Gearbox oil change advice

[techspy]

Well, I will be changing my gearbox oil to Redline soon and was looking for any advice to make it go smoother. I see the drain plug and the filler/level plug. I guess I just drain, and fill until it starts comming back out of the hole I am putting it in correct? Whats the easiest way to get the oil in it? I guess a long rubber hose and pump it in somehow?

Thanks
John
94 S4
http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html

[arium]

I managed to change mine using that same thought process. I used about 2 feet of 1/4" id clear tubing that was adapted to a homemade funnel. Worked great......yawn. Yup, about five hours later the last little bit started to drip out of the gearbox. Next time I'll use some sort of pump type oil can that maybe holds a litre of so in the reservoir. Grass grows faster than watching that stuff dribble out the end of a hose.

[dr.hess]

I bought a gizmo at Wal*Mart that screws on the mouth of an oil bottle, has a little twist valve and a clear plastic tube. My wife held the bottle, fed the tube through the hole in the trunk floor to me under the car where I pushed it in the fill hole. You can squeeze the bottle and force the oil (Mobil SHC630, 3.15 qts, available from Grainger Supply) down the tube. Didn't take that long.

Wal*Mart also carries a gear oil pump in the marine parts section of the auto parts area that screws on to oil bottles and will pump oil through a tube. I may try one of those next time.

Dr.Hess

[NJGSX96]

I used a pump you can get from any auto parts store. It may not screw into the bottle but it can just sit on the lip of the spout so it still works fine. Took me 15 minutes to pump it since ther fluid is a little thick. The last thing you want to do it pour it through a tube. Tranny fluid is way too thick. It would take all day. I'd rather watch paint dry.

[mikelr]

I used a 6" piece of 3/8 fuel line pushed over the "cone ended" dispenser tip of an empty 90W gear oil bottle. Simply transfered the MT90 into the empty bottle, screwed on the dispenser top and squeezed the bottle while holding it upside down to expidite the transfer.
Low buck and easy, took about 10 min. to refill.

[techspy]

Well, can you believe I can not find Redline MT 90 anywhere in Charlotte? I found, and purchase Redline water wetter, and found Redlione motor oil, but no MT 90. Anyway, I ordered 4 quarts from Summit and should have it this week. I also found a little hand pump at the local auto parts store to help with the filling. Thanks for all the info guys. I will post my observations on any shifting improvments later this week.

John
94 S4
http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html

[techspy]

Got my MT 90 in today and changed the fluid. Now I don't know if it is just the placebo effect or what, but I say it is a MUCH better shift. A couple of observations though. I thought the drain plug was magnetic to attract metal shavings. Mine is not magnetic. Also, I had an S4S clutch installed about 1500 miles ago, and assume the oil had to be changed then. Can a clutch be replaced without draining the gear oil? If so, this oil was not very old, which really speaks well for the Redline MT90.

John
94 S4
http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html

[JK1]

techspy said:

Can a clutch be replaced without draining the gear oil? John 94 S4 http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html

Not likely. You have to pull the driveshafts out to move the tranny which will then leak fluid if not drained. Would be pretty messy.

[H2DCA]

Change my S4 gearbox oil last night and none of this whossey stuff with hoses just laid back with 500ml bottles and sqeezed it in !!!!!
Whoa seriously though would have adopted the hose method but did not have any handy.
However one thing I did discover and that is the drain and fill plugs are a pain to get at with a decent sized spanner so I used a 3/8" sqaured drive wrench extension from my socket set that fits over the square on the plug and gave me a remote extension to remove and install the plug.
Hope this helps
Best regards and happy Lotus motoring

[sanj]

techspy said:

I thought the drain plug was magnetic to attract metal shavings. Mine is not magnetic.

The drain plug is not magnetic. There is a magnet inside the box, but you have to split the case to get to it.

Cheers,
Sanj

[B16 RFF]

JK1 said:

techspy said: Can a clutch be replaced without draining the gear oil? John 94 S4 <a href="http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html">http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html</a> Not likely. You have to pull the driveshafts out to move the tranny which will then leak fluid if not drained. Would be pretty messy.

You can with the Citroen box. Just unbolt the drive shafts from the output flanges.

[greezmunky]

Only thing I can add is make sure you do this outdoors. Old tranny fluid has an extremely foul odor. I used a 'mighty-vac' fluid pump to fill the tranny.. bought it to bleed my master cylinder but had tons of other uses including this one.