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Audi 10V I5 Turbo Engines - Gearbox Removal

In the following discussion, "remove" means "undo, take off the car and store" - "detach" means "undo and leave on the car". "Left" and "right" are in the direction of travel. The gearbox contains the front differential and the centre differential is attached to its rear - all are removed as one unit. This unit is surprisingly heavy. If the flywheel is removed, extreme care should be taken not to damage the timing pin on its front surface.

1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Remove the upper engine to bell housing bolts - 72-click ratchet or 90° air wrench useful.
3. If the slave cylinder is to be changed, detach the flare nut from its left side. Otherwise leave the rigid pipe attached and detach the slave cylinder from the bell housing:
   • Remove the securing clip on the flexible hose
   • [To 85-J-900108] Using a short drift, knock out the roll pin from the right. The nominal size is 6mm - any drift between about 4.5mm and 5.5mm will work
   • [From 85-J-900109] Remove the securing bolt from the left of the slave cylinder
   • Loosen the slave cylinder with an appropriate lever
   • Working from the engine bay, drift the slave cylinder backwards
4. Remove the front right undertray.
5. If the flywheel is to be removed, consider locking the crank at TDC with VAG 2084.
6. Disconnect and remove the starter motor - its mounting bolts hold the gearbox on.
7. Remove the front right inner CV joint heat shield - a spacer will fall.
8. Remove the gearbox mount heatshield - 3 x 8mm, sometimes severely rusted
9. Remove the rear subframe mounting bolts - rear of subframe drops up to 10cm. If solid (aluminium) bushes have been fitted, it may be necessary to slacken the other two bolts.
10. Remove the bell housing to engine bracket.
11. Mark the half shaft and propellor shaft unions with the differentials for reassembly.
12. Detach the front half shafts - 10mm (8mm on non-quattros) Triple-Square NOT Torx.
13. Detach the connector from the distance sender above the left differential driveshaft flange and unscrew the sender via its metal adapter - 22mm. Do NOT apply force to the plastic body of the sender - both delicate and expen$ive.
14. Detach the reversing light switch from the front right of the gearbox.
15. Remove the centre exhaust section.
16. Detach the propellor shaft from the gearbox - 6 x 6mm Allen - and support the free end of the shaft. If it is decided to remove the shaft completely, note the location of the shims between the centre bracket and the body.
17. Loosen the shift linkage above and on the left of the rear of the centre differential - 13mm, hard to access.
18. On Type44s, etc., detach the stay bar on the other side of the transmission - equally hard to reach.
19. [Non-Torsen cars] Pull the securing clips off the centre differential lock actuator and retract the operating cable - this cable is absent on Torsen cars.
20. Support the gearbox/differential assembly on a transmission jack.
21. Remove the gearbox mounts.
22. Remove the remaining engine to bell housing bolts, noting which comes from where - different lengths.
23. Preferably working with an assistant, wriggle the gearbox free of the engine. In some cases, it can help to place another jack or prop under the front of the engine.
24. The flywheel sender gaps can only be measured with the flywheel in place and the bell housing removed. If time is available, it is a good idea to make these measurements and enter them in the service record.
25. If removing the flywheel, detach the flywheel senders and cable tie them out of the way.
26. The clutch assembly is secured by 6mm Allen screws.
27. If the rear crankshaft oil seal is to be replaced note that the flywheel has no orienting marks. Despite superficial appearances, it only fits one way - the bolt holes are not as evenly spaced as they seem. The correct position is easier to find if the crank has been locked at TDC. It is a good idea to clean the timing mark and apply a dab of white paint while it is accessible.
28. If the rear crank seal is being replaced, it should be lightly oiled before assembly. The seal is no longer available separately but comes glued in a bracket. If there are serious wear grooves on the crankshaft, the position of the lip can be moved back by fitting a second gasket.
29. During reassembly, observe the correct torque settings.
30. It is worthwhile checking the gearbox oil filler plug while the gearbox is off the car.

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