Easy gearbox oil filling

[Davetom]

Changed the gearbox oil this week, I know it’s ‘lifetime’ but at 6 years/ 90k miles I thought a fresh fill won’t hurt.
Found an easy way to put the fresh stuff in, I’m a plumber so have an assortment of pipes in the van, and overflow/ condense pipe ( 21.5mm) fits absolutely perfectly in the thread. Tight enough to not lose any oil anyway, and meant I could fill from outside the wheel arch. I used less than 1m of pipe, a 90° elbow, and a 21.5mm to 38mm adapter, although just the elbow would be sufficient as the oil is thin and pours easily ( 2 litres )

 

[campagquinn]

Great idea. I need to change mine also. Similar year / mileage. So 2 litres is enough ? I was going to buy 3ltr so hoping 2 does it

 

[Davetom]

I read 1.9 litres for the 5 speed, but put 2.0 in. I measured what came out and that was 1.7l but I had a driveshaft issue recently and I also could see a slight weep on the sump plug, so maybe that accounts for that ?
The pipe is a nice tight fit, I turned it in to the thread but you could probably push it. It hits a stop after a couple of inches so I backed it out 1/2” to make sure the pipe could empty

 

[Davetom]

* I used regular 75w ( recommended but not official oil ) for £20 on the basis I’ll happily do it every few years

 

[campagquinn]

Looks cheap enough. I priced up oil from Opie oils. So il get from there cheers

 

[Paynewright]

I used febi bilstein oil from opie

 

[campagquinn]

Im on 92,000 and driver without issue but thinking best to give it a refresh while it's heap enough. Il go look at the febi on the Opie site. Cheers

 

[DXX]

A piece of flexible hose attached to a funnel via an open bonnet works well.

 

[campagquinn]

A piece of flexible hose attached to a funnel via an open bonnet works well.

Poked down from the top ?

 

[DXX]

Poked down from the top ?

No other way is there?

 

[campagquinn]

No other way is there?

Initial post in this thread shows from the side wheel arch, so wheel off

 

[Paynewright]

I did mine from the wheel arch.

 

[DXX]

Initial post in this thread shows from the side wheel arch, so wheel off

Oil doesn’t flow well horizontally, possible but slow, messy and uneccesary

 

[Davetom]

Oil doesn’t flow well horizontally, possible but slow, messy and uneccesary

It flowed straight in. There’s a fall of a couple of inches and it went down as I poured it, not remotely messy.Just trying to give people other options, the only reason I shared was because how easy it was.