Mk2.5 Sport Gear Box Oil Change
Discussion
We've just changed the engine oil and filter and differential oil on our newly acquired 2002 1.8 Sport and we now want to change the gear box oil, which we thought would be straight forward. However there are lots of chassis braces and attached pans/trays which appear to make the gear box plugs inaccessible; we can find no mention of these in any manuals/internet threads. Do we have to remove these braces/trays to get to the gear box? The braces/trays which look as if they'd have to be removed are secured with two bolts and four nuts on studs. In that the studs are somewhat rusty its odds on that they might shear. Does anyone know, please, how would we go about replacing them if they shear? Many thanks for any help.
Hi Lazza..........many thanks for your response. Will post some photographs tomorrow when we've got the car back up on axle stands. May we trouble you, please, with another couple of queries? We've been following various manuals and threads to change the fuel filter. However one of the plastic 'grommets' which secures the plastic fuel filter cover is obscured by the end of yet another brace. We cannot imagine that the brace should be removed just to get at the grommet.........should we just cut the plastic cover around the grommet? Also, every manual/thread we are aware of suggests disconnecting a yellow (fuel pump) relay positioned alongside the steering column whilst the engine is running as a means of depressurising the system. Needless to say we cannot find a yellow relay and have no idea which of the various relays which are located by the steering column controls the fuel pump. Many thanks for your help.
Some pictures of the under body tray that's making it very hard for my Dad
(Grandad) and I to change the gearbox oil.
Underneath from Driver's side.
Underneath form passenger side.
As far as we can see there is no way to get to the gearbox without removing
this tray.
Thanks in advance, Max.
(Grandad) and I to change the gearbox oil.
Underneath from Driver's side.
Underneath form passenger side.
As far as we can see there is no way to get to the gearbox without removing
this tray.
Thanks in advance, Max.
DOH! Sorry, I'm stupid!!!!
You have a Mk2.5 Sport which means it has the Sport braces. What you can see under there is the Sport spider-brace. It's quite heavy and is held on with 6 nuts on studs. Partly under that is a heat-tray which I think is held on with 4 10mm bolts.
To remove the spider brace, slightly loosen the 2 nuts at the rear end but don't remove them (they are on slots, not holes). Remove the 2 nuts at the front the slowly and carefully remove the middle 2 nuts. If you haven't undone the rear 2 too far it will still be held up by them. Loosen them a little bit more and you can remove the brace forwards without taking the rear 2 off. Refitting is the reverse - it makes it so much easier to put back if you don't remove the rear 2 nuts.
Once that's off you can get the heat-tray off and then you can get to the gearbox.
Sorry about the bad advice earlier, I'd completely forgotten about that as the last 2 cars I've changed gearbox oil on were Mk1s which don't have the brace or heat-tray.
You have a Mk2.5 Sport which means it has the Sport braces. What you can see under there is the Sport spider-brace. It's quite heavy and is held on with 6 nuts on studs. Partly under that is a heat-tray which I think is held on with 4 10mm bolts.
To remove the spider brace, slightly loosen the 2 nuts at the rear end but don't remove them (they are on slots, not holes). Remove the 2 nuts at the front the slowly and carefully remove the middle 2 nuts. If you haven't undone the rear 2 too far it will still be held up by them. Loosen them a little bit more and you can remove the brace forwards without taking the rear 2 off. Refitting is the reverse - it makes it so much easier to put back if you don't remove the rear 2 nuts.
Once that's off you can get the heat-tray off and then you can get to the gearbox.
Sorry about the bad advice earlier, I'd completely forgotten about that as the last 2 cars I've changed gearbox oil on were Mk1s which don't have the brace or heat-tray.
Thank you for that, very helpful.
The bolts are very badly corroded, we've soaked them with P oil but they won't move. We actually managed to shear one of them clean off. We're a bit stuck with what to do next. Thought about attacking them with an impact wrench but that would probably shear more.
Any thoughts?
The bolts are very badly corroded, we've soaked them with P oil but they won't move. We actually managed to shear one of them clean off. We're a bit stuck with what to do next. Thought about attacking them with an impact wrench but that would probably shear more.
Any thoughts?
Thanks Lazza. We gave the bolts/studs what we thought was a good soaking with plus gas and managed to remove the bolts at the front of the bracing. Unfortunately we then managed to shear the stud half way down the bracing on the passenger side. Might you have any idea, please, how we can eventually replace this stud once we've got the bracing off after much more soaking in plus gas and wire brushing?
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