Gearbox oil change
Discussion
Clean the iron filings off of the magnetic drain plug and use a new crush washer?
If it were me, I'd also check the rear oil seal around the output shaft and replace
if necessary. I'd also check the bottom of the bellhousing for oil leaks.
80/90 (typical gearbox oil) has a very distinct smell compared to engine oil and it
should be easy to tell which is which if you have a front seal leak.
On my mazda, I have a removable inspection plate on the bell housing. I can see between
the flywheel and block, my crank was dry, thus I knew it was my front tranny seal
doing the leaking. If you have that option, it's worth considering.
If it were me, I'd also check the rear oil seal around the output shaft and replace
if necessary. I'd also check the bottom of the bellhousing for oil leaks.
80/90 (typical gearbox oil) has a very distinct smell compared to engine oil and it
should be easy to tell which is which if you have a front seal leak.
On my mazda, I have a removable inspection plate on the bell housing. I can see between
the flywheel and block, my crank was dry, thus I knew it was my front tranny seal
doing the leaking. If you have that option, it's worth considering.
Seems that there is a filter as well. There is an internal oilpump that benefits from the filter. Never changed it myself, so nothing out of the ordinary. I always try to get in as much oil as possible.
BUT: (as always). There are many opinions of what you should put in it. Often originally the LT77 came in the '80s with ATF, but was not designed for it! And it seems that in the long run it could be that the livespan of the box is less than with oil. At least the seals are not for ATF, so regular checking of level and topping up would be required. Seems that castrol SMX is liked by many. Use standard gearbox oil at the moment, as that was lying around, but will change to smx next time. Oil has the disadvantage that engaging the lower gears when cold is difficult due to the thickness (Use first, and skip second until box oil is warmed up...).
Rob
BUT: (as always). There are many opinions of what you should put in it. Often originally the LT77 came in the '80s with ATF, but was not designed for it! And it seems that in the long run it could be that the livespan of the box is less than with oil. At least the seals are not for ATF, so regular checking of level and topping up would be required. Seems that castrol SMX is liked by many. Use standard gearbox oil at the moment, as that was lying around, but will change to smx next time. Oil has the disadvantage that engaging the lower gears when cold is difficult due to the thickness (Use first, and skip second until box oil is warmed up...).
Rob
There were a lot of filings on my magnetic drain plug. Enough to make you go 
Chap in the garage doing the work sort of said "crunched a few have we?" Then proceeded to button it back up and chuck in some synthetic (?) stuff rather than the TVR "whatitsaysontheplateandbook" stuff. Cannot remember the make.
Chap in the garage doing the work sort of said "crunched a few have we?" Then proceeded to button it back up and chuck in some synthetic (?) stuff rather than the TVR "whatitsaysontheplateandbook" stuff. Cannot remember the make.
last time i changed the g/box oil in a wedge i used smx. to fill up i used a long piece of 1/2 " hose with a funnel on one end and a bent bit of 10mm mictobore copper heating pipe poked in the filler , suspended the funnel about 1m above the roof line and just kept pouring it in till it came out of the fill hole and fell into a bowl.once full i jacked up the side of the car so the oil level fell away from the hole and stuck the plug back in with some ptfe on. bit of a fiddle but not too bad. these lt77 boxes always seem to have muck on the sump plug but go on forever as long as the lump doesn't make stupid power or the driver gives the gears a mashing.the shift is pretty good as well as long as the box has the sd1 style remote and not the sherpa / jag short version. can't say i noticed a difference changing from atf to smx but others swear it's better
hp
hp
I just did mine with SMX-S. Nice and smooth, but I haven't had it _really_ cold yet, or either _really_ hot ;^)
As for filling - I use a 5 foot rubber tube sticking into the fill hole. Then you can stand up rather than scrabble under the car. I also use a G clamp on the bottle, so I can leave it to fill while I attend to something else.
The gearbox takes 2.2 litres, so be aware before you drain it.
** Just drove with the SMX-S in there this morning - it was a bit nippy, but the box was smooth - no crunching at all. Also, reverse seems easier to select these days.
As for filling - I use a 5 foot rubber tube sticking into the fill hole. Then you can stand up rather than scrabble under the car. I also use a G clamp on the bottle, so I can leave it to fill while I attend to something else.
The gearbox takes 2.2 litres, so be aware before you drain it.
** Just drove with the SMX-S in there this morning - it was a bit nippy, but the box was smooth - no crunching at all. Also, reverse seems easier to select these days.
Edited by adam quantrill on Monday 19th March 14:41
Would have been funnier if I'd posted on the correct thread first. but here goes... Hope it's worth mentioning twice 
Just did a quick google to find out about "SMX oil" and guess what? I found myself right back in the gassing station forums, all be it in the pillow biting section Small world init?
FYI
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=8&t=179016
Just did a quick google to find out about "SMX oil" and guess what? I found myself right back in the gassing station forums, all be it in the pillow biting section
Small world init? FYI
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=8&t=179016
Have a cheap 'oil pump' for these type of purposes. It was looking at me in the shop, and for a few quid I thought to give it a good home. Anticipated to used once every two years, and found that it is more like twice a year. Good non-investment for a change, instead of forking out silly amounts of money (wedge-wise so to speak, so still not a lot compared what other spend often on a small service...). Able to convince me that buying a wedge also is a good 'investment', compared to the non-fun in like 99% of all other types of things (non-sex?) on 4-wheels.
Rob
Rob
Well it got done in the end. For those who have not filled one before please ignore the countless procedures on the web which relate to the landrover installation. The filler plug is not above the drain as indicated but on the opposite side on the back casting. On mine the filler plug magnet looked like a bonsai tree of metal filings and the oil looked like copper enamel model paint.
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