LT77 Gearbox Oil Change
Discussion
Eyup,
I got some new oil from the Opie guy (sic) this weekend so I'm about to change the gearbox and engine oils.
On the LT77 I'm a tad confused though so need you help chaps.
My LandRover manual talks about a Gearbox extension and draining the box from there. Whereas the third picture on this site looks more like my gearbox so I think the yellow and red circles are relevant for me. Is it right that the square section 'bolt' half way up the gearbox is the filler and the dirty great big one right underneath it at the bottom of the box is the drain.
I guess I'll need a crush/sealing washer for one or both of the plugs too?
Capacities are also a bit confused. My Griffith handboox says I need 1.4 Litres but that website says it needs 2.65 Litres. I only bought 2 litres, did I drop a bollock?
I'm planning to refill the box with a big syringe with tube glued to it. I reckon the oil is thin enough to allow me to do this?
One final thing, I'm in no rush so does it matter that the engine/box won't have been warmed up. I don't particularly like starting the car while its in the garage on axle stands.
Christ, so many questions for such a little job. pathetic eh
I got some new oil from the Opie guy (sic) this weekend so I'm about to change the gearbox and engine oils.
On the LT77 I'm a tad confused though so need you help chaps.
My LandRover manual talks about a Gearbox extension and draining the box from there. Whereas the third picture on this site looks more like my gearbox so I think the yellow and red circles are relevant for me. Is it right that the square section 'bolt' half way up the gearbox is the filler and the dirty great big one right underneath it at the bottom of the box is the drain.
I guess I'll need a crush/sealing washer for one or both of the plugs too?
Capacities are also a bit confused. My Griffith handboox says I need 1.4 Litres but that website says it needs 2.65 Litres. I only bought 2 litres, did I drop a bollock?
I'm planning to refill the box with a big syringe with tube glued to it. I reckon the oil is thin enough to allow me to do this?
One final thing, I'm in no rush so does it matter that the engine/box won't have been warmed up. I don't particularly like starting the car while its in the garage on axle stands.
Christ, so many questions for such a little job. pathetic eh
Your right Ian, re filler, drain & capacity. I think the other bits are for big foff extensions to drive the 2 diffs on the farxfar 
You don't want to get close to the exhaust when its warm anyway Some boxes have the filler on the other side I think I saw somewhere - defo on the drivers side on mine
Dave
You don't want to get close to the exhaust when its warm anyway Some boxes have the filler on the other side I think I saw somewhere - defo on the drivers side on mine Dave
I don't think the extension applies to the TVR installation so ignore it. The picture looks right you quoted, same as my 92 pre-cat anyway. If the filler plug is not on the drivers side as shown look on the nearside half way up the aluminium back casting. Top filler plug will probably be a conical thread so no sealing washer on it. Drain (32mm spanner?) will have a copper washer, if you don't have a new one heat it up with a blow torch to orange heat and let it cool, it will anneal enough to be re-used. Remove the filler plug first, as if you cannot get it out to re-fill the box after you drain the oil you've got a problem! Just do it cold. The Castrol SMX bottles have a flexi spout on them, pushing a section of pvc pipe tight over it you can squeeze it straight out of the bottle. My old wedge (same box?) used 1.75L of SMX to re-fill. The gearbox drain plug will be tight but it becomes very loose as soon as it turns at all, watch where you fingers are on the spanner etc or you will crack them against the chassis when it gives suddenly.
Barreti said:
Eyup,
I got some new oil from the Opie guy (sic) this weekend so I'm about to change the gearbox and engine oils.
On the LT77 I'm a tad confused though so need you help chaps.
My LandRover manual talks about a Gearbox extension and draining the box from there. Whereas the third picture on this site looks more like my gearbox so I think the yellow and red circles are relevant for me. Is it right that the square section 'bolt' half way up the gearbox is the filler and the dirty great big one right underneath it at the bottom of the box is the drain.
I guess I'll need a crush/sealing washer for one or both of the plugs too?
Capacities are also a bit confused. My Griffith handboox says I need 1.4 Litres but that website says it needs 2.65 Litres. I only bought 2 litres, did I drop a bollock?
I'm planning to refill the box with a big syringe with tube glued to it. I reckon the oil is thin enough to allow me to do this?
One final thing, I'm in no rush so does it matter that the engine/box won't have been warmed up. I don't particularly like starting the car while its in the garage on axle stands.
