Gearbox replacement
■ Remove the clip securing the clutch cable and disconnect the cable from the disengagement lever.
■ Disconnect the electric wire going to the reverse lamp switch.
■ Loosen the shift control rod clamp mounting bolt.
■ Unscrew the speedometer cable to the transmission housing.
■ Remove the three bolts securing the top of the gearbox to the engine block.
■ Hang the engine on a hoist. For engine suspension 1,2 use a rope of at least a length 150 cm. while in engines 1,3 and 1.6 D The hooks are attached directly to the existing hangers.
■ Secure the rear wheels, apply the emergency brake and raise the front of the car.
■ Remove the front wheels.
■ Disconnect the ground cable from the rear gearbox cover.
■ On both sides of the front axle, unscrew the nut securing the wheel journal and use an extractor to press the ball pins out of the steering knuckles.
■ Pull the driveshafts out of the gearbox housing, left using a special tool Opel-KM-460 1. Hang the removed driveshafts, not letting them fall down
■ Plug the holes of the removed driveshaft immediately, to prevent oil leakage. Appropriate plugs can be purchased at shops selling spare parts for Opel cars. If one of the driveshafts cannot be pulled out, it is necessary to unscrew the cover of the main gear and inserting the cutter between the drive shaft and the satellite pin, try to squeeze the driveshaft.
■ Remove the plug on the rear gearbox cover.
■ Remove the securing ring from the main shaft stub and screw the cheese head screw into the pin.
■ Pull out the main shaft as far as it will go. A special Opel-KM puller can be used 556-1 And with a Kukko bracket or a suitable tool. The puller is screwed into the hole for the cap screw.
■ Remove the left engine mount completely.
■ Unscrew the rear engine suspension cushion.
■ Unscrew the pillow support.
■ Remove the remaining bolts securing the gearbox to the engine. For the necessary support of the gearbox, a special 0pel-KM-444B bracket and a hydraulic jack are suitable.
■ Lower the engine all the way down, that the gearbox can be removed downwards.
■ The gearbox must not be placed on the side, on which the gearbox shaft joint is located, clutch disengagement lever, box venting screw, reverse light switch or speedometer drive.
The assembly of the gearbox is carried out in the reverse order to that described previously. First you need to fix the rear engine mount. Both threaded holes should be reworked with an M10 x tap 1,25. Tightening bolts coated with threaded adhesive are tightened to a torque 65 Nm. The bolts of the front engine suspension are tightened to the torque 70 N m m. Insert the shafts into the gearbox housing and press, until the ends snap to the circlips. When pressing, you can help yourself with a screwdriver, which should be rested against the thickening of the joint, not the sheet metal cover. Check the driveshaft joint by pulling it, whether the locking ring "clicked into place."”. The driveshaft seats should be lubricated with gear oil. The axle shaft journal nut is tightened to the torque level 70 N m and secured with a cotter pin. If the holes for the split pin do not match, tighten the nut. Carefully insert the main shaft into the clutch disc hub and press it fully down using a suitable tool (e.g. Opel KM-564), by screwing in the cap screw beforehand. Place the securing ring on the main shaft stub. By screwing the plug into the rear cover of the gearbox, sealant must be used. The distance between the end of the screwed-in plug and the cover surface must not exceed 4 Mm.
Fasten all unscrewed or loose parts. To check the oil level in the gearbox, unscrew the bleed screw (on the right side). Gearbox is properly filled, if the oil level is at the bottom of the hole.