Big Dave

I'm down to the last few steps before the engine comes out. It seems like it's an exercise in discovering and over coming obstacles. Did the damn Porsche engineers have tiny robots to crawl into tiny spaces to loosen hidden fasteners???

Anyway, two items are bugging me...

1. The bolts holding the engine to the flywheel housing. There are two accessible from the bottom, but there are 2 more that look to be only accessible from the engine bay....below where the air filter housing is installed. Do you need some sort of special angled wrench to get at these? I'm thinking a closed-end, offset wrench and a cheater bar. If anyone knows what I'm describing and has been there.....

2. The hex-head bolt (requires an allen wrench) that holds the TDC sensor on top of the flywheel housing. Again, this is in an awkward spot. My hex socket can't fit straight in and still be turned, so I'm guessing I need one of those rounded hex sockets that can be turned at an angle. The bolt seems to be damn near welded in to place and I'm afraid that I can't get enough force on it to do anything other than strip the head. Any pointers? Can I wait until the engine is loose and partially out to get at this bolt more directly? I don't know how long the wire is that the bolt is holding.

3. More of a question than a problem...how hard is it to push the transmission back? I need to loosen the tranny mounts and move it back, but I need to know the proper method so I don't break anything while doing it. I assume it's not possible to slide back without some kind of leverage. Suggestions/hints?

Thanks again. I'm getting to know this car more than I thought possible.

Chris

1. Just used an open ended wrench which had a long handle, however, I did remove the intake first, others have done it with the intake in place but like you I found those two bolts to be v difficult to get at. Luckily mine were not really tight either.

2. Why do you need to remove it now ? why not unplug the electrical connector and remove it when the engine is out ?

Chris

soontobered84

Different year model from mine but as to #1, I used a series of very long socket extensions to loosen and subsequently retighten. Good Luck.

Scott M.

Big D;

1. Do you know the wrench on wrench technique? A boxed end wrench is probably the easiest method. Then put a second boxed end onto the tangs of the first for leverage... Very do-able.

2. Always stuck. Spray liberally w/ PB Blaster for a few days prior to removal. I use an angled hex wrench (the L shaped ones) with a small cheater bar, and some choice words.

3. Why do you need to move the trans backwards?? Not needed for engine removal.


Scott

Sean79 5spd

3. remove fan and radiator, shift engine forward when slightly supported by hoist. Pins between the two housing will release.

Big Dave

Fan and radiator are already out.

If I can find where the sensor wire is plugged in, I'll unplug it. It's been soaking with PB Blaster since Saturday.

As for the big bolts, I'm going to look for a flexible ratchet...the kind that has a joint where the ratchet head attaches to the arm...



Here's a pic of the TDC sensor for those of you playing at home

Mike LaBranche

Too funny, Doc. My dad taught me the wrench on wrench... geez, 30 years ago. Nowadays it's Harbor Freight with a widget tool that snakes in and applies 75 lbs of torque at 230 degrees from line of sight. lol

Dave, perseverance and determination are omnipotent. Be patient. Keep soaking the offending bits in chemicals. Go back to the wsm. I find if I keep hammering on a bolt/nut/connection when I'm pissed... I'm gonna break it. That costs more. Step away from the wrench. Come back fresh later.
Then again, there's _nothing_ like the right tool. I've got a bunch of wrenches I've ground down to be thinner or not so wide to fit into that one place.... good luck in your effort. Keep any tools developed. lol

Big Dave

You betcha! I've gotta put the engine back in again.

BC

Uh, memory here, but the speed sensor's other end is * I believe* at the middle of the fuel rail (passenger) , and its a three pronger. I could be wrong.

Bill Ball

Dave:

I dealt with most of this when I did my rear main seal. You need some LONG wrenches to get to theose upper bellhousing bolts and there is not much room to get leverage. I improvised. See my rear main seal write up.

Moving the tranny back involves not much more than loosening the mounts, pulling the parking brake cable out of the way where it traverses the crossmember, removing a few hose clamps to gain slack and taking off the shifter and kickdown cables.

Rear main seal repair in an S4 with tranny in-place:
http://www.billsworkshop.com/P928S4/seal/seal.htm

GlenL

1) Flexible ratchet. First time needed pipe on end.

2) don't know

3) As others: why do you want to do this?

Big Dave

The WSM list pushing the tranny back as one of the steps. If I don't need to do it with the fan and radiator both out, I won't. It doesn't list anything about unclamping or disconnecting cables to do so, either.

I picked up the flex-head ratchet this evening. As soon as I get a day where I'm not working late, I'll get to use it.

Bill Ball

Total movement of the tranny is only about 1.5 inches regardless, limited by the pan hitting the crossmember. The cables and hose clamp limit this even more. I don't know why you would need to move it back anyway.

I used a flexhead Gearwrench on one side for the top bellhousing bolts.