Transmission Gearbox Filling advice and Oil Type

[mb4tim]

OK,I know I could do a search, but it's more fun to add more threads!

Here it is: Is there a means to check/fill/drain the gearbox fluid? I notice mine' stiff to shift into first and second, and I have a good bit of whine. I'm hoping (although, all other easy solutions have been a bust so far) that it just needs drains and filled with new fluid.

My MGB has a near impossible to get to dipstick, but once you get that far under the console and carpet, it's easy to fill.

If there is, what is the recommended filler for my '81 with a 5-speed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[FI Spyder]

It has been covered before (with pictures). Drain bolt is on lower right, easy to get at (from underneath). Fill bolt is at upper left, difficult to get to (from any direction.). I filled mine with a clear plastic hose attached to oil can from underneath. The hose can make the sharp turn neccessary to go into gearbox. Wasn't to bad really. Strong thumb needed as quite a few pumps where needed to put in the almost two liters of Pennsoil synthetic gearlube.

[Hasbeen]

Tim, I fill mine with a tube, from a 1L bottle, from above, so now
you have no idea.

Do you have a 1 inch thick, 2 inch diameter, [or so] round steel
spacer, between the gear box, & the rubber mount, with the rear
mounting bolt going through it?

This has been missing on 2 of my 7s, when I bought them. When this
is missing, the box can sit gently on the mounting subframe. It only
takes a little droop in the rubber mount.

If this happens, all the gearbox noise is resonated through the car,
& it sounds like shot bearings. In at least one car the noise was much
reduced when the clutch was depressed, as it appeared to move the
box off the subframe.

This bit is not mentioned in my Leyland manual, so I think it was an
afterthought, to fix an unexpected problem. It certainly looks like it.

Hasbeen

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Hey Tim,

What I did was to drained transmission, flushed it with Varisol, then I installed 2 Quarts of Pennzoil Synchromesh Manual Transmission Fluid ($7.99 US/QT). Very smooth now!

The fill plug is the black one just behind the gear housing and the drain is the silver one below the fill plug right at the bottom side of the housing. To check the level, pull the fill plug and stick your little finger in the hole. The oil level should be right at the bottom of the hole. It was really easy to fill the transmission when it was on the engine stand, but it is not so easy from the top.

You know what!? There was a topic about a brake fluid pump made from a pump type garden sprayer, you could use the same thing to pump fluid into the transmission from the bottom, if you use the ATF or the Pennzoil. Link to Sprayer site: [url="http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm"]Garden Sprayer[/url]





Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Tim & Hasbeen,

With the round metal bushing missing (one on the right side of photo), the transmission will droop and the back, bottom edge of shifter housing will ride on the drive shaft. This leads to a horrible noise that sounds like all the bearings are bad in your transmission.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[mb4tim]

cool! My father-in-law has a pressure pot - something liek this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93119. I might fill it with the fluid and let the compressed air push it in.

I've not been under the car with exception to replace the fuel filter and fuel lines around the fuel pump. This would be a great opportunity to try the service pit in the workshop. I'd just need to clean everything off of it.

Thanks again!

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[Hasbeen]

Think about that one again Jclay, that bush has nothing to do with
the relationship between the shifter housing, & the tail/drive shaft.

Yes the gearbox, & shifter housing will droop, but so will the
tail/drive shaft, by the same amount. It is attached to the back of
the box, after all.

You've told enough people about the shifter bushes, & their problems.
I have yet to buy a 7 with them there, or one which did not have the
housing rubbing on the tail shaft.

However, the noise, with the round bush missing is from the box,
vibrating on the sub frame.

Hasbeen

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Good points, Hasbeen,

Yes, the drive shaft does drop when the back of the transmission drops, but it does upset the geometry of the system. As the back of the transmission drops, the angle of the drive shaft in relationship to the transmission flange becomes more oblique. This allows the drive shaft to rub, especially when the car goes over a large bump in the road.

Sorry if I talk about the housing bushings too much, you just never know who has never heard of them. When I got my car, everything went bad, all at the same time, so I fixed it all. I may have never known what problem caused what noise. I guess I should have remembered to fix one problem at a time.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[Hasbeen]

Not at all Jclay. I agree with you completely about the housing
bushings. As I said, I've never got a 7 which did not need them.

Hasbeen

[mb4tim]

OK, I pulled all the armrest, trim, boots, and plates from around the shifter.

It's my guess that the whole shifter assembly shouldn't wag like a dog's tail. Again, it's my guess that it should be somewhat solid, and this wagging could lead to the reason my reverse lamps don't function.

Didn't someone talk about replacing the bushings (that mine are apparently missing) from the top side? Heck, it looks like the bushing went out with the bolts.

I meant this thing will wag until it hits the trans tunnel! I'm guessing, my third guess, that this not such a good situation.

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[Hasbeen]

Tim, Jclay has a post with a photo of the shifter gear, & those
bushes. If you can find that you'll have every thing you need for
the job.

Hasbeen

[ACW30445]

You can buy a 7-8 dollar version of this type siphon pump at Wal Mart (back in the automotive). I am sure it's PE...not PVC like the good Griots one below but it's also a lot cheaper.

This type was what I was going to use..or 'try' as I need to change the fluid.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=44406

For the level of quality though, the one on Griot's Garage is not a bad price.

[Underdog]

If you check marine suppliers, there is a pump sort of like that used to fill outdrives. Fits in a quart bottle. Mine wore out & I got another one at Advance Auto Parts that goes in a gallon container. Works but seems to pump slower.
BTW, I've been useing the GM Syncromesh Trans fluid. It's pretty thin & really helps with the balky shifts especially when cold.

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

[mb4tim]

I'm headed to Harbor freight this weekend. This is one of those tools I won't use too often, so, one time use might be OK with me, if it's cheap enough. If not, I'll get a decent one.

On another note, stopped at a fabric and foam store today to find some cloth to redo my seat, ended up getting a full leather hide, very similar color for $99. And, it looks like a euro hide - no holes, scars, nothing. A clean hide! It's such a clean hide, I can use the reverse as suede for the inserts, trim out the shifter and doors. It's just under 50 square feet.

The interior will be 10 times as nice as the beat up body...LOL.

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

[Rich in Vancouver]

Just be glad that you have a 5-speed! Trying to fill my 4-speed gearbox with gear oil was a real chore, even though I heated it to help it flow.
The designers deserved a swift kick for not providing access!

Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U