Gearbox oil, levels and purchase of.

[WelshBeauty]

Is there an easy way to check the gearbox oil level?  And if I need to get some, any recommendations?
I have a Late Series 1, 2008. 7500 miles.

Thanks as always, for your input.

[culzean]

If it is CVT there is a dipstick,  on Manual gearbox or i-shift ( automated manual gearbox ) no dipstick -  park car on level ground , unscrew the top plug ( there are two, the top plug is level, the bottom one is drain plug ) in nearside wall of gearbox and poke finger through the hole that is there,  if finger comes out with oil on it level probably OK,  if dry finger comes out - need more oil.   when the level is correct the oil should be level with bottom of fill hole.   Manual / i-shift box oil should be changed at 70K ( miles ),

Do a search on forum, plenty of info on draining and replacing gearbox oil.  This is just one - https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=9613.msg53562#msg53562  ( there is an attachment to one post showing position of drain and fill plugs under LH wheel arch ) - you need 17mm socket for fill plug and 3/8" square tool for drain plug ( you can use the drive square of a 3/8" socket wrench which will fit )

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-92422-castrol-transmax-manual-v-75w-80-fully-synthetic-transmission-fluid.aspx

1.5 / 1.6 litres required - with car level pour oil in until it starts to come back out of fill hole - that is the level check.

[Jocko]

Mine was changed 40,000 miles ago and I haven't looked near it since. And I have no intention of checking it. A gearbox doesn't USE oil like an engine. Unless you have oil leaking out there is no need to go near it between oil changes.

[WelshBeauty]

If it is CVT there is a dipstick,  on Manual gearbox or i-shift ( automated manual gearbox ) no dipstick -  park car on level ground , unscrew the top plug ( there are two, the top plug is level, the bottom one is drain plug ) in nearside wall of gearbox and poke finger through the hole that is there,  if finger comes out with oil on it level probably OK,  if dry finger comes out - need more oil.   when the level is correct the oil should be level with bottom of fill hole.   Manual / i-shift box oil should be changed at 70K ( miles ),

Do a search on forum, plenty of info on draining and replacing gearbox oil.  This is just one - https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=9613.msg53562#msg53562  ( there is an attachment to one post showing position of drain and fill plugs under LH wheel arch ) - you need 17mm socket for fill plug and 3/8" square tool for drain plug ( you can use the drive square of a 3/8" socket wrench which will fit )

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-92422-castrol-transmax-manual-v-75w-80-fully-synthetic-transmission-fluid.aspx

1.5 / 1.6 litres required - with car level pour oil in until it starts to come back out of fill hole - that is the level check.

Great answer Culzean.
Sorry, I forgot, it's the 5 speed manual,  1.4 I-DSI engine.

[culzean]

Mine was changed 40,000 miles ago and I haven't looked near it since. And I have no intention of checking it. A gearbox doesn't USE oil like an engine. Unless you have oil leaking out there is no need to go near it between oil changes.

lo

At 7500 and 13 years I may be tempted to replace gearbox oil......oil does age and oil has improved a fair bit since car was made.

[WelshBeauty]

Mine was changed 40,000 miles ago and I haven't looked near it since. And I have no intention of checking it. A gearbox doesn't USE oil like an engine. Unless you have oil leaking out there is no need to go near it between oil changes.

lo

At 7500 and 13 years I may be tempted to replace gearbox oil......oil does age and oil has improved a fair bit since car was made.

Culzean, good point. With such low miles, it's possibly the original gearbox oil.
Can you recommend a good one, I don't mind paying a bit extra, for a top-notch oil.

[culzean]

Mine was changed 40,000 miles ago and I haven't looked near it since. And I have no intention of checking it. A gearbox doesn't USE oil like an engine. Unless you have oil leaking out there is no need to go near it between oil changes.

lo

At 7500 and 13 years I may be tempted to replace gearbox oil......oil does age and oil has improved a fair bit since car was made.

Culzean, good point. With such low miles, it's possibly the original gearbox oil.
Can you recommend a good one, I don't mind paying a bit extra, for a top-notch oil.

See my previous post - link to opie oils

[WelshBeauty]

Culzean, good point. With such low miles, it's possibly the original gearbox oil.
Can you recommend a good one, I don't mind paying a bit extra, for a top-notch oil.

See my previous post - link to opie oils
[/quote]

Yes, I remember that post. I'll check back to it.

[culzean]

Culzean, good point. With such low miles, it's possibly the original gearbox oil.
Can you recommend a good one, I don't mind paying a bit extra, for a top-notch oil.

See my previous post - link to opie oils

Yes, I remember that post. I'll check back to it.
[/quote]

IIRC the bottles of oil have a 'pull-out' spout on them which may reach the filler hole, allowing oil to be squeezed out of bottle, if not you will need a piece of tube and maybe a funnel to get the oil into gearbox as room is tight ( i wedged the funnel next to battery ),  better to warm the oil in a bucket of water if weather not too warm - it is not much thicker than engine oil but getting it down a tube when cold  is slowish.  Go careful when you have poured 1.4 to 1.5 litres into funnel as oil will pretty soon start to come out of gearbox hole    best to leave the container you drained old oil into under the gearbox until you have refilled it - to catch any overflow...

It seems that 'transmax' name replaced the Castrol Syntrans V FE 75w-80  that I used in our cars.   It is used by many European car makers as original fill for manual gearboxes.  The Transmax oil seems hard to get, Eurocarparts seem to have it at about £10 more per litre than Opie.

[WelshBeauty]

IIRC the bottles of oil have a 'pull-out' spout on them which may reach the filler hole, allowing oil to be squeezed out of bottle, if not you will need a piece of tube and maybe a funnel to get the oil into gearbox as room is tight ( i wedged the funnel next to battery ),  better to warm the oil in a bucket of water if weather not too warm - it is not much thicker than engine oil but getting it down a tube when cold  is slowish.  Go careful when you have poured 1.4 to 1.5 litres into funnel as oil will pretty soon start to come out of gearbox hole    best to leave the container you drained old oil into under the gearbox until you have refilled it - to catch any overflow...

It seems that 'transmax' name replaced the Castrol Syntrans V FE 75w-80  that I used in our cars.   It is used by many European car makers as original fill for manual gearboxes.  The Transmax oil seems hard to get, Eurocarparts seem to have it at about £10 more per litre than Opie.

The detailed installation plan is very much appreciated, culzean. Many thanks mate.

[bus_ter]

I changed mine at about 80K. No record of the previous owner changing it. I didn't notice any obvious difference. I thought maybe gear change was slightly smoother but it was probably placebo. If someone had changed it without telling me I wouldn't have noticed.

At 100K my gearbox is still silent and doesn't make the often reported bearing noises. I'm not aware of them having been changed previously. I have a late 2006 car.

[WelshBeauty]

I changed mine at about 80K. No record of the previous owner changing it. I didn't notice any obvious difference. I thought maybe gear change was slightly smoother but it was probably placebo. If someone had changed it without telling me I wouldn't have noticed.

At 100K my gearbox is still silent and doesn't make the often reported bearing noises. I'm not aware of them having been changed previously. I have a late 2006 car.

Thanks for answering this and my other question (3rd gear a bit difficult, and notchy steering)