Now that the clutch is installed it’s time to install the transaxle. It’s tired of sitting on the garage floor for 3 1/2 years and wants to be installed ASAP!
Thanks to Kurtiss who wrote up a comprehensive document covering the Graz install on the Ford Coyote Engine. Also thanks to Cam T who covered the install in detail on his blog for a GM LS engine. This post covers only the physical transaxle install on an LT4. I’ll cover the hydraulic portion at another time.
Each of the RCR transaxle plates are a little different and the bolts used in my case are slightly different. So for the sake of completeness I’ll provide the following detail for others to reference.
Here is a video on installing the Graziano…
Here is a pic of stock Audi R8 Graz install which shows the bolts are inserted from the engine side. On the SLC the bolts are inserted from the transaxle side so you can’t simply just order the bolts from Audi. Depending on your transaxle adapter plate, that will determine which bolts, head types and lengths are needed….
I purchased the transaxle completion kit and it included the following items:
1)Clutch bolts - M6 x 70 CAP Bolts
2)Stock Audi Clutch - Audi PN 079-141-011-E, Supplied by RCR
3)Ring Gear - Audi Part Number 079-105-223, Supplied by RCR
4)Starter - Part #SR0408X - Bosch Remanufactured Starter
5)Starter bolts M12x35mm 1.5 thread pitch
6)Clutch bleeder fitting - Part #13916 - ATech Brake Bleeder Repair Kit
7)Clutch bleeder adapter fitting - McMaster Carr 4936K155 - Adapter 1/4 NPT Female to M14 by 1.5mm Male Hydraulic Fitting - Quantity 1
8)Clutch Hydraulic adapter fitting #1 - McMaster Carr 4936K154 - Adapter 1/4 NPT Female to M12 by 1.5mm Male Hydraulic Fitting - Quantity 1
9)Clutch Hydraulic adapter fitting #2 - McMaster Carr - 50925K341 - Adapter 1/4 NPT Male to 1/8 NPT Female
10)Clutch Hydraulic line fitting - 3AN to 1/8 Male NPT fitting
11)Mystery Transaxle Fittings - McMaster Carr 4936K - Adapter 1/4 NPT Female to M14 by 1.5 mm Male Hydraulic Fitting - Quantity 3, don’t know what these are for.
12)Clutch Slave Cylinder - Audi PN 086141671L
13)Clutch Slave cylinder top O-Ring - McMaster Carr 9263k169
14)Clutch Slave Cylinder bottom O-Ring - McMaster Carr 9263k174
15)RCR Billet Shifter - Not pictured and was originally included in the Transaxle Completion Kit.
Here is a pic of the supplied components…
There are a number of other components that you have to purchase in addition to the completion kit to fully install the transaxle. Here is a list of what else I purchased:
1)Audi R8 Rear Axle Heat Shields - PN 8E0501721/3E051713 - Purchased used from EBay
2)Milspec washers for M10 bolts - McMaster Carr 98032A341
3)Milspec washer for M8 bolts - McMaster Carr 98032A331
4)Qty 4 - M10 x 45mm 12.9 Cap Screws - McMaster Carr 91502A228
5)Qty 1 - M10 x 40mm 12.9 Cap Screws - McMaster Carr 91502A227
6)Qty 1 - M10 x 150mm 12.9 Cap Screw - McMaster Carr 91502A239
7)Qty 1 - M10 x 50mm 10.9 Hex bolt - McMaster Carr 90180A635
8)Qty 1 - M10 x 70mm 10.9 Hex Bolt - McMaster Carr 94863A225
9)Qty 1 - M10 Lock nut - McMaster Car - McMaster Carr 3528N13
10)Audi trans and clutch spline grease - VW PN G000100
11)VW Starter pigtail boot - VW PN 357972771 - Can buy these cheap including the plug off eBay
12)VW Starter wire repair kit - VW PN 000979227E
13)VW starter wire plug/seal- VW PN 1J0973743 - Cannot find this to buy stand alone
14)6” tall Torx bit to remove clutch slave cylinder bolts - McMaster Carr 7396A57
15)Graziano/Audi R8 Alignment Dowels - Qty 2 - Audi PN 086301153A
Pic of additional components purchased…
First step is to install the O-rings behind the clutch slave cylinder. If the slave cylinder came installed on the transaxle this step can be skipped. The Graz ships with Audi factory O-Rings. I was confused since the completion kit came with some generic O-Rings I thought they needed to be installed, but that is not the case.
Here is a pic of the O-Rings installed. Just coat them with a small amount of transaxle oil and install them. By the way, the round Vitron O-Ring provided did not want to stay put in the oval channel so used the Audi O-Rings…
To finish the install, coat the seals on the clutch slave cylinder with a small amount of transaxle oil and push onto the drive shaft. Torque the M6 Torx screws to 99 inch pounds and apply a light coat of grease on the main drive shaft and tip that goes into the pilot bearing. The 6” tall McMaster Carr T30 Hex bit comes in handy for this.
Also placed the centering dowels in the transaxle. They are a tight fit into the transaxle and a slip fit into the transaxle adapter plate…
Now to mate the transaxle to the engine. I never did this before so went nice and slow. I used two nylon lifting straps to create a cradle and lifted it up with the engine hoist. I adjusted it while in the air so it is clocked properly to line up with the holes in the trans plate. Then used a floor jack on the back of the transaxle to hold it level. This approach helped align the drive shaft to the clutch.
Once I was able to insert the drive shaft part way I realized the splines were not lining up. I had a couple helpers to lightly pull the transaxle away from the clutch and from below I would rotate the drive shaft very slightly. Once the drive shaft was clocked properly and aligned with the clutch splines the trans virtually slid right in. Had to jostle it slightly to get the top of the drive shaft into the pilot bearing but all in all it did not take much force.
Pic of the sling holding the transaxle, but not clocked correctly. The transaxle is not so heavy and with a little effort you can rotate it and clock the screw holes…
Pic of the sling holding the transaxle almost level. With the help of a floor jack(not shown in pic) helped align it for a smooth install…
Just an awesome view of the chassis. It is finally coming together. All bolts were installed with thin Milspec washers and anti-seize. Trans bolts were torqued to 35 ft-lb. Mounting tab and shifter bracket bolts were torqued to 20 ft-lb…
Since the engine was moved back 1.5”, will need to figure out how to mount the rear trans braces. Will probably make some aluminum spacers on the transaxle tabs…