toping up the gear box oil.????

Post by **ozy volvo** » 19 May 2006 11:37 am

Hi guys,
got a silly question, I want to check my gear box oil levals as something niggles me that it needs checking, is the check plug the higher of the two? or is it more complicated than that? any advice???

ok questions over, the Volvo is great i just drove it to norwich and back and it was fine, the only real problem is that i curbed the passenger side wheel in the last snow, I had to find a scrap wheel, now the steering wheel is off line and when I hit a cats eye cutting the winding roads of Snowdonia, the cars all over the place so its off to the mechanic, bit like driving a boat.

Having all sorts of fun getting parts from my local volvo dealer. I don't think they like having to find parts that are for an 86 gl. one thing i have learnt from all this is that is certain bright orange car parts supper store is crap to source parts from, they cant even get hatch back struts, i thought they were generic?

but the £285 that i paid for it has been worth it.

Vince.

Post by **SteveP** » 19 May 2006 11:57 am

Try GSF car parts http://www.gsfcarparts.com/ - they sell rear boot struts, but you'll have to extend the switch on the one boot strut for the boot hatch light. Well worth it rather than getting your head smashed in

Post by **foggyjames** » 23 May 2006 01:21 am

From memory there are two plugs...one is the drain, one is the filler. I think the proceedure is to top the filler up until the oil level reaches that height....but for goodness sake check that before doing it, because I certainly don't know for sure!

You'll most likely find that it's easiest to remove the gearbox completely for this job. Don't dispair - it's not as hard as it sounds. If you haven't got one already, it's Haynes manual time!

cheers

James

Post by **mac** » 24 May 2006 11:28 am

Just to stick my oar in !

I will asume you have a manual g/box. Checking / topping up g/box oil is very easy B14/B17, slightly harder on B19/B200 as fuel tank 'saddles' over the box. You will need the car level and preferably raised to give room.

In all versions g/box is (obviously at the back) and is laid on its side - the combined lever/filler plug is in the top (side in 300s) cover.
The plug will be found on the N/S.
Remove the plug and use a flexi bottle to top up until oil just begins to run out of the hole. Leave for a couple of mins. for oil to settle and re-check.

On an M47 box the plug will be in one of two positions on the side cover (towards the front of the cover or towards the back).

Good idea to check final drive (diff) at same time. Proceedure is the same and the plug is more or less in the middle of the pressed steel cover on the back of the diff casing.

For an M47 Box top up with ATF type A (automatic tranmission fluid). (use ATF not Dexron)
The torque setting for the filler plug is 33Nm.

For the final drive top up with SAE90 gear oil.
The torque setting for the plug is 42.5Nm.

Sorry I can't post pix (about time we could post pix off our own PC I think) but if you want, PM me with you e-mail address, and I can send pix/diagrams.

Hope the above helps Mac.

Post by **SteveP** » 24 May 2006 12:15 pm

Some very worthwhile information, I need to do this job on my saloon ASAP - I'll drop you a PM if you can email me any pics/diagrams which I can host and then post on here if that's easier!

Post by **SteveP** » 24 May 2006 05:56 pm

Here's a set of Mac's pictures, definitely useful for archiving for the technical part of this site!

Under 360:

Under 340:

Trans Unit:

Two possible positions for the plug

Filling:

Post by **pettaw** » 24 May 2006 08:07 pm

Mac, any tips for budging the filler plug on the g/box on a 360. I've never managed to do it because there's simply no room and a ring spanner wouldn't shift it and only served to round it slightly

The last time I did it on my other 360. I dropped the whole transmission to undo it.

Post by **shimon340** » 24 May 2006 11:28 pm

A tip I got from Ev Zarifis ( Daf and 340 guy ) was to undo the filler plug before undoing the drain plug...

if the drain plug undoes but the filler wont budge then you have a problem

On one of my 340s the filler plug wont come out..... looks like its going to have to keep its original fluid then!! - unless I remove the transmission and fill the box upside down..... risk of over or under filling though.....

Post by **shimon340** » 24 May 2006 11:31 pm

Apologies if this goes in the "stating the complete obvious" section but there are two plugs on the gearbox.. ( cant remember bout diff ) one filler ( check level here ) and also a drain on the bottom - like a sump bolt.

The rear gasket on the diff is prone to leaking - not a difficult job to change but worth it....

Post by **foggyjames** » 25 May 2006 12:12 am

Ooh, I have something to add here! I took a piccy of my new M47R today to amuse the yanks who'll most likely never have seen one. You can clearly see the filler plug there.
This box will be getting a fluid change, a freshened up diff cover plate, then a 3.91 or 3.82 diff from a 340

cheers

James

Post by **mac** » 25 May 2006 09:44 am

Hi pettaw, Alloy cover + steel plug + long time not removed = corrosion. and on a 360 problems !!

Possibility 1. Large 'water pump pliers' type grips - I have a 16" set which will loosen just about anything. Such grips a quite slim and would fit between the box and tank. The plug projects some what and you should be able to get grips on.

Possibility 2. There is just enough room to take the side cover off with the box in place. (you could then tackle the plug 'on the bench' - heat + penetrating oil etc.)
The cover is secured with 6 bolts. The cover 'contains' a spring and 'cup' to pre-load the selector plate and the casing contains a spring and ball to pre-load the selector shaft, so make sure you don't loose them when you take the cover down. (actually nowhare as complicated as it sounds).
Don't worry about all the internals leaping out at you when you loosen the cover - they won't - they don't like humans much !!. (although the selector plate sometimes runs off)

Personally I would remove the cover rather than butchering the plug and risking damage to the cover.

Obviously fit new plug and washer and side cover gasket if you go that route.

foggyjames's picture shows the cover and securing bolts very well, note also 'his' plug is in the forward of the two possible positions.

It seems without a website I can't post pix but if you PM me your e-mail address I can scan and send you pix/diagrams of the cover/springs arrangement if you want to try that route.

I would consider taking the box out as a VERY last resort.

Hope the above helps. MAC

Post by **pettaw** » 25 May 2006 11:00 am

Thanks for that, was always frightened of taking that cover off in case all the sprung loaded stuff would spring out. Will go that route, thanks.

I've got the green book so I've got good diagrams this end, but thanks for the offer.

Post by **SteveP** » 25 May 2006 11:14 am

Good tips! My rear diff cover gasket has a slight leak, and I'm in the process of stopping that! Off to the Volvo dealer later to get the correct gasket this time! I believe the side cover for the gearbox is still available - but don't hold me to that!

Foggy, the diff cover plate is no longer available from Volvo - if it's not bent/warped on that box then I doubt you'll need it anyway. I also have a gearbox to diff gasket if you need one.

Post by **Cornholio** » 25 May 2006 11:15 am

mac wrote:It seems without a website I can't post pix...

Hi Mac,

Some of the people here use photobucket for free image hosting.

Cheers,

Gavin.

Post by **mac** » 25 May 2006 11:25 am

If you have the 'green book' thats ideal! - it shows exactly what's under the cover.

When you remove the cover the ball and spring in the casing should stay in place. A dab of grease will make sure.
The spring and cup on the cover may fall out buut book shows exactly where it goes. A dab of grease on re-assembly helps.

The selector plate should stay in place (it simply slots over the selector forks) but if it does fall off make sure you don't loose the 3 washers it sits on (on the pegs in the case it slides on). Again the green book is very clear.

Also to state the 'b' obvious - drain the box first ! (I have actually seen the cover removed before draining (no not by me) and this was at a Volvo dealer. !!!

Good luck. MAC

toping up the gear box oil.????

toping up the gear box oil.????

G/box oil

g/box