Splitting The Renault Gearbox Halves...

[cweeden]

Hi All,

I have an ongoing problem with my gearbox and it is due to be inspected next week. I have been asked to split the box before inspection. I have read the service notes and it lists removing 5th gear before splitting the casing.

Is this really necessary?

Also do I need to use the Lotus tool to remove the castellated differential bearing nut or is there a common tool that will work safely?

Many thanks

-Chris

[glynherron]

Hi All,

I have an ongoing problem with my gearbox and it is due to be inspected next week. I have been asked to split the box before inspection. I have read the service notes and it lists removing 5th gear before splitting the casing.

Is this really necessary?

Also do I need to use the Lotus tool to remove the castellated differential bearing nut or is there a common tool that will work safely?

Many thanks

-Chris

Hi Chris

I am no gearbox expert but I have split the two halves leaving the 5th gears in place.

With regards to the diff nut, I used a couple of allen keys in the castellations and a bar between them. To get it started I used an aluminium drift and tapped it round. Remember to mark its relative position to the gearbox casing.

Glyn

[pitstoppete]

yes. remove rear cover, extract both gears/5th syncro parts and clamp plate. 30mm and 36mm sockets needed. lock two gears together to undo these. (puller for at least one of the gears needed)

no need to use special tool for preload adjustment castle nut, although the rear tool would be useful i suppose. match mark it to the casing to nut with centre punch, rig up a piece of flat bar or some sort of tool to remove it. technically speaking its unneccesary to loosen, as it probably be going back together the same.

what is the symptom?

[cweeden]

After reading more of the manual I think I have answered my own question.

There is a section (FG.20) which details the primary shaft input oil seal replacement. In this section it states that it is sufficient to remove the bearing retaining plate bolts and let the plate hang loose. Then it is possible to seperate the cases.

I do still need to know if I can remove the diff castellated nut without a special tool though?

cheers

-Chris

Looks like I should have refreshed my browser, sorry I didn't see the posts before adding my note. Doh!

Thanks for the idea of the allen keys I will check it out and see how confident I feel before applying too much pressure. :-)

The problem I have is related to the upgrade I had done last year.

I wanted the Derek Bell upgrade and this had been outsourced to Jack Knight Developments who had a good reputation for quality engineering work.

This reputation seems to have been falsley achieved and it was almost impossible to select 1st or 2nd gear after the modifications. I was also extremely disappointed with the service I received from Jack Knights and so am not sorry that they have gone bust!

I thought it might be due to linkage problems but my trusted mechanics at D&H Autos in Woking were unable to improve the quality of the shift.

I then emailed Derek Bell to see if he had any ideas what might be causing it. He too had an opinion of Jack Knights which I won't share as it is not my place but it turns out that they had not followed his design closely enough and he advised me not to drive it as I might damage other things! I don't think I was the only Jack Knight customer affected either.

Derek has kindly agreed to inspect the gearbox and let me know what needs to be done to resolve the problems if indeed it can be salvaged.

Needless to say I wish I hadn't started with all of this but now I have to see it through to a conclusion especially as I don't have the original parts to be able to return it back to standard.

cheers

-Chris

[Jonathan]

Yeah you can remove the castle nut.

The Lotus tool is pretty expensive as opposed to buying another castelated nut and using that to drive the other one around !

I bought mine from SJ and it has a spare oil seal in there as well so it works out a LOT cheaper.

Drill 2 bolts into the new nut and use a prise bar inbetween them to drive the nut - works perfectly and you wont end up bashing the lugs off !

Glad you talked to Derek,

Derek Bell = bloody nice bloke

[pitstoppete]

arhhhh. I see the problem a bit clearer now. another jack knight customer. 1st and 2nd are machined on the input shaft, so maybe there is a tolerance problem going on there....

if its coming apart big style for a check over u are going to want the separate all the gears, so maybe a total strip is called for.

if theres bearing damage at the front of the OUTPUT shaft, this could be badddd news.

have u any idea what they have done to it without taking apart? just the input shaft mod?

I have 3 boxes here on the go and have got some spares.

post again when there is some news.

[cweeden]

arhhhh. I see the problem a bit clearer now. another jack knight customer. 1st and 2nd are machined on the input shaft, so maybe there is a tolerance problem going on there....

if its coming apart big style for a check over u are going to want the separate all the gears, so maybe a total strip is called for.

if theres bearing damage at the front of the OUTPUT shaft, this could be badddd news.

have u any idea what they have done to it without taking apart? just the input shaft mod?

I have 3 boxes here on the go and have got some spares.

post again when there is some news.

Derek is going to inspect and measure various bits and pieces. He has asked me to split the gearbox ready for him but did not mention any further stripping at this time. I do however expect that once he has diagnosed the problem remedial work will be needed or there is still the possibility that it is junk! So I am playing a waiting game before I get really pi$$ed off!

Edited April 5, 2007 by cweeden

[cweeden]

Hi All,

I am part of the way through splitting the gearbox and I am stuck on two bolts that are holding the clutch housing to the 'box.

Most of the bolts go from the clutch side and are bolted driectly to the gerabox but there are two which come from outside of the gearbox into the clutch housing and are secured with a washer and a nut. These bolts are directly in line with the drive shafts.

The question is are they bolted into the clutch housing (bell housing) and then locked in place with the washer and nut or are they pushed through the clutch housing and secured only with the washer and nut?

I have removed the nut and washer from within the clutch housing but I am unable to undo the bolts themselves. There is no room to get a socket onto them (the casing prevents this) and so an open ended spanner is the only option. It also looks as if the casing may preven the bolt from turning also which makes me think they might just be pushed into place, however everything else tells me they are threaded into place and the fact that I am struggleing to turn them means that sods law dictates that they are threaded into place. :-)

With these two bolts still in place the clutch housing is still pretty secure so I think I know the answer, I guess I am in denial. :-)

Some advice please from someone who has been there before?

cheers

-Chris

[Jonathan]

ie the nut in the bottom right ?

There are just pegs, once the other bolts and the nut and washer are off the bell housing can be removed. When I done mine these bolts were left in place.

You can just about see it with the nut in place here :

You might have to 'tap' it with a rubber hammer, usually some of the case sealant seeps onto that join as well and makes it semi tricky to remove.

[cweeden]

ie the nut in the bottom right ?

There are just pegs, once the other bolts and the nut and washer are off the bell housing can be removed. When I done mine these bolts were left in place.

You can just about see it with the nut in place here :

You might have to 'tap' it with a rubber hammer, usually some of the case sealant seeps onto that join as well and makes it semi tricky to remove.

Thanks Jonathan I will attack this in the morning and I am very relieved they don't need to be removed. :-)

Cheers

-Chris

[cweeden]

I successfully managed to free the clutch cover from the gearbox after some continued persuasion with some blocks of wood and a large hammer. The gearbox is now in two halves ready for inspection. I am a little concerned though as the oil was very clearly muddied with aluminium filings, visible as silver/grey streaks in the oil. It is not obvious where this has come from but considering I have probably done less than 200 miles on the modified gearbox it is clearly a problem.

I will keep you posted with Derek's prognosis.

Thanks for the help.

cheers

-Chris