Trying to separate a 2.5 box from the engine, have taken out all the bolts I can find but still cannot get them apart. The whole lot is hanging from an engine crane so can be reasonably sure I got to all the visible bolts. Before I start forcing things with crow bars has anyone got previous experience to help me. Are boxes usually an easy fit? Are there any hidden bolts I have to get to? Haynes found they easily fell apart but forgot to note the details. Russek is no better. I got desperate this morning and even tried RTA. May even have to try the Citroen Workshop manual.

John

Corroded / tight locating dowels between box and engine may be reluctant to move?? Just a guess.

Ken

Hi Ken

Spot on thanks.

I eventually found the page for removing the 2.5 gearbox in the Citroen Workshop manual and that gave the number and size of bolts that had to be removed. A quick check this evening confirmed that they were all out so I used a bit of brute force to free the box off. Clutch plate is a bit more worn than I expected for an engine that has done just less than 150k. Next stage is to see how good or bad the cylinder head is.

John

Cheers!

I have a clutch change project in progress.
With 2.5td you really can say it's a project. After at least 10 hours of dismantling parts, i finally can see the gearbox.
Next phase is to separate the gearbox from the block. I am planning to to use long bolts as guide pins to slide the box aside.
Using this technique requires jacking the engine up about 5cm (or 2 inches) from flywheel end before there is enough room to slide gearbox on the subframe.
I don't know if it works, but i'm going to try.
My only worry is the engine mount at the other end of engine. It's quite complicated mechanism with torque dampers etc. Does the engine mount allow all that movement and bending without breaking?

I've been told before that the 2.5TD clutch can be changed with the engine in situ. I have to say, that of all the jobs which a 2.5 may need the clutch is the most daunting. I've done lots of front wheel drive clutches. The technique is always the same. Remove nearside drive shaft, remove engine mount, split the box from the engine, pull the other drive shaft out of the diff, offer up the box into the inner wing so that a gap appears between the engine and box, undo the spring plate two bolts at a time turning the engine to get access to all three pairs, slide the pressure plate up the box spigot shaft and remove the pressure plate, slide the pressure plate into the gap and off the end of the shaft. Once both plates are removed access is afforded to the thust bearing.

The thrust bearing on the 2.5 is a strange affair. I can get some close up photographs of it if you wish and an account of how to disengage it from the arm. DJ has one on an engine hoist right now.

I'm hoping tha the 2.5 follows the same pattern. However, there's a lot of kit around the battery box and air cleaner to remove first to get access.

Please let us know how you get on. It would be useful if you could take photos as you go and create a self help file for others. I cn give you a hand with that if you wish.

Cheers

noz

Now i have gearbox and engine separated. But there is still not enough room to change clutch yet. I have removed everything but airco tubes from near the gearbox. It seems that the bigger gear shift lever must be removed before the box can be pushed far enough to remove the clutch. Now i'm in trouble because i don't know how to remove the lever. It looks like it is locked to it's shaft with some kind of pin or cotter.
If it is a cotter , which direction it shoult be removed?
Haynes and Russek's books do not tell this. Also didn't find any information from xm workshop manual which i bought from the internet.

I'm sure I remember reading when Techmanagain had his clutch done that they dropped the subframe on the n/s to get enough space to allow the box to move back.

"I have taken the plunge, as you put it, and the box is out. Accessed from below by dropping the subframe, although a lot of dismantling needs to be done the get at the upper parts of the box and gearchange.The release bearing had pulled out and the wear on the disc made it un-economic to replace it without renewing it all."

Found it! Techmanagain's post from sometime in 2007.

I finally got the bigger gear shift lever off. The cotter was quite tightly in it's place, and rusty of course too. I can see the clutch now, but there is still not enough room to change it. The smaller lever must be removed too. Unfortunately, there is no room to hammer it's cotter pin off. I have to make a special tool to remove it. Well, forecasts say that it will rain non-stop for next four days, so there is plenty of time to make it.
I'm quite confident now that the clutch can be changed engine in situ and without dropping the subframe.
There is couple of pictures in http://picasaweb.google.fi/jkiiski/XMClutch#
I'll try to take more pictures every time some progress happens.