I have a friend with an '04 PD Passat which needs a new clutch/DMF (fair wear and tear - 165k miles). Unfortunately, I owe him a favour so I have been asked to help him.

I have done this job in the past by taking the transmission out - it's an absolute pig, awkward and heavy with driveshafts, linkage etc to disconnect and subframe relocation potential problems (affects camber). I'm getting too stiff to grovel around under vehicles.

I have an engine crane. The front comes off these cars really easily. Surely, engine removal is the way to do this job, leaving the transmission undisturbed. If you do it this way, will it just hang on its mounts? Even the exhaust "splits" in the right plane at the turbine housing - if the nuts come off.

I've put this in the Superb Forum as it's the same vehicle.

rotodiesel.

I usually do the Pssat gearboxes in about 3-4 hours and have never stuggled with them (admittedly on a ramp). No need to touch the subframe. Driveshafts just unbolt but stay where they are. Linkage is just a 10mm bolt and an 8mm allen key on the stab bar. Undoing the three 13mm front mounting bolts and jacking the front of the engine upwards which makes the back tilt down makes it easier going in, also so does cable tying up the coolant pipes at the top of the bell housing.

Thanks very much for the info Lummox. I might well try the engine out method and see how it compares. Last time, I found the gearbox almost impossibly heavy to get back into position, even with an assistant - these days, I'd rather let the crane take the weight!

Thanks, rotodiesel.

One of these suckers proved useful when I swapped a cupra Ibiza box into my furby. I had the car on a 2 post lift though too.

The in-line transmission fitted to the Superb/Passat is a really heavy beast and an awkward lift to get back into position. Lummox's tip to raise the front of the engine (lowers the back) is a good one. The transverse gearboxes (eg. Golf) are nothing like so difficult to put back.

rotodiesel.

When you have humped a few tiptronic quattro boxes in just about anything fwd Passat is a walk in the park.

I'll let you know how the "engine out" method works for me. I've persuaded him to change the cambelt/water pump at the same time - another "walk in the park" when the engine is out.

I would guess you need plenty of space to get the front panel hinged fully to the side to give crane access. Luckily I have space under cover to do this.

rotodiesel.