Christ, so many questions for such a little job. pathetic eh
Last time i changed the gearbox oil it was (about) 2.5 liters. What oil are you going to use ?I got some new oil from the Opie guy (sic) this weekend so I'm about to change the gearbox and engine oils.
On the LT77 I'm a tad confused though so need you help chaps.
My LandRover manual talks about a Gearbox extension and draining the box from there. Whereas the third picture on this site looks more like my gearbox so I think the yellow and red circles are relevant for me. Is it right that the square section 'bolt' half way up the gearbox is the filler and the dirty great big one right underneath it at the bottom of the box is the drain.
I guess I'll need a crush/sealing washer for one or both of the plugs too?
Capacities are also a bit confused. My Griffith handboox says I need 1.4 Litres but that website says it needs 2.65 Litres. I only bought 2 litres, did I drop a bollock?
I'm planning to refill the box with a big syringe with tube glued to it. I reckon the oil is thin enough to allow me to do this?
One final thing, I'm in no rush so does it matter that the engine/box won't have been warmed up. I don't particularly like starting the car while its in the garage on axle stands.
Christ, so many questions for such a little job. pathetic eh
I used Castrol, for me the best oil i have had in my box ever.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Fred
Hey Fred, thanks for that. I'm not sure what the oil is actually, just bought it from the Opie Oilman at the Growl. Some sort of synthetic ATF I think. I'll have a look tonight and post up what it is.
Thanks also to you dwgriffith for the tips - especially the one about watching my knuckles when the drain plug opens. I've 'donated' enough knuckle skin to this car already
I'm still a tad concerned I haven't got enough oil with my 2litres though, as different people are telling me different quantities
Thanks also to you dwgriffith for the tips - especially the one about watching my knuckles when the drain plug opens. I've 'donated' enough knuckle skin to this car already
I'm still a tad concerned I haven't got enough oil with my 2litres though, as different people are telling me different quantities
Edited by Barreti on Wednesday 22 August 23:56
Gearbox oil from Opie (just for you Fred)
Fill plug and magnetic drain plug as they came out of the gearbox
and after cleaning - all the 'hair' in the first shot, which looked so much like shards of metal when I had it in my hand, just turned to a brown snotty substance when I started wiping it off.
Plugs and seals - the new composite seal is shown over the old copper crush type one and must be wrong
Looking at the quantity of oil which came out I reckon 2litres is going to be enough to refill it.
I also think this may be the source of the oil leak which I've been unable to trace. It looks like the same stuff. That'll be a bonus, I've been looking for that for ages.
I've also just bought myself a 'Lumatic' Suction Oil Gun (500cc) which seemed like a damned steal at just £13 from my local guy-who-sells-everything-you-can-think-of-if-he-can-find-it, Ean Muller of Loughborough, which will aid the refilling of the box tomorrow when I get that seal changed.
)Fill plug and magnetic drain plug as they came out of the gearbox
and after cleaning - all the 'hair' in the first shot, which looked so much like shards of metal when I had it in my hand, just turned to a brown snotty substance when I started wiping it off.
Plugs and seals - the new composite seal is shown over the old copper crush type one and must be wrong
Looking at the quantity of oil which came out I reckon 2litres is going to be enough to refill it.
I also think this may be the source of the oil leak which I've been unable to trace. It looks like the same stuff. That'll be a bonus, I've been looking for that for ages.
I've also just bought myself a 'Lumatic' Suction Oil Gun (500cc) which seemed like a damned steal at just £13 from my local guy-who-sells-everything-you-can-think-of-if-he-can-find-it, Ean Muller of Loughborough, which will aid the refilling of the box tomorrow when I get that seal changed.
Edited by Barreti on Thursday 23 August 01:05
I've only got 2 sizes of copper, which seem to fit box, diff & oil pressure relief, it is worth keeping a few extras (cant remember which ones are for which) and I do manage to keep the copper ones instead of using them for something else . The collapsible sump ones are another matter, I use a new one every time (on the TVR anyway..)
Dave
. The collapsible sump ones are another matter, I use a new one every time (on the TVR anyway..)Dave
Barretti were the 2 liters enough? Mine was recently changed and the garage also used a bit less then 2 liter. Strange thing is that others claim they need 2,5 (2,7) liter? Are there differences between LT77 boxes or does some oil stay in and you only need 2,5 liter if the bottom part of the box is removed?
