Club 80-90 Forums

Changed the gearbox oil yesterday, had the truck over 10 years so well overdue, 5 speed with a diesel hammering away at it.  Drain plug had a smallish ball (approx 1/4 inch) of fine swarf on the tip, nothing major.  Filling was a bit of a faff using a funnel and tube down from the engine hatch but it was well worth doing, box has always been a little 'notchy', not unpleasant and I'd assumed they were all like it.  Changing between gears is a lot smoother now and certainly a lot better first thing in morning especially 1st to 2nd.

The only thing I'd recommend is using a bowl or wide opening catch container, I used one of the flat rectangular 'enclosed' ones and it couldn't cope with the flow of oil and spilled over the drive, had to stem the flow with a thumb!!

Good. No reason why gearboxes shouldn’t have their oil changed too right, work just as hard as engines. That gearbox oil is thick though, takes an age doesn’t it.

James Akers did a good write up on the procedure:

https://vwt25.blog/2016/04/15/gearbox-oil-change/

Wish I'd read that first! Similar to the drain pan I used, would have saved the clean up afterwards.  Mine had much less debris on it than that so all good.
It does take ages to refill, if/when I ever do it again I'd find a way of warming the new oil first to help it flow