Driveshaft won't go back in gearbox "cups" after engine swap?

Hello Sirs,

After swapping to a 2 litre 8 valve engine (AGG from 1997 Golf), I am unable to get the driveshaft back in the gearbox "cups".

The steel centre rod in the driveshaft is about 1cm too long to be able to go back in the cups.
It is the same for both right and left.
It makes not really a difference, when I turn the steering completely to the right or left (full turn).

Do I have to hoist the engine up a bit and free it from the engine mounts, in order to be able to wiggle the driveshafts back in the cups again?

The gearbox is the same 020 5 speed box, that originally sat in tye car with the 1,5 JB engine.

Is there something that I have missed?
Hoping for an easy trick to sort it

Yes they don't fit straight in, if you had the drive shafts already on the car you should of lined them up and placed in the cups before fixing in the engine/gearbox.

You will have to remove the camber adjustment bolt and bolt below it on the front suspension to be able to tilt the wheel hub back so you can fit the driveshaft in the cup.

mark1gls said

Yes they don't fit straight in, if you had the drive shafts already on the car you should of lined them up and placed in the cups before fixing in the engine/gearbox.

You will have to remove the camber adjustment bolt and bolt below it on the front suspension to be able to tilt the wheel hub back so you can fit the driveshaft in the cup.

Hi Mark,

Excellent - all I needed to know

Great with some advice, when you are a DIY mechanic.

Cheers

I found out they don't come out of the cups/flanges as when I changed my cup/flange seals on the gearbox I could not move the drive shaft out of the way.

if you pull the ball joint and/or the track rods out the bearing carrier that may give you enough wiggle room