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Gearbox inspection plug removal

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How the heck do you get these things out. They should unscrew but mine ain't. Tried all manner of ways to unscrew it with no luck. Tried drifting it out with a screwdriver and hammer and it broke, so even more up a creek.

See picture. How do I get this bigger out without damaging the thread or dropping bits inside the gearbox?

All I wanted to do was see the timing marks so I could check the ignition timing. PXL_20220507_163100360.jpg

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The black bit in the centre pulls up/out.

1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet

The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.

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Early-1800 said

The black bit in the centre pulls up/out.

So I tried with that removed but couldn't see the timing marks, I had read you need to unscrew the surround to get a clear look at them - hence me trying to remove the white bit as well!

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think it was designed for some dealer service tool to be inserted into the hole (behave yourselves) and a better view is gained by removing it.

I had to violently remove mine and replace it with lashings of grease so it can more easily removed next time


1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet

The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.

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Early-1800 said

think it was designed for some dealer service tool to be inserted into the hole (behave yourselves) and a better view is gained by removing it.

I had to violently remove mine and replace it with lashings of grease so it can more easily removed next time



Fair enough - I'll give it another go tomorrow and order a replacement!

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Plenty of places sell new plugs so don't worry about the old one.
Yes they do unscrew but do often get stuck in there. If you have some sort of big bolt you can remove the black bit and fit the big bolt into the white part to unscrew it. If not then use a thicker bar instead of a screw driver to drift it around, the screw driver will just dig a hole in the plastic.

When fitting a new one I've found if you don't screw it all the way in, just to where it's stiff twisting it in by hand, then that's enough to hold it in place

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284644355651?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item4246202e43:g:kPMAAOSwLoBiAj7E&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAA4PiuHDGh8CO33a%2BDmmsX4Dh2d5UMWt%2F89AUNYwmBSJuE7zfCo0WBxgMFflrYR8Jw5%2FB1xsU5vgVBwfTve%2BK59fKXsBdhm1JjezrCzs4%2Bqg7uX68d94BvftbnF57DbwqzRw%2B%2FveIArFJ59KYmlaB1ve6sdynujgGDeOPiKnogNCY3SewEY4YHSfmqYF8B%2FTF6%2FIUbAs4K1YbaUXLIbfXqb34PgOLZFHn%2BYcrzRhnG03bew5gWTEwOcaY%2F0IfguTUR7AXL1aGyCr%2FWWj9qdm1Lr0u2n7RL8ziQ3kGuGtMoHh3X%7Ctkp%3ABFBMhP2dhpRg

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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what I have used in the past is a Plastic PVC fitting IIRC 1 1/2 inch.
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then you have a large working area to grab with a wrench or vice-grips.

I had one that was so trashed that I just cut it out with a hand driven hack saw blade to replace it.  

If you don't remove the white outer plug you can see the tru alignment of the timing finger to the flywheel.

going back I would wrap the thread of the new plug with teflon tape, and don't over tighten it snug works well.


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