changing gearbox oil on E36

[Batfink]

I'm going to be servicing my car this weekend and I want to change the gearbox oil. Is it easy to do? Anyone got a guide?
Car is a 2.5tds

[Neil.D]

Hi.

Simple guide would be;

1)Tools.

a. Trolley jack, pit or ramp.
b. 17mm socket (mine was)
c. Oil pump of some description
d. 2 litres of approved gearbox oil (This is castrol)
e. Flat blade/hex screwdrivers


2) Lift up NS of car with trolley jack. Get some axle stands and chocks for safety.

3) Remove the belly pan if it has one. The area you want to remove is roughly inbetween the front wheels. Ie, not the sump cover

4) My gearbox bolts were 17mm - yours may differ. They are situated on the NS of the gearbox and are one above the other, about 4 inches apart. Anyway, remove the TOP bolt first, not the lower one in case it is stuck and you cant get any new oil in there - that would be tiresome. These are very tight so I hope you have big muscles.

5) Once the top bolt is out (this is also your filler hole) remove the bottom one and expect 2 litres or so of black smelly oil to come out at a rapid pace. Be ready to catch it, I use empty plastic 4L oil cartons, lying on their side with the face of it cut out with a stanley blade as a catcher.

6) Have a cup of tea

7) Drop the trolley jack so the car is level so you are happy every last drop has come out

8) Jack the car back up and replace the lower bolt on the gearbox

9) using your oil pump or massive syringe, refil the gearbox with nice fresh, golden gearbox oil. Take your time and try not to spill any!

10) Once you reach about the 1.7L mark you will know when its full as it starts to regurgitate the new oil out of the top/filling hole you are using.
Once it does this, put the top bolt back in as soon as you can and tighten up tight.

11) Give the area a wipe up and replace all of the belly pan


Its not easy unless you have the correct size socket (clearly) and also the hand oil pump as you are obviously working against gravity.
If youre in the mood to get dirty you may as well do the diff oil too. This is a different grade and the diff requires a 14mm hex bolt, mine did anyway and uses the same drain/filling principle.

This has been written toot sweet so any questions just say

Neil.D