Some tips and tricks I learned from getting clutch out of vehicle Skoda Octavia year 2000 Last change 2013-Oct-11 I bought Haynes manual for a starter. That s something well worth it s cost I believe. So following I will NOT describe all steps done to finish. More like the parts of work that I had some problems with. Since Haynes is not always totally 100% applicable on any model and some things you have to really think hard for yourself he he. The tricks will be basically in the order I took it all apart. Tools You need to get 17 mm allen key to drain the gearbox (plug bolt) XZN triple square key #8 for removing drive shaft bolts. DON T try any other type of key. You ll ruin the bolts most probably. Motor lift bar. Really most nice to have. Especially if you do most work on your own All other kind of tools needed I already had. Tricky #1 Splash shield under motor This peace of cake part had me puzzled for a while and finally to make a stupid mistake. Just a number of torx screws to remove. Just that from under car I could see the screws holding the main splash in the upper part of screen. And just could not for the world see a way to get to those screws from within motor compartment. So this is when I got too clever he he. Removing the front wheels I could see the screws sideways. WTF just cut them off and I can use new screws from below when I reassemble. When I got the whole screen down I realized those screws where like welded into body. And with special nut/bricks. So all I should have done was just to pull harder down until screw let go Those ones marked red in Pic 1
Picture 1 The special nut/brick locations Picture 2 those special nut/bricks Here s the one I cut off with a metal saw blade. Bad idea he he
Tricky #2 Take apart the mechanics between gear stick and gear selection rod (into gearbox) The instructions where in the Haynes allright but not totally spot on to understand it. Of course it was all totally clear once job was done. A bit hard to see all parts before you got it out of car. So picture below might help out for us first timers Picture 3 Mechanics between gear stick shaft and gear selector shaft (on gear box) 1. Get lock thingy off 2. Disconnect ball joint (just brute force ) 3. Disengage, turn 90 degrees, I put a little oil there to make it more easy 4. Same as 3 5. Brute force on ball joint, as for 6 and 7 5,6,7 is hard to get to. I used a nylon ribbon so I could pull them off from top of engine department Tricky #3 Get drive shaft bolts off A little hard to get place for the proper tools, working from under the car. I had good use for all of the tools in Pic 4. Start with seating all wheel bolts ¼ way in (wheels off). Then you can use a long screwdriver or the like to have the drive shaft good locked when you unscrew bolts. For each bolt off you turn drive shaft 1/5 of a full turn to get a good lock and position for next bolt. Basically having bolt towards back of car gave me best room for tools.
Picture 4 Tools for the drive shaft bolts The 10 mm special wrench in Pic 4 is a favorite of mine. Very useful when there is little space. Came in handy for the drive shaft bolts ;) Also notice I had short and long one XZN keys #8 (in the kit I bought). Had good use for both!
Picture 5 Easy way to fasten drive shaft Tricky #4 Gear box off motor Lessons learned: 1. I did NOT have to disengage any part of exhaust or cat (Which Haynes says you have to) 2. I HAD to remove the RH drive ax flange (Which Haynes says you MIGHT have to) 3. RH drive ax up or down during removal On 2, the RH flange get caught on the flying wheel. It was real hard for me to realize this. You can t really see it like easy when you try to pull gear box out of motor. It was only after bringing my son in that I could see this. Tried both get gear box off and on by myself. None worked. So get a partner for that. Just the super mechs that will do it 1 man job. Even if I invested som $150 in this motor lift thing
Good points to connect chain on both motor and gear box Little funny thing I had with #2 trying to remove the RH drive ax flange. There is a bolt fine in the middle of flange to disengage Just that with all the grease around I thought first it was a normal bolt, trying all my sockets. Finally I realized it was a allen key socket he he. Also on that when I put the bolt back I had to use a plier to get flange enough into gear box to get threads to engage. Just about managed to have it engage. Then last on #3 he he I m not sure any more but it s important to decide on if you want to get LH drive ax low as possible or high as possible before you pull gear box out of motor. I think the way to go is to have it low as possible but don t take my word on that