GEARBOX OIL LEVEL

[tonycharente]

Hello all,
I've searched but not managed to find an answser to this question, so please excuse me if it is in fact a repeat.

I wish to top up the oil level in my (four speed) gearbox through the gear lever hole (i.e. taking the chance to do so whilst I've got the gear lever removed). Is there a level I can see to top it up to just by looking down the gear lever hole, or do I have to still have to remove the normal filler/level plug in order to be sure not to over-fill?

Hoping someone can help, and (if not too early...) Happy Christmas to all!
Tony

[robertverhey]

Hi

Take it slow, as the oil may take a while to work its way through the bearings and into the main casing.

When it starts to run out of filler plug, stop filling.

When it stops running out of filler plug, replace it. You're done.

Doesn't work on single rail boxes, as I found out the hard way

Robert

[tonycharente]

Hi

Take it slow, as the oil may take a while to work its way through the bearings and into the main casing.

When it starts to run out of filler plug, stop filling.

When it stops running out of filler plug, replace it. You're done.

Doesn't work on single rail boxes, as I found out the hard way

Robert

Thanks Robert - so I DO need to remove the filler plug - there isn't a point that I can just fill it to peering down the gear lever hole?
Tony

[Barney]

Maybe if you do fill it to the hole, you could post a message sharing with everyone if there is an easy level/guide visible from the top,

Perhaps someone with more engineering/mechanical background could explain what are the risks involved in overfilling. - expansion when hot and overflow or more serious???

Barney

[cabc26b]

i recall the reccomended amount being a quart ( might be 1.1) , so if you put the specified amount down the lever hole then you wil be ok. and will not have to have the car level with the fill plug out.

[garyeanderson]

The gearbox is filled by adding gear oil by your method you choice. Either the side filler plug needs to be removed ( to prevent over filling) and to give the proper level or the drain plug on the bottom removed and th box compleatly drained and 2.1 U.S. pints (.99 L) put back in. The Ford box has no dip stick to check the level of the oil in the box.

Gary

Photo shows how the oil can move inside the gearbox. I pull the side plug and fill through it, how you do it is up to you.

[bcmc33]

The easiest method is to remove the drain plug, drain off the oil and refill from the gear lever hole with one measured litre of oil.

DO NOT OVERFILL.

If you can get it - use Red Line MTL it will make a big difference. A 1 US quart bottle will be OK.


Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

[RotoFlexible]

The easiest method is to remove the drain plug, drain off the oil and refill from the gear lever hole with one measured litre of oil.

DO NOT OVERFILL.

It's probably not a big deal, but some quantity of oil remains in the tailshaft housing after the case has been drained. This is the oil that ends up on your garage floor when you remove the engine - a few ounces, I would guess.

[bcmc33]

Consistent advice I had from experienced "old hands" in different development shops through the ages was always to slightly underfill transmissions and engines - never overfill. That's why I'm happy with 1 US quart in the Elan gearbox.


Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

[reb53]

When I recently refilled my box with Redline I drained out the old oil and got out about half a litre. Left it draining for a while and on a level surface.

Just as well I'm doing this I thought, must have been getting low.
I refilled to the level of the plug in the side of the box using a large syringe with MTL from a 1US quart bottle. ( giving it time to settle ).

1 US quart = 0.946 litres or 946 mils. ( according to the bottle).

Now here's the problem.
There's 330 mil left in the bottle which suggests the box holds about 600 mil or 1 pint. This ties in with what I got out in the first place.
This is half what the book says.

What's happening?
Any ideas?

Ralph.

[garyeanderson]

When I recently refilled my box with Redline I drained out the old oil and got out about half a litre. Left it draining for a while and on a level surface.

Just as well I'm doing this I thought, must have been getting low.
I refilled to the level of the plug in the side of the box using a large syringe with MTL from a 1US quart bottle. ( giving it time to settle ).

1 US quart = 0.946 litres or 946 mils. ( according to the bottle).

Now here's the problem.
There's 330 mil left in the bottle which suggests the box holds about 600 mil or 1 pint. This ties in with what I got out in the first place.
This is half what the book says.

What's happening?
Any ideas?

Ralph.

How warm was the gearbox? if you drained it cold, you won't get a liter out of it. Also whats a while? If you look at the photos I posted, not much of any is going to drain out of the tailshaft.

Gary

Gary

[65 Lotus]

BTW, tried the Redline MT-90 in my S1 gearbox and got some definite notchiness. The slightly lighter weight MTL works wonderfully.

[bcmc33]

The oil I drained from my gearbox prior to using Red Line was placed in the empty Red Line bottle with only a very little left over. So this gave me confidence that the right amount was in place.

As original oil was only 100 miles old and still very clean ? I used it all to mix a quantity of trunnion ?slop? for a friend and myself.


Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

[reb53]

Mystery solved.

Decided I couldn't have the smallest gearbox in Elan history and I must have cocked something up.
Yep......

Must have either not given the oil time to run into the furthest recesses of the box or, more likely, thought I felt the oil level on my finger thru the side hole when it was actually some spillage and not the actual level.

Anyway, re-visited the "problem" this morning. Got the car over the pit and squirted in the remaining oil.
Nice to know that thousands of Elan owners over the last 40 years haven't been using too much oil..............

Cheers
Have a good Xmas

Ralph.

[tonycharente]

:idea: Maybe if you do fill it to the hole, you could post a message sharing with everyone if there is an easy level/guide visible from the top.
Barney

Hello all,
and as suggested by Barney, here is the answer to my own question.

I drained the box, and then poured in one litre of oil through the gear lever hole. It all disappeared out of sight - none was visible peering in with a torch. So there is no easy level/guide visible from the top.
Tony