I bought some Redline MT-90 to put in my gearbox.. It seems VERY difficult to do this easily with the tranny in the car because the 'fill' hole is hard to get to (with a bottle/funnel, etc..). What is the easiest/best way to fill the tranny?

Thanks,
Matt

 

You can buy a small plastic pump at any decent auto parts store. Mine looks like a mini bike pump with 2 clear plastic hoses on it that can be used for filling or draining (draining is, of course, not the problem) - about $10. I've used mine a few times on the tranny if rearend

 

It cost me $31.00 to have the fluid flushed in my gearbox, Matt. At first, I didn't notice much of a change, but now I definately do.

I would guess part of the $31.00 is a charge for the fluid they put in, so maybe they can discount some for you, since you bring your own fluid?

It seems you can only change the fluid with a spray in nozzle, like they use.

 

The 80W-90 or whatever you get in the quart usually has a long narrow nozzle on it. You trim the top nipple on it and squeeze it in on the side tranny plug removed. It usually takes 120% of what you need in the tranny to fill it completely.

This is because the container needs to be near full to squeeze into the tranny effectively and then refill that quart with more gear lube from another container so its full again and again till it starts to leak out of the side plug. It just takes a little manipulating of the container it came in to get it in, yes, you will likely spill some and get it on your hands, sucks I know...

 

It's actually very easy. I just put redline in my 85 before I sold it.

1. Put the car up on ramps or stands, all wheels up, making sure it is level.
2. Loosen fill nut - you don't want to find out it is locked on when your tranny is already empty.
3. Drain old fluid out.
4. Use a funnel with a looooooong "snout" or a Mityvac pump set to pump instead of suck. Put in the fluid. Using the Mityvac takes like half an hour, and your forearms get a nice workout. It is entirely possible, I found out later, to just use a really long (~2 feet) funnel and just pour the fluid in there.
5. When fluid begins to trickle out of fill hole, you're done.

I used the occasion to go ahead and change out the oil and rear diff fluids as well (and remove the rear sway bar) since it was up in the air. Also, check everything out under the car while it is up!

 

Ok.. well the oil was changed in the gearbox when I bought the car (during the clutch change, so it was easy then), but I want to put some better stuff in there to make my poor Synchro's happy. I'll attempt to do it using the long-funnel method.

Thanks,
Matt

 

I put a funnel on a peice of tubing (beer bong style :P) Then just ran the tube from the engine bay to the fill hole. It was easy and didn't take to long.

 

Do you have a '79 or '80?

 

Seriously, just go and buy the small pumps for $5-10 at the local parts store. There designed to pump gear oil, so they're easy to pump, and push quite a bit of oil with every full pump. 10 min tops once the car is jacked up, to change the fluid completely. The right tool for the right job.