Thanks, Peter
Thanks, Peter
Yep, 2Litres was enough, only just though - see below.
Drainplug seal. The new ones (one for now on the drainplug and two for spare) are left, the old one is top right, and the wrong composite one is bottom right. If you go to get a seal for the drain on an LT77 box be careful he doesn't give you a composite. These are for the gearbox extension on a LandRover LT77 which TVRs don't have (or at least mine doesn't)
I drained out exactly 1 Litre plus this
So 1.7Litres then.
But I put back in all but a tablespoon full of the 2 containers of 946ml of ATF shown above - give or take a bit thats 1.9Litres. I filled the gearbox with the car level and pumped gently until the oil started to dribble back out of the filler.
All in all it was a simple job which anyone can do.
Take my word for it though, this ATF fluid absolutely honks. I like the smell of oils generally but not this stuff
Drainplug seal. The new ones (one for now on the drainplug and two for spare) are left, the old one is top right, and the wrong composite one is bottom right. If you go to get a seal for the drain on an LT77 box be careful he doesn't give you a composite. These are for the gearbox extension on a LandRover LT77 which TVRs don't have (or at least mine doesn't)
I drained out exactly 1 Litre plus this
So 1.7Litres then.
But I put back in all but a tablespoon full of the 2 containers of 946ml of ATF shown above - give or take a bit thats 1.9Litres. I filled the gearbox with the car level and pumped gently until the oil started to dribble back out of the filler.
All in all it was a simple job which anyone can do.
Take my word for it though, this ATF fluid absolutely honks. I like the smell of oils generally but not this stuff
Edited by Barreti on Friday 24th August 00:43
I went out for a run in the Griff yesterday LG, but to be honest I was checking the 'feel' of the car rather than focusing on the gearbox. I changed the brake lines for braided ones, and completely bled through with DOT5.1 fluid so wanted to check the brakes (which have a longer pedal than before so need bleeding some more). I also changed the front tyres for 500 spec 225 S03's so was checking out the handling which I'm certain has lost some of the lightness at speed I don't like.
A lot to check out in a half an hour run but thats all the time I had yesterday.
I didn't really change the oil because I had a problem, rather than because I thought it should be changed because I didn't know the history.
It does seem better, and I specifically remarked how easy reverse was to get when the box was warm. Mind you, I also missed 2nd to 3rd while driving with a bit of gusto too
I've got a longer run in it tomorrow, although a lot of it is M1, but I'll let you know how it feels tomorrow night.
A thought just occurred to me though LG, I did have a problem getting gears quite often when the box was hot. I'd always get a gear, it would just be a fight sometimes. I'll know if thats gone after the run on Tuesday too.
A lot to check out in a half an hour run but thats all the time I had yesterday.
I didn't really change the oil because I had a problem, rather than because I thought it should be changed because I didn't know the history.
It does seem better, and I specifically remarked how easy reverse was to get when the box was warm. Mind you, I also missed 2nd to 3rd while driving with a bit of gusto too
I've got a longer run in it tomorrow, although a lot of it is M1, but I'll let you know how it feels tomorrow night.
A thought just occurred to me though LG, I did have a problem getting gears quite often when the box was hot. I'd always get a gear, it would just be a fight sometimes. I'll know if thats gone after the run on Tuesday too.
Edited by Barreti on Monday 27th August 09:07
As far as the T5 goes i know that changing the oil if the gear change feels sticky when the box is hot sorts out that problem so i would imagine that an oil change in your box may well have the same effect.
Pasco
LG did you receive my pm yesterday ?
Pasco
LG did you receive my pm yesterday ?
Edited by Pasco on Monday 27th August 09:48
Eyup. A quick update for LordGrover
I ran the car nearly 50 miles down to Daventry on Tuesday to see Mr Guglielmi (money well spent there) without a hitch and the shift does feel better although it was never horrible. The important bit is its more consistent. It felt the same as I drove from the M1 to Steves as it had when I drove up to the M1 from home.
I ran the car nearly 50 miles down to Daventry on Tuesday to see Mr Guglielmi (money well spent there
) without a hitch and the shift does feel better although it was never horrible. The important bit is its more consistent. It felt the same as I drove from the M1 to Steves as it had when I drove up to the M1 from home.
Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff