOILA!!!! Now you can split the box from the engine with easy access to that top nut on the starter motor. I find a piece of wood about 1.25" thick supports the gearbox level with the engine when its still got the heat exchangers attached. Now you can go to the rebuilding your engine part.
Refitting the engine or engine/gearbox unit is a reversal of the above except if you are just refitting an engine do it with the van on its wheels until you have the rear mounting bolts and the three easy bolts round the bell housing in, Then put the van on stands and refit the top starter motor bolt
The dirty beast out.
If you wish you can EMAIL me or if your desperate ring on 01375 407151 if you find any mistakes or want anything clarified
