Its been a long few days!

[ShireRoller]

It all started with a service on a friends Mk2 180 Saloon..

Jack the car up to find the n/s driveshaft seal had spun out leaving the gearbox to run dry. Cause of failure, Driveshaft has been out at somepoint and the locking ring had not been opened backout, Also damaging the diff bearings. I say to my friend, Lets go get a seal from Lincoln, I have some bearings already we can do this. Get back from Lincoln (1 1/2 hr drive each way due to traffic) Remove box. Remove diff, replace bearings. As I was deconstructing the gearbox, The Mainshaft circlip had snapped so this had to be pulled out by force destroying what left of that. So its now around 5 oclock and nowheres open to get a new one. Plan is formed to visit Lincoln again to get this VERY specific snap ring *oh dear* and just to be safe while there, Grab a o/s driveshaft seal. The next day came...Lincoln was visited again at great distress as traffic decided to be appauling so got very held up! 5 and a bit hours later we are home. On reconstruction I needed to remove the secondary shaft retaining nut to put diff back in squarly.. This decided to strip its threads.. (Is this common?) So thats it... Box dead.. Its about 5 oclock on a Friday... Ring Rover spares in Hull "What time do you close and have you got a 180 gearbox?!" "5:30 and yes we have mate pop down!".. Jet packs engaged to Hull there and then to pickup a replacement. Get there and a gentleman asks me to check its the right box, I check and its right but chipped on the bellhousing.
"I'll go grab another and clean it up just bring your car round to put it in"

Been a silly sod I didnt check this new box as the gent popped it in my boot, Oh how I wish I had... Because by the time I had realised it was already too late.
After opening hours, With a 1.8 gearbox.
Deep breath taken "Its Ok Connor I will have your car done tomorrow I will go over first thing and swap the box!"


This morning came, And so did Hull. In my haste to leave with the new gearbox I left the release bearing on the unit I had just returned again... Not realizing till I got home and started looking for the release bearing. Another bridge toll and jet pack ride later I was back and the gearbox was on!
I had left a friend to fit some CV boots, Dont even ask about that...

As it stands now... The gearbox is in, New shaft seals. Fully serviced. Water hose repaired. Going to nip to my friends tomorrow to get a boot stretcher. Fit shafts. Gearbox oil in. Hopefully the fluid weaping around the slave cylinder boot is just from a previous error as fluid in there looked black. A sheddist type item so I can only assume its from a Civic. I get the feeling thats will need sorting Monday.

This car has been so unloved.

Amongst all the faff today my friends golf decided to split its top hose on his way to my house. Looked like a german steam train pulling up!

Lord MGeezus, Help meeeeee!

[peterzs]

Apart from that it all went well???

Sounds like a couple of days from hell.

Trouble is once you start getting into stuff, it gets worse and worse.

Hope its sorted now and the clutch hydraulics are a easy fix!!!

[ShireRoller]

Popping over to my friends in the morning to stretch the new cv boots on, put the shafts back on the car and shes done. Hoping the slave cyl is ok!
Theres a ton of other jobs to do on it. Another friends cambelts and waterpump need doing not the weekend coming but the weekend after.
Think im going to Coventry this coming weekend to fit a gearbox to to a certain Spectre ZS180 mk2 to help someone else out in a time of need pre POL.
The are things on my own car that need doing also, then hospital hopefully after POL but its looking like it may loom sooner, Preopp xrays 11th March and get a feeling it wont be too long after that. Noooooooo!

[stamford]

Sounds like you need to slow down! You must have the patience of a saint!

[ShireRoller]

I just see it as, one day I will be dead an wont be able to experience working in the wind and rain, applies to most scenarios

[MG ZS STE]

i like your philosophy but the scenario you describe is probably a typical situation regarding part availability for these cars. a five minute job translates into a five hour job and its not through your own fault, god bless you.

[Din]

Ahh, so it's you I was chatting to on Facebook lol.

I will say, I have never had to take the secondary shaft nut? the whole shaft just lifts out the box along with the Mainshaft and selector forks, the diff can then be lifted in and out with no obstruction at all.

[ShireRoller]

I still have the old box here, Honestly I have tried everything to get the shafts out! The nut was the last resort
Yeah im A.Baxter!

[Din]

I take it you removed the selector mechanism and reverse gear idler?

It's five bolts all together.

Once removed the shafts come out together, and you are left with....

[ShireRoller]

Yeah, everything has been undone. Still wont budge!
Its like somethings stuck in there jamming the secondary shaft from coming out.
Alas a new gearbox is in and she is running better than ever now!