Silly question time!

[450Dan]

Ok, so it's probably a simple answer but how do I go about getting oil into the gearbox?

Additional to this question, I am trying to see what sort of state aforementioned gearbox is in without having to take it out/apart, is there any way of doing this or am I going to have to suck it up and dismantle the whole car
In general I have not noticed any issue with the gearbox itself, but if there is some way to check it out I feel it would be worth doing.

~Dan

[debruiser]

I normally use a funnel and a piece of hose to fill the gearbox and trans. Put it up through the middle seat hatch.

Condition checking.... don't know.... I'm just going to suck it and see.

[Slunnie]

Im guessing you can't test drive it?

[450Dan]

Sadly no I can't test drive, don't have anywhere large enough to get out of first gear lol. Need to find someone with a field, and trailer

[450Dan]

Ok so I have found a couple of what look like inspection covers and a filler plug under the middle seat, once the oil has worked into the bolts I guess I shall have a gander in there and see what gives, usual oil or something special?

[JDNSW]

Early Series gearboxes have a filler and dipstick on top, accessed through a swivelling plate on top of the transmission tunnel. But by Series 2 time the only filler is the level plug on the side. Usual method is a pump and hgose - I use a 20l drum with pump.

Gearbox, transfer case, and diffs, swivels, steering box, steering relay use EP90 or 85, preferably GL4 not GL5.

John

[450Dan]

next silly question, how much oil does it take, or how far should I fill it, I removed a cover which was underneath the middle seat area and there is about 2mm of oil at the bottom of it, looks generally clean in there. Though I suspect I am not actually looking in the gearbox, had a picture but my phone decided to fall in and isn't working at the moment.

[JDNSW]

Fill to level plug in the side, approximately 1.5l.

John

[crackers]

Fill to level plug in the side, approximately 1.5l.

John

In general, that's pretty typical for this sort of thing - gearboxes, diffs, etc. If it has a plug in the side, fill till it starts to spill out. It's better if you can check the manual of course, but this is a good rule of thumb.

And yes, all the British manufacturers had a mania for making filling these things an exercise for double jointed spider monkeys who didn't mind getting fluid all over them. Feel free to swear, everyone else does.

[harry]

if you haven't run it and are worried about what might be in it, drain the oil into a container and look at the speckles of metal in the drained oil,
if there are lots, allow it to settle and drag a magnet through it, there shouldn't be too much for a gearbox that is regularly serviced.
but as you cant run it too much, I would also flush the box with a cheap fluid, petrol, turps, diesel, jet a1, several times until the drain comes clear and refill the gearbox with your choice of oils, I would use a cheaper one and run the box for a while and redo the oil change.
once you get it on the road and able to drive it for a while, I would do another oil change, of all oils to see what the condition is.