Gear Box Oil Change

[MikeVR6 0]

Hi,

 

How awkward is it to change the gearbox oil on an 1.8 16v?

I believe this can make a significant difference to the feel of the gearchange. Plus I think the oil in mine is over 12 years old :!:

 

Can someone advise of the steps involved and recommend which oil I should use please.

 

Thanks :D

[munkay 0]

If theres one thing I dont like about the corrado, its the gearbox. Far to soft

 

Would be good if you could do something like the weighted shift rod on golf mk2s.

 

I also thought gearbox oil was meant to be changed at major services? or at least when the belts are done?

[Supercharged 2]

No VW never change it as part of normal servicing, same wioth the coolant that can loose its properties! - I have recently had both these changed, fully synthetic oil in the gearbox and its made a very noticable difference, worth doing!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

VW claim the coolant and Gear fluids are 'sealed for life' but it's subjective really. I personally don't fancy a gearbox full of synchro ring swarf sitting there for the life of the car. Same with the coolant, but anyway...changing the fluid is easy, you just need a big allen key (13mm I think). The drain plug is in the diff housing underneath and the filler plug is - I think - on the casing behind the road wheel.

 

I'd personally do it every 24,000 mile. As for what oil, Redline and Amsol oils are reputed to reduce notchiness and crunching but again, it's all dependant on box condition. I just use Shell helix 80w/90 gear lube. This is what Stealth use. Seems OK.

 

I thought cable change boxes did have weights? Late ones certainly have.

 

Cheers

Kev

94 VR6

[ClassicStorm 0]

So the coolant and the gear fluids are sealed for life hey?I had the coolant changed and think that I may well do the gearbox oil also....gearbox is very smooth though.I personally don't like knotchy gearboxes anyway,like the Hondas etc....

[brookescourt 0]

I dont know how you do it but you wont regret filling it with Castrol TAFX.

[Scott 0]

Its a easy job and involves jacking up car and removing the large hex plug....as mentioned...

 

It made a heck of a difference to my gearbox which was very stiff when cold... nice and fluid now all the time.

 

I got my VAG specialist to do mine whilst he was sorting a load of odd jobs *:) heh

 

Scott.

[Supercharged 2]

Yeah, I checked the level of the gearbox oil last week when me and a mate were changing the sump gasket at the garage where he works (because the gearbox oil was done by another garage along with other bits after I first got the car so I just wanted to check it)

 

The plug came out fine (you don't take it completely off unless your changing the oil as you will loose some, not entirely sure the best way to fill it back up again tho... I'm sure someone knows a good technique

[Rams 0]

Some of these garages have the oil in a pump container and you feed a bit of the pipe into the gearbox and release the pressure from the pump mech and when it starts to come back out again thats when you have enough oil!

[GazzaG60 0]

did my mates 16v golf last week. was whining a bit n a tad notchy. 2l and a tube of molyslip later n the box is v good. 17mm for the hex on that one

[Rado16v 0]

did mine, used Castrol TAF-X and well worth it. Old stuff smelt like cat p!ss and looked like merky water and thats after about 40k miles, so no definitely not for life. I believe the the oil breaks down through its life and loses all its properties.

 

Theres a drain at the bottom and a fill on the side of the gearbox. Open the fill first (don't want to empty your gearbox to discover you cant open the fill nut!) and then the drain. Put the drain plug back in and fill on the side using the bottle from underneath, you'll have to squeeze the bottle. When its full oil will pour out from the hole. Its a bit awkward. Replace fill nut. Job done.

[Henny 0]

Just to add to what Rado16v said...

 

Make sure your car is on the level (not just the front jacked up) when you check/fill your box else you could put in too much or too little oil! :?

 

I tend to use 50% semi synthetic gear oil and 50% standard gear oil. This was recommended by a mate who's a really good mechanic and it has always made the gearchange feel sooooooo much better on all of the cars I've had... 8)

 

Just my thoughts... Oh, and Rado16v, great tip about taking out the fill bung before the drain bung... I've never had a problem with the bungs before but I'll be doing it in that order from now on! :D :lol:

[lesarcsneil 0]

Does anyone know the size of the 2.0 16v fill/drain plugs on the gearbox so that I can get the correct hex socket?

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

[Jim 2]

Holy thread bump. 11 years old thread?!

 

Anyway - 17mm apparently.

[davidwort 0]

wow, that is an old one, anyway you could just try a couple of 17mm nuts locked together on a 17mm bolt as you won't get a lot of use out of the 17mm hex tool :)

[lesarcsneil 0]

I'm guilty of using the search... and possibly bumping one of the oldest threads on here.

 

Thanks for the info,

 

Neil

[Ray1965 10]

talk about Brush the dust off this thread. i was looking also to how to do the gear oil.

Good tip about the fill plug :thumbleft:

[fendervg 32]

I used Redline MT-90 in mine - check out page 3 of my member's thread for a quick how-to http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?t=55703&page=3&highlight=shark

Edited July 17, 2014 by fendervg

[Ray1965 10]

REDLINE MT90...Thats a good choice so i've heard. Wheres the best place to buy from?

Edited July 17, 2014 by Ray1965

[delfinis38 1]

REDLINE MT90...Thats a good choice so i've heard. Wheres the best place to buy from?

 

17 quid for a quart delivered from ebay.... you need 2 pots...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Line-MT-90-Synchromesh-75W90-Gear-Oil-Fluid-946ml-GL1-3-4-100s-Sold-By-Us-/221424253201?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item338de9f911

 

I used Castrol syntrans transaxle stuff. again you need 1.5litres if you have a VR

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Castrol-Syntrans-Transaxle-75W-90-Synthetic-Transmission-Fluid-75W90-1-Litre-1L-/181234163972?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item2a3265e104

Edited July 17, 2014 by delfinis38

[Ray1965 10]

17 quid for a quart delivered from ebay.... you need 2 pots...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Line-MT-90-Synchromesh-75W90-Gear-Oil-Fluid-946ml-GL1-3-4-100s-Sold-By-Us-/221424253201?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item338de9f911

 

I used Castrol syntrans transaxle stuff. again you need 1.5litres if you have a VR

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Castrol-Syntrans-Transaxle-75W-90-Synthetic-Transmission-Fluid-75W90-1-Litre-1L-/181234163972?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item2a3265e104

 

Cheers For the info :thumbleft: