wich gearbox oil

[paisesmediterraneos]

I am David from Spain, I am going to change the 5 gears gearbox oil to my 2003 Caterham 1.6 k  series roadsport, I would like to know wich oil must I use: , Comma EP75W80 Plus(mineral),Comma MVMTF Plus 75W-80 (fully Synthetic),   Comma SX75W-90 GL-4 (semi synthetic) or Comma EP80W-90 GL-4 (mineral).

 

Thank you very much

[7 wonders of the world]

If its a 5 speed then use 1.2 ltrs of this 

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1019-red-line-synthetic-manual-transmission-lubricant-mtl-75w-80-gl4.aspx

 

or the 6 speed use the same oil filled to the level plug.

[ChrisC]

Comma EP75w80 Plus Mineral, but was recommended MTL (as above) last year by Phil at Road and Race, after a rebuild.

[Wrightpayne]

Is the gearbox out? There is no drain plug so if gearbox in the car you’ll need a vacuum pump to suck it out.

Ian

[paisesmediterraneos]

the gearbox is not out, I went under the car and I didn't see  the hole to drain it, so, Ian , must I use a vacuum pump to suck it out from the level hole at the side of the gearbox??, the owners handbook says it is 1'9 litre inside the gearbox but anyway I will use the level hole to fill it till the oil will go out.

Comma EP75w80 Plus is mineral and MTL is synthetic, which one must I use?, the gearbox is not rebuild. I listened that if you use synthetic oil where it was mineral oil  before the  oil seals could fail and leak.

 

[Wrightpayne]

I think using the filler hole to suck it out will be virtually impossible.

Another way I’ve read about is to remove the top cover/lid however this can be quite fiddly as most of the gearbox is hidden down the transmission tunnel. There is also an interlock plate that fits in a slot in the lid that you have to place correctly when you put the lid back on.

I’ve had a threaded boss welded into the lid with a plug near the front edge of the lid, so I can vacuum out the oil and check the level with a dipstick.

Regards

Ian

[tomwood]

I run MTL in my 5 speed gearbox and it works really well.

its a bit of a squeeze but it’s possible to get your hand down the tunnel so you can access the top panel of the gearbox with an Allen key. You can do the whole thing relatively easily simply by feel as you’ll not be able to look at the panel whilst you have your hand stuffed up the tunnel.

Having got the panel off you can then suck the oil out of the top with an oil extractor.

ian - interested in what you said. I think mine is a single piece top panel I don’t remember there being any other bit of it to have to locate. Are there different designs?

Tom

[Wrightpayne]

Dont think so - I’ll try and get a picture at the weekend. (Spare box buried at the back of rhe shed!!)

Ian

[SM25T]

Nothing complex on my 5 speed top plate. Easy to remove on an SV. Careful with card gasket though. Clean all bits off. Light smear of silicone sealant on lid and stick gasket to it. Smear of grease on gasket or gearbox top face ... then gasket comes off intact and reusable next time.

[Paul Deslandes]

Just don't shift the gears with the lid off as the selector mechanism is located by a bracket on the lid and will mis-align if moved.

MTL for me too

Paul

[Tazio]

Redline MTL

[paisesmediterraneos]

I think it's very difficult for me to do it, so I will open the level plug and refill if necessary, I will refill with MTL synthetic even if I don't know if the gearbox oil inside the gearbox is a mineral one and then mineral and synthetic will be mixed..

[Geoff Brown]

With the 'no drain plug option' & the difficulty of sucking out the old oil there is the option, if changing to a different spec oil, of filling & flushing with the new oil until the colour/viscosity changes completely.

Expensive I know & not guaranteed 100% but close enough for government work!

 

[7 wonders of the world]

with the gearbox oil hot, remove plug and insert length of 6mm ID tube and wiggle it until it hits the bottom of he box, couple up a syringe nd pull a vacuum pop off the pipe and lay in a catch tray - you now have a syphon, very slow but effective overnight.

Steve @ SPC recommends only 1.2 Ltrs  for refill

[paisesmediterraneos]

By the way, today I was under the car checking again the gearbox. What is this sensor for?, it is attached to the gearbox at the rear end more or less.

 

Thank you

 

[Geoff Brown]

Speedometer transmitter.