Member Since: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 912
Just about to change the oil on my 8 speed box. Can anyone who has done it themselves please advise me on whether or not ramps or axle stands are necessary. I've got no feel for how much room is underneath even in offroad height setting. I do not have ramps....yet.
What about if I just lifted the front a little? Would that make the gearbox oil trickle the wrong way?
Member Since: 17 Dec 2013
Location: Chichester
Posts: 179
Personally I would never recommend working under the vehicle without the correct support. I used heavy duty axle stands and a trolley jack as a backup. You are right under the middle of the vehicle with the engine running for some of it and I would be scared to do that without proper support.Discovery 4 Landmark ‘16
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11th Sep 2017 4:41 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
I raised mine to off road height, and put some stands below the chassis to catch it, just in case. I found plenty of room to work, although I was lying on my back with the car close to me. Depends on your waist line I suppose!
11th Sep 2017 4:44 pm
Davethegeo
Member Since: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 912
Thanks. I will put axle stands under as backup, but sounds as though offroad height is just enough to work with.
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11th Sep 2017 5:41 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
6 Months and 8000 miles down the road, and today I have done the next drain and refill. The stuff that came out was quite dark, but not as black as the original drop 6 months ago. Smelt absolutely like oil, so I think the Mannol oil has lasted well.
One tip I learnt over last time, plenty of rags to hand because no matter how careful you are, its messy.
Before I drained it, I plugged in the IID and drove up and down the local dual carriageway at decent speed until the temps had maxed. The transmission oil was at 78 degrees, the engine oil at 100, and the coolant at 90 when I got back, and dropped the oil.
This meant that after I had done the initial fill, and cycled the gears etc, it didn't take long to get it back up to 69 degrees to open the stat. It still took 4hrs to cool back down to 30 for the final check!
I weighed the oil that came out, and it was 3042g. There was minimal spillage, and I did leave it draining until nothing else would come out. According to my reckoning, that means the box might have been a bit low on oil?
What do you think Robbie?
5th Oct 2017 4:44 pm
Hot Tub
Member Since: 15 Aug 2017
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 1071
I have found a 5ltr garden pressure spray works well for putting in fresh transmission fluid cut back Lance put flexible hose after the tap.
5th Oct 2017 6:47 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
I have a Sealey oil pump. It's great. The screw thread fits the top of the oil bottle, so no need to be transferring clean new oil into another container. Flexible hose, and an aluminium curved end that stays in the fill hole easily.
Takes about 20 pumps to dispense a litre bottle.
5th Oct 2017 7:16 pm
Fifth Horseman
Member Since: 23 Oct 2012
Location: Lanarkshire
Posts: 217
Do you mean THIS one?
Its the only one I could find in the Sealey catalogue that came near your description.
6th Oct 2017 7:49 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
Yes that's the one Works really well.
On another note, I did a recheck of the oil level this morning. The temps had dropped overnight and the gearbox oil was at 10 degrees this morning as measured on my IId device.
I started the engine, removed the fill plug and got about another half litre in before it started to trickle out. There is a fair amount of difference between the hot/cold level, and stresses the importance of accurately measuring the oil temperature during this whole procedure. I reckon my gearbox was slightly short of oil since my last change! Luckily there seems to be no ill effects, and it's still changing as smooth as it ever did.
I can't remember the exact temperature range, but I thought the level had to be checked when the oil was at about 40'C - so if you put more in when it was at 10 its potentially overfull?Mark.
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6th Oct 2017 9:11 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
Instructions say below 30 degrees and not to exceed 50 degrees.
Though as an edit, I thought it was between 30 and 50'C Mark.
2006, D3 SE Auto - gone but not forgotten.
2014 BMW 530d M Sport Tourer.
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
_________________________________________________
Disco Picture Website Here
6th Oct 2017 11:37 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26774
Well if it is, better too much than too little. Just come back from a decent run, and it's smooth as ever.
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Works really well.
