Checking gearbox oil level

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:40

Hi, I'm wanting to check the level of the oil in the gearbox so I need some sort of hex key to remove the plug. Does anyone know what size key I'll need and if they're available in Halfords? Would this 17mm do the job?

http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/sp-2 ... mm-hex.asp

Will it make it easier to remove the plug if I run the engine up to temperature first, or does it make no difference?

Thanks for any help.

Tony

Post by **BigTam** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:42

Defo the 17mm mate,

Post by **andysimpson** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:42

That will do the job fine. It should undo without any problems.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:45

Thanks very much for the fast responses!! Are Halfords likely to stock them?

Tony

Post by **BigTam** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:46

Tony,

try H a n c o c k Tools, 108 High St, Wallsend, they are Draper stockists

Post by **BigTam** » 16 Jan 2008, 22:49

I put in 'H a n c o c k' without the spaces and it came up penis tools,

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 16 Jan 2008, 23:20

BigTam wrote:I put in 'H a n c o c k' without the spaces and it came up penis tools,

Yeah I saw that and thought "I'm surprised that I haven't noticed the Penis Tools shop on Wallsend High Street!" I wonder if all the customers leave the shop carrying brown paper bags?! I'll not ask them if they also sell lubricant!!

Tony

Post by **edoh** » 16 Jan 2008, 23:51

might be worth having a peek at the access to the filler plug and the drain plug first - some chunky arf inch drive 17mm hex might not have any space to fit in - whilst sleek 3/8ths shorter 17mm hex might have better access and do the job better -

the good advice i was given on the forum before i had a go - clean round the plugs first - make sure the filler can be undone - first - take time to empty - take time to refill - long flexihose and funnel helps the medicine go down -

interesting discussion on what gearbox oil to use - go to search facility on this site - gearbox oil - and check out the redline or the 'normal' gearbox discourse -

Post by **Rozzo** » 17 Jan 2008, 05:01

thats a great tip about trying the filler bung before removing the drain

cos you sure as heck can't refill it from the bottom

and once the oils out you can't drive it.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 17 Jan 2008, 05:58

edoh wrote: . . . go to search facility on this site - gearbox oil - and check out the redline or the 'normal' gearbox discourse

Hmmm, 1380 hits when I tried the search! Only 500 for 'gearbox' though! Any chance you could point me in the direction of any particularly useful threads on the subject that you can remember?

Tony

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 17 Jan 2008, 06:05

I should've looked in the Wiki first!!!

Tony

Post by **edoh** » 17 Jan 2008, 09:46

the one that caught my eye (amongst 1380 others!) -
http://archive.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic ... earbox+oil