Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 592
Gearbox oil change vs flush advice please?
Hi
I have a 2015 8 speed with 68k miles. As I am not a fan of the D5, I will be keeping it for a while - my last one I swapped at 112k, but I might want this one to do 150k. Reading this forum, it seems that looking after the gearbox is a good thing to ,make it last. I PM'd Geoff., but he doesn't travel and I am in Hampshire.
I went to my local Indy, and he gave me two quotes. Both are high, but he says that is mainly due to the cost of the ZF original oil.
One is to replace 8L of oil and the filter and is £786. THe other is to flush and replace all the oil (12L), and is £723. I didn't get an opinion from him which is best.
So, do you think I should get it done, and which one would you do?
Thanksd4 HSE
17th Apr 2018 8:57 am
geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
morning stick
with the greatest respect i do travel but like i said 8 speeds are not something i do mobile
17th Apr 2018 9:01 am
stick
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 592
Sorry Geoff, if I have made any misunderstandings, and thank you for clarifying.
Do you have an opinion?
Thanksd4 HSE
17th Apr 2018 9:31 am
Mark Y
Member Since: 14 Sep 2008
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1249
Just had mine done for about half that , mega flush on 8 speed at Allmakes 4x4 Near Malvern , yes I had to travel to get there but if you want it done you have to put yourself out there .
17th Apr 2018 9:55 pm
Keefaaa
Member Since: 26 Sep 2017
Location: The North
Posts: 55
In industrial gearboxes flushing is only really used when there is severe degradation of the oil itself and or contamination which has caused something to be left behind in the box and needs to be cleaned off.
So for me I don't see the value of a flush when I get my 8spd oil change at the main dealer for £360 and the local indy wants £600 for a flush and change.
An oil sample is only £20 and will tell me if a flush is needed for the next interval.
17th Apr 2018 10:51 pm
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2136
Isn’t the point though that you can’t get all the old oil out unless you flush the old out with new oil?
I thought that just draining the gearbox oil left a fair few litres in the system, so an oil change is really only a partial change!
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18th Apr 2018 7:25 am
stick
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 592
Thanks for the comments.
THe thing is, the independent is charging £34.18 +VAT per litre of ZF fluid, so for a 12L flush that is £492.19 for the oil alone. I don't understand how it could be done for half.
If I go the oil change route, then the oil alone is £328.13 so not sure how the dealer would do it for £360. In fact, if only oild change, then a lot of the expenses is changing the filter....d4 HSE
18th Apr 2018 8:27 am
Tunny
Member Since: 30 Apr 2015
Location: Crewe
Posts: 64
Bristol Transmissions quoted me £300+Vat 6 months ago if that's any help.
18th Apr 2018 12:42 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8044
stick wrote:
Thanks for the comments.
THe thing is, the independent is charging £34.18 +VAT per litre of ZF fluid, so for a 12L flush that is £492.19 for the oil alone. I don't understand how it could be done for half.
If I go the oil change route, then the oil alone is £328.13 so not sure how the dealer would do it for £360. In fact, if only oild change, then a lot of the expenses is changing the filter....
That price isn’t far out for Genuine ZF labelled fluid.
Just to clarify, a full flush is done on a very expensive dialysis machine, it sucks the old oil out while pumping fresh in, that is without doubt the best way.
An oil change is removing the sump plug, draining out the contents of the sump not the gearbox and refilling, approx 50% cannot be drained out.
A double change is another oil change a short period after the first change or even at the next service.
I doubt your indie has a dialysis machine as they are very expensive and have to do a massive amounts of flushes to justify the cost.
As far as I am aware ZF like JLR do not produce oil, there are now many alternative recommended brands available that are much cheaper, I would suggest you ask your independent what he would charge if you supplied the oil, I have done a double change on mine using Ravanol oil for around £80, ultimately it doesn’t matter which way you choose, any is better than none, just remember ZF recommend 75k or 40kmiles if working hard.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
18th Apr 2018 1:12 pm
mick_n3
Member Since: 19 May 2017
Location: Kettering
Posts: 421
Flush no questions
When I got my D3 I paid a local indie for a flush turns out all they did was drop the sump and replace oil and filter and a nice new sump pan, I started having issues with it and had Bodsy do a proper flush.
The oil that came out now bearing in mind I had only done 2k was black, afterwards it drove like a different motor, lesson learned that indie won't be getting any more business from me. As has been said you cannot change all the fluid without doing a flush, what is the point of only changing 50%
M6NIO
18th Apr 2018 2:00 pm
Stevepd
Member Since: 06 Mar 2018
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 390
I was thinking of a flush with my indie and he said i would get change out of £500 and this was a sump removal & filter change method rather than a flush. He has not got a flush machine as he said it was the best part of £3k and would take ages to retrieve that kind of cash for flushes alone.
Do a flush.
Steve.
18th Apr 2018 2:08 pm
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2136
Can you not travel and get Geoff to do it for you? You’re in Hants somewhere? Not a million miles from
Kent. Geoff did mine At his place (6 speed though).
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18th Apr 2018 4:03 pm
Keyframe
Member Since: 01 May 2017
Location: Epsom
Posts: 26
Hi Geoff
When you have a quite moment, can you check your PM inbox, I'm interested in booking a gearbox flush with you if possible.
thanks
Peter
23rd Apr 2018 9:34 am
robpenrose
Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Surrey / SW London
Posts: 2136
If Geoff is slow to reply at the moment, this is why
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