TheSamba.com :: View topic - Advice needed on transmission mount replacement please

Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:41 am

Hi,

Now that my 1966 VW Bug 1300 has a new clutch, TO bearing & fork, oil seals, and new engine to body seals, the poor old car shakes like a wet dog when I start out in 1st or I downshift and the clutch is partially engaged.

The Bowden cable has the proper amount of "sag" and I think I know what the problem is -- the (40 year old) front transmission mount is shot and needs replacing. When the clutch is engaging, the dry-rotted rubber mount lets the transmission nosecone move up and down, rapidly.

I would really like to fix this problem WITHOUT dropping the engine, since it just took me a month of sundays to do the aforementioned repairs. I know many of you can drop and reinstall and engine in under and hour, and that I probably should replace the rear mounts as well, but I was thinking... "wouldn't it be great if I could simply remove the rear apron tin, slide the engine back enough to remove and squeeze in a new front transmission mount, and bolt it back together"

Is it possible to replace the front transmission mount without removing the engine? If so, how?

Thank you,

Paul
1966 VW 1300 bug

Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:43 am

ptspringer wrote:
Is it possible to replace the front transmission mount without removing the engine?

Are you talking about the mount at the nose cone? If so i've been told it can be done, but i've never seen it done.

The rear mounts require the engine to come out.

Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:50 am

Yes, the mount I want to replace is at the nosecone at the front of the transmission. I know that the rear transmission mount bolts go through the bell housing. I am not anxious to be reaquainted with the bell housing interior, so I thought I'd just replace the front mount, untill I had a real reason to drop the engine.

So you have heard it's possible to slide back the whole engine and transmision? Sounds promising..

Paul

Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:52 am

I think it's possible with IRS since there's more movement with the double jointed axles. Your 68 is a swingaxle and it might not move back enough.

Sat Aug 05, 2006 12:02 pm

Hi Glenn,

"your (66) is a swing axle and it might not move back enough."

I hope it will, because I'd have that issue even if I removed the engine. I bet there is enough clearance with the axles, but I'm not sure what all I need to loosen to get the engine and tranny to slide back.

Paul

Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:04 pm

OK.

Anybody that has replaced a front tranny mount, please pipe in if this sounds wrong.

What would be wrong if I:

1.) Disconnect battery, heater cables, clutch cable and wiring stuff that would interfere with moving engine towards rear.

2.) remove tin at rear of engine.

3.) jack up engine/tranny to support it when moved rearwards.

4.) remove bolts from transmisson mount connected to the wishbone.

5.) remove bolts from front tranny mount

6.) hope that the tranny/engine will move rearward enough to swap forward mount. (anything else I need to disconnect?)

7.) remove old mount

8.) install new mount & reconnect the engine by reversing procedure

Please suggest corrections to this, or is it pretty straight forward?

Thank you.

Paul

Sat Aug 05, 2006 7:48 pm

It is easier/faster to pull the engine and do the mount than trying to fight it the other way . You also need to unbolt axles from the spring plates (don't forget to mark alignment) and loosen e-brake cables . Another thing to check , that could be causing your shakes , the springplate bushings . TROY

Sat Aug 05, 2006 8:53 pm

I agree with teeroy... only becuase I did fight it the way you want to... no ITS NOT EASIER!!! Now that that is off my chest. Be extremely careful. The engine in the rear makes it a pain. One step you left off is the shift linkage. Lift up your back seat and your see a little access panel on the hump of the pan. Open that up and undo the screw in there. Dont loose it!

If you can actually get that done like that you will wish you just dropped the engine and replaced the rear mounts too. I ended up dropping me engine out about 3 weeks later anyway. Good luck

Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:11 pm

Tried that once myself. After wrestling with the trans for a few hours, I removed the engine, and just set it on the ground, still under the car. I still had to remove the spring plate bolts to get the trans to move far enough to get the new mount on. Had I done that at first, It would have been done in half the time, easily. Please learn from my mistakes! 8)

Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:38 am

Hey Paul
Yes you can replace the front tranny mount with out removing tne engine, but it can be difficult. I would say to go ahead and give it a try, I have done it several times and I can do it under an hour if theier isn't 40 years of gunk. Dont forget to remove the clutch cable wing nut also. You want to have someone help you pry the engine and tranny back when it comes time to slip the old mount out and new one in.

Good luck

Mario
Vintage Werks restorations

Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:56 am

Thank you all for your help on this project. It sounds like I should drop the engine to make the job easier, and do the rear mounts at the same time.

I will add these key steps to the procedure:

Drop engine

Undo shifting linkage without losing the screw

Unbolt axle from spring plate (mark the alignment)
(do you mean the alignment of the axle on the spring plate?)

Loosen ebrake cable

replace mounts (front and rear)

put it back together

Thank you again. This will have to wait for a long weekend.

Paul

Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:22 am

Good move...If you are the kinda guy who dreads dropping the engine for any reason, the "while I'm in there" theory should be foremost on your mind. Engine/trans mounts, seals, clutch parts, axle boots, shift coupler, and the trans ground strap are all inexpensive enough to replace all at once, then you're all set for a long time. 8)

Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:34 am

Yes , alignment of axle to springplate affects rear toe in alignment . The Bentley shows using a chisel to make a mark across the top of the axle housing and springplate . TROY

Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:08 pm

There's always the solid mount way. If your old mount is that bad, and probaly broken, it will probaly come out in 2 pieces. If you're deadset against removing the engine,trans....get a solid mount. As I recall it will slip in. A little vibration but hey...didn't have to pull the engnie, right?

I'd definitely pull the engne, leave the axles bolted up, undo the shift tube, loose the clutch cable, take out the bellhousing mounts, use a pipe to push back the trans, do the front mount, then the rears.

I have heard of taking the nose cone housing off with the mount...swing the nose of the trans down enough for removal...but sometimes the correct way really is best.