Reaper
Tells it like it is.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2004
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- 6,493
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- SE Suburbs, Melbourne
- Members Ride
- RG Z71 Colorado, 120 Prado , VDJ200, Vantage
I've done this a few times lately and have found a few tricks along the way that makes the whole thing a ton easier. You can cut some corners but in the long run they usually cost more time (trust me I have tried all of them!)
Ok - my car is a VP 5 Litre with Pacemaker extractors. Some other extractors may not be a problem but most will be in the way.
Before the car is lifted, Number the plug leads and remove them from the plugs and sit them on the injectors out of the way. Remove the plugs and then unscrew the outer most extractor bolts (11mm metric) 1/2 way. Undo the 6 bolts inbetween. The extractors will be just hanging on the outer bolts now.
Next get a 9/16 open ender/ring spaner and reach down the rear of the block about 12" above the starter motor. There is a gearbox bolt here - undo it now (once it is cracked you should be able to undo it by hand). Also unplug the 02 sensor from the loom which is in this area.
Go inside the car and unscrew the shifter knob and then unclip the surround from the centre console. Remove the rubber boot under it and the bolts for the shifter can be seen. Undo the 2 you can get to. Don't worry about the rest we will come back to them later.
Raise the car as high as you can get it. I have 4 axle stands from supercrap which do the job nicely.
Once the car is in the air, undo the gearbox drain plug and drain all the oil into a container (there will probably be just over 2 liters). Get a 7/8" open ender spanner and unscrew the 02 sensor (l/h side on the bottom of the extractor) and put it somewhere safe. Unbolt the "Y" pipe and remove it. Also remove the l/h extractor. The r/h is fine just dangling there.
Grab a 19mm spanner and socket and undo the 2 bolts that hold the steering rack in place (spanner on the nuts to the top). Don't forget to undo the steering column (12/13mm from memory). Pull the rack off it's mounting and just let it hang there.
Move to the back of the car and undo the tailshaft bolts (16mm). You just need to undo the nuts and hold the bolt against the diff flange with your finger. Once they are cracked they undo pretty easy. I replaced the nuts with 17mm (same thread though) as I didn't have a spanner that fitted it correctly and they get rounded off easily.
Undo the tailshaft in the centre (2 x 1/2" bolts) and slide the whole thing out. Move to the back of the box and unplug the reverse light wires (two plugs on the l/h side of the box) and the speedo thing (white plug on the r/h side). Remove the rear loop thing just below the back of the box (4 x 1/2" bolts).
Unwind the clutch cable adjuster and remove the cable from the fork.
Place a jack under the box to take it's weight and undo the cross member bolts that go into the chassis (19/32" socket). Slowly let the jack down a bit so the back of the box is lowered. This doesn't do your engine mounts much good so try to keep it to a minimum time wise.
Jump back into the cabin and undo the last of the shifter bolts (12mm?) and pull the ****er straight up. The plate and all comes up.
Move down under the car again with every extension you can find. (I use 3 x 12") and a 9/16 socket + ratchet. Undo the bell housing bolts you can easily get to using one extension. I have found the easiest way to get the 4 top bolts is to lay 3 exensions along the top of the box and crack them from the back of the box. Once they are started you should be able to undo them with your fingers easy enough.
Now how strong are you? I just lay under the box with my strong arm to the front of the car. With my left (weaker arm) I wiggle the box of the dowles and bench press it onto my chest. You may need to twist it clockwise (looking from the front of the car) to get the clutch cable support casting around the r/h extractor. From there I sort of twist myself from under the box and slide it onto the ground.
Putting it back in is similar but there are some tricks that I'll post tomorrow. Hope this helps somebody.
Reaper
Ok - my car is a VP 5 Litre with Pacemaker extractors. Some other extractors may not be a problem but most will be in the way.
Before the car is lifted, Number the plug leads and remove them from the plugs and sit them on the injectors out of the way. Remove the plugs and then unscrew the outer most extractor bolts (11mm metric) 1/2 way. Undo the 6 bolts inbetween. The extractors will be just hanging on the outer bolts now.
Next get a 9/16 open ender/ring spaner and reach down the rear of the block about 12" above the starter motor. There is a gearbox bolt here - undo it now (once it is cracked you should be able to undo it by hand). Also unplug the 02 sensor from the loom which is in this area.
Go inside the car and unscrew the shifter knob and then unclip the surround from the centre console. Remove the rubber boot under it and the bolts for the shifter can be seen. Undo the 2 you can get to. Don't worry about the rest we will come back to them later.
Raise the car as high as you can get it. I have 4 axle stands from supercrap which do the job nicely.
Once the car is in the air, undo the gearbox drain plug and drain all the oil into a container (there will probably be just over 2 liters). Get a 7/8" open ender spanner and unscrew the 02 sensor (l/h side on the bottom of the extractor) and put it somewhere safe. Unbolt the "Y" pipe and remove it. Also remove the l/h extractor. The r/h is fine just dangling there.
Grab a 19mm spanner and socket and undo the 2 bolts that hold the steering rack in place (spanner on the nuts to the top). Don't forget to undo the steering column (12/13mm from memory). Pull the rack off it's mounting and just let it hang there.
Move to the back of the car and undo the tailshaft bolts (16mm). You just need to undo the nuts and hold the bolt against the diff flange with your finger. Once they are cracked they undo pretty easy. I replaced the nuts with 17mm (same thread though) as I didn't have a spanner that fitted it correctly and they get rounded off easily.
Undo the tailshaft in the centre (2 x 1/2" bolts) and slide the whole thing out. Move to the back of the box and unplug the reverse light wires (two plugs on the l/h side of the box) and the speedo thing (white plug on the r/h side). Remove the rear loop thing just below the back of the box (4 x 1/2" bolts).
Unwind the clutch cable adjuster and remove the cable from the fork.
Place a jack under the box to take it's weight and undo the cross member bolts that go into the chassis (19/32" socket). Slowly let the jack down a bit so the back of the box is lowered. This doesn't do your engine mounts much good so try to keep it to a minimum time wise.
Jump back into the cabin and undo the last of the shifter bolts (12mm?) and pull the ****er straight up. The plate and all comes up.
Move down under the car again with every extension you can find. (I use 3 x 12") and a 9/16 socket + ratchet. Undo the bell housing bolts you can easily get to using one extension. I have found the easiest way to get the 4 top bolts is to lay 3 exensions along the top of the box and crack them from the back of the box. Once they are started you should be able to undo them with your fingers easy enough.
Now how strong are you? I just lay under the box with my strong arm to the front of the car. With my left (weaker arm) I wiggle the box of the dowles and bench press it onto my chest. You may need to twist it clockwise (looking from the front of the car) to get the clutch cable support casting around the r/h extractor. From there I sort of twist myself from under the box and slide it onto the ground.
Putting it back in is similar but there are some tricks that I'll post tomorrow. Hope this helps somebody.
Reaper